Slow Times
Posted By
michigan
at
11/24/2009 12:00:00 AM
It's always fun to head to new places to chase whitetails. Well, after hearing the reports coming from the Prostaff and just about anyone I've talked to that chases deer in Michigan, I couldn't have picked a better time to travel.
The gun season thus far has been a bust. Our prostaff has struggled to see deer let alone put big deer on the ground. Rumor has it that Troy Spooner was able to find some success in the big woods (check out next week's show for that action) but that has been the only highlight thus far.
So what's the deal? Where are all the deer? Well, they're here. And they're living fat and sassy in the corn. We have a tremendous amount of corn still standing and that's providing tons of security cover for these deer. But I have another theory and it's one I've been studying for the past several seasons. Before we begin discussing this, I have to preface my statements. I've never hidden the fact that I am not a huge fan of Michigan's gun season. I don't have anything against guns -- I own more of them than I probably really should. As I write this, I have three scopes sitting on my desk that need to be mounted, a new gun muzzleloader from Thompson-Center that needs assembled and another dozen or so firearms in a safe behind me. I like guns. Gun hunting? Well, not so much. At least not the way it's done in Michigan. That's not a statement against those who hunt with guns -- and it's not a statement against gun hunting in any way. Michigan's system is one that prevents hunters from truly experiencing what a hunting season can be like. So let's dive in.
Michigan's gun season always begins on Nov. 15. That just happens to be the time of year when bucks -- especially mature bucks -- are starting to really get serious about the rut. That makes killing those old deer somewhat easier. It's not easy by any means but your odds are better. Thus we kill a ton of bucks. I've seen research that showed Michigan kills more than 85 percent of its yearling bucks each year. It doesn't take a math degree to realize that very few bucks ever see their second set of antlers here.
We also have a gun season that lasts 16 days. In my part of Michigan, that 16-day season is followed immediately by two weeks of muzzleloader season followed by another two weeks of doe-only gun season. That's a ton of hunting pressure. The idea behind these seasons was to increase the deer kill, particularly the antlerless kill. According to my notes, it has had the exact opposite effect. The more we hunt deer, the harder they are to kill. Gun seasons are high-impact affairs. Lots of people participate and the deer react accordingly.
So why is this season different? Well, I think it's because the season opened on a Sunday. I generally see greatly increased human activity in the woods the weekend before the season begins. This year, we essentially had two weekends immediately before the gun opener. Guys were very active in setting up blinds, checking stands, etc. the weekend of Nov. 8. That was the local deer population's first hint that something was coming. Then on the 14th, the woods were alive with people doing last-minute scouting and stand checks. That's all the deer needed to confirm their suspicions. I saw greatly reduced deer movement on the 9th and 10th. I think it was because the deer were reacting to the increased human activity during the weekend of the 8th-9th. On the 11th, 12th and 13th, I saw good movement as the deer settled down. Then the 14th arrived and the woods were filled with people again getting ready for the gun opener. By the time the season dawned on the 15th, the local deer population was already well aware of what was happening. And they did what you'd expect them to do: They laid low and the corn provided them a perfect sanctuary.
So how do we solve this? Well, we don't. Unless Michigan has a sudden change in philosophy in terms of management regulations, you simply have to find a way to limit the pressure placed on the areas you hunt and learn the patterns deer follow when the pressure begins. I'd love to see Michigan move its gun opener into December and hold two separated seasons. You could have a 5-day season followed by a week off then a 7-day season. I really think that staggered pressure would help us kill more deer and create a much more satisfying experience for all involved.
Until then, all you can do is hunt hard and hunt smart. Good things happen with that formula.
Tony H.
The gun season thus far has been a bust. Our prostaff has struggled to see deer let alone put big deer on the ground. Rumor has it that Troy Spooner was able to find some success in the big woods (check out next week's show for that action) but that has been the only highlight thus far.
So what's the deal? Where are all the deer? Well, they're here. And they're living fat and sassy in the corn. We have a tremendous amount of corn still standing and that's providing tons of security cover for these deer. But I have another theory and it's one I've been studying for the past several seasons. Before we begin discussing this, I have to preface my statements. I've never hidden the fact that I am not a huge fan of Michigan's gun season. I don't have anything against guns -- I own more of them than I probably really should. As I write this, I have three scopes sitting on my desk that need to be mounted, a new gun muzzleloader from Thompson-Center that needs assembled and another dozen or so firearms in a safe behind me. I like guns. Gun hunting? Well, not so much. At least not the way it's done in Michigan. That's not a statement against those who hunt with guns -- and it's not a statement against gun hunting in any way. Michigan's system is one that prevents hunters from truly experiencing what a hunting season can be like. So let's dive in.
Michigan's gun season always begins on Nov. 15. That just happens to be the time of year when bucks -- especially mature bucks -- are starting to really get serious about the rut. That makes killing those old deer somewhat easier. It's not easy by any means but your odds are better. Thus we kill a ton of bucks. I've seen research that showed Michigan kills more than 85 percent of its yearling bucks each year. It doesn't take a math degree to realize that very few bucks ever see their second set of antlers here.
We also have a gun season that lasts 16 days. In my part of Michigan, that 16-day season is followed immediately by two weeks of muzzleloader season followed by another two weeks of doe-only gun season. That's a ton of hunting pressure. The idea behind these seasons was to increase the deer kill, particularly the antlerless kill. According to my notes, it has had the exact opposite effect. The more we hunt deer, the harder they are to kill. Gun seasons are high-impact affairs. Lots of people participate and the deer react accordingly.
So why is this season different? Well, I think it's because the season opened on a Sunday. I generally see greatly increased human activity in the woods the weekend before the season begins. This year, we essentially had two weekends immediately before the gun opener. Guys were very active in setting up blinds, checking stands, etc. the weekend of Nov. 8. That was the local deer population's first hint that something was coming. Then on the 14th, the woods were alive with people doing last-minute scouting and stand checks. That's all the deer needed to confirm their suspicions. I saw greatly reduced deer movement on the 9th and 10th. I think it was because the deer were reacting to the increased human activity during the weekend of the 8th-9th. On the 11th, 12th and 13th, I saw good movement as the deer settled down. Then the 14th arrived and the woods were filled with people again getting ready for the gun opener. By the time the season dawned on the 15th, the local deer population was already well aware of what was happening. And they did what you'd expect them to do: They laid low and the corn provided them a perfect sanctuary.
So how do we solve this? Well, we don't. Unless Michigan has a sudden change in philosophy in terms of management regulations, you simply have to find a way to limit the pressure placed on the areas you hunt and learn the patterns deer follow when the pressure begins. I'd love to see Michigan move its gun opener into December and hold two separated seasons. You could have a 5-day season followed by a week off then a 7-day season. I really think that staggered pressure would help us kill more deer and create a much more satisfying experience for all involved.
Until then, all you can do is hunt hard and hunt smart. Good things happen with that formula.
Tony H.
