BOB@BBT
01-11-2006, 08:46 AM
MDNR is looking for public comments on what to do about the deer populations, deer situation and deer hunting. They're in the process of setting policy for 2006-2010. They're taking public comment until Jan. 20. This is our time to give any suggestions and our .02 cents. They're at least listening. Here's what I sent MDNR...here's the email you need to contact below, but we only have another week or so, please do it asap, regardless of what your position may be. If the response is very good, it may lead to more mass public comment opportunities in the future. The email you need to contact...
deer_goals@michigan.gov
Here's the basic info...
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153--131646--,00.html
Here's what I sent...
We've heard all the complaining from deer hunters and now it's time to act. It isn't the total number of deer that has hunters upset, it's the lack of bucks and total lack of mature bucks in most of the state that has most hunters steamed. Most hunters equate lots of bucks with needing lots of deer. We can have 50% less deer but still more bucks and more mature bucks if you folks make some regulation adjustments. Now it's up to you to do it. Even with less deer, if there's more bucks and more mature bucks, hunters will buy tags and stay in the woods all season.
Basically, MDNR and the NRC has to do whatever it takes to decrease the annual yearling buck kill, button buck kill and increase the amount of more mature bucks in the herd surviving past 1.5 years old.
The following is a quick list on how to do so, in no particular order...
1.Eliminate the combo tag. You get one buck tag per season, period. One either sex archery tag and one any buck firearm tag. No hunter should be able to kill a buck and continue buck hunting in that same season. This would promote passing bucks. The combo tag promotes killing the first buck you see and only then looking for a nicer buck. But the catch 22 is that few mature bucks exist because everyone is shooting the first buck they see, instead of passing if they had only one buck tag per each season. Hunters killing two bucks with the combo is NOT the problem. It's too many hunters killing ONE buck, the first buck they see, that is the problem.
2. In archery season, tag a button buck with a buck tag if you still have an archery tag in possession. If all you have is an antlerless tag, then using the antlerless tag on a button buck is fine.
3. Make regular firearm season open later in the Fall, so it is not at peak rut and our yearling bucks are most exposed. The Nov. 15 regular firearms season was only set to maximize buck harvest in an age when deer populations were controlled by killing the maximum amount of bucks a year. Does anyone think this makes sense in 2006? If this was to be Michigan's very first deer season and you had to create season dates from scratch, is there a single biologist who would suggest November 15 as our firearms buck opener in this day and age with our modern deer problems? Fix this ASAP. The "Nov. 15 is tradition/a holiday" crowd will only complain for a year or two until they see how vastly their hunting is improved and how many more mature bucks survive. If you recall, many of the same folks said that allowing Michigan hunters to finally join the rest of the country and hunt out of trees with guns also said that was against tradition also. They were wrong then and now.
4. Or, open firearm season on Nov. 15, but make it antlerless only for the first week or so. You cannot shoot bucks with a firearm until the Monday after Thanksgiving through the following Monday. It's a one week regular firearm season for bucks, Monday to Monday. Archery season would remain open during the antlerless firearm season, but archers would be required to wear some orange.
5. Further limit baiting by requiring a $15-30 deer baiting permit tag system that would have to be hung by the bait, much like marking a treestand or ice shanty with your name and address. This will keep everyone honest. The current baiting rule "system" is a joke and does not work. Allow a hunter to buy 3 baiting tags tags, max. No hunter should have more than 3 baited locations. We want to know who's bait it is, if over 2 gallons. Plus, law enforcement could then stop anyone on the road with bait in their truck to see if they have a bait permit. As with cigarettes, the heavy tax would limit usage and curtail overbaitiing violations.
6. There should be no shining of deer during the open season from Oct. 1-Jan.1. It only harasses deer making them harder to kill and makes poaching of mature bucks that much easier. Most states do not allow shining for this reason.
7. Bring back the property tax id system for antlerless tags. What good is even having a private land antlerless tag if there isn't even minimal proof required? Far too many private land tags are used on public land and on private land in DMU's other than the actual legal DMU. Hunters in Lake county should not be able to buy Jackson county tags unless they have a Jackson county tax id number.
8. In some UP and NLP DMU's, limit the amount of antlerless permits a person could buy to 2 or 3. If only one hunter in any section was to buy 6-8 tags and fill them, then a mere one hunter can undo all the management work of everyone else in the section. This would even out the harvest of antlerless deer. Allow no limit in the SLP.
9. Make private land habitat improvement and food plots a stated policy goal of MDNR. Put it right in the rule book stating that MDNR would ultimately like to see private land hunters going that route and decreasing bait whenever possible.
10. Run archery season until Jan. 15. Many hunters have no time in December due to the holidays and holiday functions. But, make the rule that it's antlerless only or a buck must have at least 8 points tota from Jan. 1-Jan. 15. This will not allow most yearling bucks or 1/2 racks to be killed. You could make it 10 points or more total in the SLP also. It'd be 8pt or more total in the NLP and UP.
Good luck, but something like this must be done and soon.
Bob Fisher
deer_goals@michigan.gov
Here's the basic info...
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153--131646--,00.html
Here's what I sent...
We've heard all the complaining from deer hunters and now it's time to act. It isn't the total number of deer that has hunters upset, it's the lack of bucks and total lack of mature bucks in most of the state that has most hunters steamed. Most hunters equate lots of bucks with needing lots of deer. We can have 50% less deer but still more bucks and more mature bucks if you folks make some regulation adjustments. Now it's up to you to do it. Even with less deer, if there's more bucks and more mature bucks, hunters will buy tags and stay in the woods all season.
Basically, MDNR and the NRC has to do whatever it takes to decrease the annual yearling buck kill, button buck kill and increase the amount of more mature bucks in the herd surviving past 1.5 years old.
The following is a quick list on how to do so, in no particular order...
1.Eliminate the combo tag. You get one buck tag per season, period. One either sex archery tag and one any buck firearm tag. No hunter should be able to kill a buck and continue buck hunting in that same season. This would promote passing bucks. The combo tag promotes killing the first buck you see and only then looking for a nicer buck. But the catch 22 is that few mature bucks exist because everyone is shooting the first buck they see, instead of passing if they had only one buck tag per each season. Hunters killing two bucks with the combo is NOT the problem. It's too many hunters killing ONE buck, the first buck they see, that is the problem.
2. In archery season, tag a button buck with a buck tag if you still have an archery tag in possession. If all you have is an antlerless tag, then using the antlerless tag on a button buck is fine.
3. Make regular firearm season open later in the Fall, so it is not at peak rut and our yearling bucks are most exposed. The Nov. 15 regular firearms season was only set to maximize buck harvest in an age when deer populations were controlled by killing the maximum amount of bucks a year. Does anyone think this makes sense in 2006? If this was to be Michigan's very first deer season and you had to create season dates from scratch, is there a single biologist who would suggest November 15 as our firearms buck opener in this day and age with our modern deer problems? Fix this ASAP. The "Nov. 15 is tradition/a holiday" crowd will only complain for a year or two until they see how vastly their hunting is improved and how many more mature bucks survive. If you recall, many of the same folks said that allowing Michigan hunters to finally join the rest of the country and hunt out of trees with guns also said that was against tradition also. They were wrong then and now.
4. Or, open firearm season on Nov. 15, but make it antlerless only for the first week or so. You cannot shoot bucks with a firearm until the Monday after Thanksgiving through the following Monday. It's a one week regular firearm season for bucks, Monday to Monday. Archery season would remain open during the antlerless firearm season, but archers would be required to wear some orange.
5. Further limit baiting by requiring a $15-30 deer baiting permit tag system that would have to be hung by the bait, much like marking a treestand or ice shanty with your name and address. This will keep everyone honest. The current baiting rule "system" is a joke and does not work. Allow a hunter to buy 3 baiting tags tags, max. No hunter should have more than 3 baited locations. We want to know who's bait it is, if over 2 gallons. Plus, law enforcement could then stop anyone on the road with bait in their truck to see if they have a bait permit. As with cigarettes, the heavy tax would limit usage and curtail overbaitiing violations.
6. There should be no shining of deer during the open season from Oct. 1-Jan.1. It only harasses deer making them harder to kill and makes poaching of mature bucks that much easier. Most states do not allow shining for this reason.
7. Bring back the property tax id system for antlerless tags. What good is even having a private land antlerless tag if there isn't even minimal proof required? Far too many private land tags are used on public land and on private land in DMU's other than the actual legal DMU. Hunters in Lake county should not be able to buy Jackson county tags unless they have a Jackson county tax id number.
8. In some UP and NLP DMU's, limit the amount of antlerless permits a person could buy to 2 or 3. If only one hunter in any section was to buy 6-8 tags and fill them, then a mere one hunter can undo all the management work of everyone else in the section. This would even out the harvest of antlerless deer. Allow no limit in the SLP.
9. Make private land habitat improvement and food plots a stated policy goal of MDNR. Put it right in the rule book stating that MDNR would ultimately like to see private land hunters going that route and decreasing bait whenever possible.
10. Run archery season until Jan. 15. Many hunters have no time in December due to the holidays and holiday functions. But, make the rule that it's antlerless only or a buck must have at least 8 points tota from Jan. 1-Jan. 15. This will not allow most yearling bucks or 1/2 racks to be killed. You could make it 10 points or more total in the SLP also. It'd be 8pt or more total in the NLP and UP.
Good luck, but something like this must be done and soon.
Bob Fisher