UPPER PENINSULA DEER HUNTING OUTLOOK
While not as bad as last year, throughout much of the UP, the 2008-2009 winter had a negative impact on the deer herd. Snow depth and severity was sufficient to cause some over-winter mortality. In addition, the winter was severe enough to impact pregnant does. This impact will result in fewer fawns in the UP deer herd this year. With an expected reduction of the deer herd in 2009, fewer antlerless deer licenses are available in the UP for this year.
The production of mast (fruit and nuts) in the UP appears to be good this year. The plentiful mast, where available, will help concentrate deer and provide excellent nutrition for the upcoming winter. Hunters targeting these areas should have good success.
“The largest bucks with the heaviest and largest antlers typically come from agricultural areas, but nice bucks are also taken from forested areas where access is limited and they have an opportunity to grow older,” said Bob Doepker, DNR Western UP wildlife supervisor.
More deer will be found in the Southern UP near Lake Michigan, with fewer in the Northern UP near Lake Superior.
“Distribution of deer will not be uniform with agricultural areas having higher deer densities, and public land and heavily forested areas containing fewer deer than the average for these areas. In general, hunters should expect to see fewer deer in 2009 than they experienced over the last few years in the UP,” said Terry Minzey, DNR Eastern UP wildlife supervisor.
Review the buck hunting regulations put in place last year for the UP before purchasing your deer license.
