Michigan hunters shot more than 61,000 deer already. Here's where they're seeing success
This story has been updated to correct the number of deer taken during firearm deer season.
State officials were hoping hunters would take more does during the current firearm season, but the early numbers show that hasn't been the case.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources posted reporting numbers for the first weekend of Firearm deer season. Hunters reported 157,437 deer taken during 2024 to this point.
Since the start of the firearm season Nov. 15, 61,429 deer have been taken. Of that total, 45,104 were bucks, or antlered deer. Just 16,325 does, or antlerless deer, were taken.
Sanilac County hunters led the way with 2,078 total deer harvested — including 1,577 bucks, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Officials had been hoping hunters would choose to take more does this year as the state's deer population swells. There may be as many as 2 million deer in the state.
“For the last several years we’ve been trying, particularly in southern Michigan, to encourage hunters to take more antlerless deer, when we talk about declining hunter numbers, increasing deer populations,” said Chad Fedewa, a wildlife biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources who specializes in deer, elk and moose management.
“We’re trying to encourage hunters to at least go one-to-one: If you shoot a buck, shoot a doe.”
Here's a look at the first few days of firearm deer season that opened Nov. 15 and ends Nov. 30.
The numbers across the state
As of Nov. 18, here are the top five counties for total deer harvested:
Sanilac County: 2,078
Newaygo County: 1,494
Gratiot County: 1,466
Montcalm County: 1,450
Hillsdale County: 1,488
Where did hunters shoot the fewest deer?
As of Nov. 18, here are the five counties with the fewest deer harvested:
Wayne County: 37
Keweenaw County: 43
Luce County: 72
Gogebic County: 83
Alger County: 127
Where were the most bucks shot?
As of Nov. 18, here are the five counties with the most bucks harvested:
Sanilac County: 1,577
Menominee County: 1,101
Montcalm County: 1,081
Gratiot County: 1,074
Saginaw County: 1,023
Where were the most does shot?
As of Nov. 18, here are the five counties with the most does harvested:
Sanilac County: 501
Hillsdale County: 485
Newwaygo: 475
Saginaw County: 402
Gratiot County: 392
Where can I find hunting lands near me?
Generally, you can hunt on land you own if it meets safety regulations. You also can hunt on other private land, with permission. You can find places to hunt by visiting Michigan.gov/MiHunt.
Some state parks allow hunting, but national wildlife refuges are closed to hunting unless expressly permitted.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: DNR firearm deer hunting numbers show more bucks than does shot
