Fewer deer harvested by hunters

MID-MICHIGAN (WJRT) -- (11/30/09)--The firearm deer hunting season ended Monday, and it appears this was a tough year for hunters.

The final numbers are not in yet, but after talking to the DNR and several hunters, many had trouble finding the deer. One reason? The deer had a place to hide.

"Very few deer out there," said Bryan Merda.

The fewer deer assessment was heard over and over again at one Bay County deer check station on the final day of the firearm deer hunting season.

"We didn't shoot the deer we usually shoot," said Bill Ruhstorfer.

Some also said they noticed fewer hunters.

"I think the hunters numbers were down a little bit," said Ron Utt with the DNR.

Utt says fewer hunters are in the woods, meaning the deer weren't being chased that much.

Toss in the fact that wet conditions caused farmers to delay the harvesting of corn fields, that gave the deer a perfect hiding spot.

The mild weather and the economy may have also played a role in a slower-than-normal firearm season. Merda, of Pinconning, says he didn't see many deer and blames the DNR.

"The DNR are letting them kill too many deer," he said. "I think it should be fewer deer. You should be only be able to shoot one."

"Overall, check station activity is down," said DNR Wildlife Supervisor Rex Ainslie. "I do know there are other indicators that the hunter harvest may be down."

Ainslie says allowing hunters to shoot more than one deer is addressing two other problems.

"There's a paradox in what hunters are seeing, and what we are experiencing the rest of the year as far as crop damage and car-deer accidents," he said.

Both crop damage from deer and deer-car accidents are both up in Michigan this year.

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