Home turf Michigan Upper Penninsula WT

[stevevan]

My fall plans with an anticipated trip to Eastern Montana didn't come to completion as I wasn't able to make the hunt. I did have a successful hunt on my home property with a 10 pt. eastern count whitetail buck. First chance to use my 6.5 Creedmore and I couldn't ask for a better result. Handload with a Nosler 130 AB did it's job well. I've spent the last number of years on a self project of habitat management and supplemental plantings. The work was well worth the effort as I'm seeing positive results.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Nice buck, congrats!

 

[elk_n_esox]

Wow that's a nice buck... heard the UP was way down... guess your plantings are helping!

 

[Mikey C]

Great Michigan buck!

 

[CrimsonArrow]

Good job, that's a great big-woods buck

 

[outdoornut]

Great UP buck!

 

[dan maule]

Great UP buck it has been a pretty good year around here lots of big ones in Mid Menominee county at least.

Congrats!

 

[go_deep]

Great buck! congratulations!

 

[C_Dick_run]

Great Michigan buck there. I'm an original Michigander, moved to Montana last summer. It appears the antler restrictions are improving the age of bucks at least a little bit

 

[stevevan]

Yes, the antler restrictions may have a very, very minor positive influence on the age structure. However, Michigan allows a hunter to purchase a license with 2 tags which is absolutely insane. I believe we're the only Midwestern state with that license structure. If they would just sell a "one buck for one hunter each calendar year" I believe, along with many others, that you'd see a big improvement in both buck to doe ratio and age structure.

 

[dan maule]

Yes, the antler restrictions may have a very, very minor positive influence on the age structure. However, Michigan allows a hunter to purchase a license with 2 tags which is absolutely insane. I believe we're the only Midwestern state with that license structure. If they would just sell a "one buck for one hunter each calendar year" I believe, along with many others, that you'd see a big improvement in both buck to doe ratio and age structure.

Agree, and that is a state wide law as though the deer population is equally spread across the state. MDNR only cares about selling tags it is moronic.

 

[C_Dick_run]

Agreed stevevan, if they went to a "general deer tag" similar to Montana, allowing a hunter to take a buck or doe, and managed it per county, district, etc. instead of the 3 "zones" it would greatly improve the buck quality. However, I truly believe that will never happen in Michigan, because of the incredible number of licenses they can sell to Michigan's population.

 

[stevevan]

Agreed stevevan, if they went to a "general deer tag" similar to Montana, allowing a hunter to take a buck or doe, and managed it per county, district, etc. instead of the 3 "zones" it would greatly improve the buck quality. However, I truly believe that will never happen in Michigan, because of the incredible number of licenses they can sell to Michigan's population.

Yes, you're right. It's very evident that Michigan bases it's deer mgt. on political reasons and the revenue generated by License sales as opposed to good biological principals and even the sportpersons desires. It's no secret that the ag. folks, timber industry, and insurance companies all lobby to keep deer numbers suppressed. A DNR official was quoted that their goal is "To offer maximum opportunity to the maximum number of people". I intrepid that as lets sell as many licenses as we can to generate the largest revenue we can. Unfortunately that will catch up with them as hunter dissatification increases and hunter numbers decrease. I personally know of folks who have basically quit and others, such as I, who make trips to hunt other states that have more progressive management policies.

 

[Ca_Vermonster]

That's a great buck! Congrats!