# Why Michigan is so messed up for Deer Hunting.



## spikecamp (Jan 1, 2006)

BigBuckHunterDan said:


> I writing today because I think its stupid how the Michigan is trying to manage are deer herds. Michigan deer herds are so messed because Michigan just plain dont care all they care about is the money generated from doe tags and insurance companies. I Michigan would turn to places like Iowa Ilinois and have a earn-a-buck program then maybe michigans deer herd wouldnt be so bad. For those of you that dont know what a earn a buck prgram is it is when you have to shoot a doe and get it registered to get a buck tag, and then you have the choice to shoot the spike that comes by or the big 10 pointer on your property. In some spots in Michigan the buck-to-doe ratio is 1:42 thats outrageous!!!! We need to pass the little ones and shoot more does. The reason to shoot more does is lets say you have a group of 21 deer. The buck to doe ratio is 1:20. All the deer go into a food plot and all the does eat all the food before the buck gets there. So the buck isnt getting the proper nutrient it needs to grow to be a nice size buck. Another alternative is to have antler point restrictions. There should be a 4 points on one side or more to shoot a buck that for a few years would make just about every buck you would see would be a nice one. But it all starts with us the people we need to change it so pass em up and if you are dying to shoot one shoot a doe you cant eat the little horns anyway. Good luck to all hunters in October 2012!!


_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Michigan is not messed up. Quit watching those ridiculous hunting shows. Michigan is a great state for deer hunting.


----------



## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

Justin said:


> Michigan is not messed up. Quit watching those ridiculous hunting shows. Michigan is a great state for deer hunting.


 
Michigan is a great state for deer *killing*.


----------



## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

WoW. said:


> Michigan is a great state for deer *killing*.


You can get whatever you want out of a hunt in this state. If you're not...it's your own fault.


----------



## musicman34 (Oct 7, 2011)

Justin said:


> You can get whatever you want out of a hunt in this state. If you're not...it's your own fault.


 
Absolutely agree.


----------



## melvvin (Nov 21, 2007)

Justin said:


> You can get whatever you want out of a hunt in this state. If you're not...it's your own fault.


 Thats 100% correct! Tons of land to hunt public or private just have to do some legwork and thats part of the hunt. You can manage the property you hunt pretty much how you want with all the tag options. I think the DNR wants Michigan hunters to do their own managing anyways.


----------



## BigBuckHunterDan (May 1, 2011)

Justin said:


> Michigan is not messed up. Quit watching those ridiculous hunting shows. Michigan is a great state for deer hunting.



I don't know what you are thinking but that is a bunch of bs. To get a 130 inch deer in michigan is nice, but in surronding states that's like shooting a spike.


----------



## Cooncrazy (Jan 18, 2012)

Michigan could definitely be a top ranked state! Need a help from both sides though a one buck rule or
earn a buck, something but meat is meat I can pass little bucks up to let them grow just wait for a doe for meat ...


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## musicman34 (Oct 7, 2011)

BigBuckHunterDan said:


> I don't know what you are thinking but that is a bunch of bs. To get a 130 inch deer in michigan is nice, but in surronding states that's like shooting a spike.


Yep, way too many ridiculous hunting shows.


----------



## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

I would compare Michigan's hunting to a farm pond filled with 5" bluegills. I guess if all you are looking to do is catch a few tiny fish then it is great. But if your the other 90% of fisherman who like reading structure, learning the water to catch a big fish, eating fish, catching sporting fish, and trophy fishing its about useless.


----------



## musicman34 (Oct 7, 2011)

Lumberman said:


> I would compare Michigan's hunting to a farm pond filled with 5" bluegills. I guess if all you are looking to do is catch a few tiny fish then it is great. But if your the other 90% of fisherman who like reading structure, learning the water to catch a big fish, eating fish, catching sporting fish, and trophy fishing its about useless.


Whaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaa!:gaga:


----------



## fish_AK (Nov 10, 2009)

Lumberman said:


> I would compare Michigan's hunting to a farm pond filled with 5" bluegills. I guess if all you are looking to do is catch a few tiny fish then it is great. But if your the other 90% of fisherman who like reading structure, learning the water to catch a big fish, eating fish, catching sporting fish, and trophy fishing its about useless.


Very good analogy, It sounds like all the meat hunters and the horn (antler) hunters are happy! What were we arguing about then?

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## BigBuckHunterDan (May 1, 2011)

Cooncrazy said:


> Michigan could definitely be a top ranked state! Need a help from both sides though a one buck rule or
> earn a buck, something but meat is meat I can pass little bucks up to let them grow just wait for a doe for meat ...
> 
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Totally agree! I guess I worded my article wrong michigan deer hunting isn't messed up its just not as good as other places. I've never really had a bad season yet so I shouldn't be complaining. It's really doesn't matter to we if airs a state record or a 20 inch buck I just love the thrill of the hunt . It's just hunting state land like I do you would like to see nicer deer besides spikes fork horns and does all the time.


----------



## solohunter (Jan 2, 2006)

limige said:


> Agreed 100%
> Also cut the doe tags. Limit 1.


wrong, keeping the doe numbers down will result in nicer bucks, I now take 1-1 and also am shooting nice bucks most every year, History is that I Lived and own propety in 452, we were overrun with does leading up to the TB issues, we wre limited in doe permits by mismanagement and it being "club country" the clubs thought it unsportsmanlike to shoot does, so bucks were shot and no does,,,,,, there is a long range problem with that- way to many does, few bucks,,
With the TB doe shoot off 15 years ago down to several years where I didnt see a deer to shoot and now I see a decent ratio of about 5-10 to 1, I have passed on smaller bucks as the cam,.s are showing nicer bucks in the area now. as much as I disliked the shoot down of the does it has really helped the bucks come back, I hunted out west and they actually manage the herd by real head counts and smaller managment areas, liberal doe permits based on actual counts not a "pellet" count in a swamp to determine the permits for an entire 1/3 of the state. rules are not determined by a group of,,,,,,,, NRC,,,,,,,, people??
waiting on my wyoming draw results the 30th,,,,


----------



## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

Lumberman said:


> I would compare Michigan's hunting to a farm pond filled with 5" bluegills. I guess if all you are looking to do is catch a few tiny fish then it is great. But if your the other 90% of fisherman who like reading structure, learning the water to catch a big fish, eating fish, catching sporting fish, and trophy fishing its about useless.


 You could look at it this way also...The Michigan "pond" is open to all fisherman to fish for the big one or catch a limit if they like. The better state's "pond" is private and only the wealthy get to fish it.


----------



## motdean (Oct 23, 2011)

Lumberman said:


> I would compare Michigan's hunting to a farm pond filled with 5" bluegills. I guess if all you are looking to do is catch a few tiny fish then it is great. But if your the other 90% of fisherman who like reading structure, learning the water to catch a big fish, eating fish, catching sporting fish, and trophy fishing its about useless.


 
In what state did you shoot the bucks in your avatar?


----------



## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

musicman34 said:


> Whaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaa!:gaga:


In glad someone saw the humor in that. I thought it was funny.


----------



## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Lumberman said:


> In glad someone saw the humor in that. I thought it was funny.


 The main reason I quit supporting Whitetails Unlimited was because of the unlimited whining from all of the little babies:gaga:.
Hence, the reason I now regard the group as Whiners Unlimited. I suppose Egos Unlimited would be another proper title........


----------



## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

bigbuckhunterdan

If you really want to know why Michigan's deer do not have the amount of bone on their head as surrounding states read the attached link. Parts of Michigan have snow cover up to 6 months a year and very little of Michigan's total land mass has prime agriculture ground. 30"-40" inch less of antler for the same age class deer is typical due to the above factors. Weather and soil makes a huge difference.
http://ww2.dnr.state.mi.us/publicat...3500-3599/3512_Deer_Management_Plan_FINAL.pdf


----------



## harpo1 (Dec 6, 2007)

Easy fix to all of this...... pack up your belongings & move to one of those "Big Buck" states!


----------



## gilgetter (Feb 28, 2006)

Tickel me no end. the only thing messed up in this state, is the sissies who sit in apple shacks over a pile of what ever, and call it hunting.

your not happy here? go.All the other states will be happy to take your money. Me Im stayen right here, I have killed a few deer in michigan, and been happy with each one.


----------



## motdean (Oct 23, 2011)

itchn2fish said:


> It's cool, I have explained in the past, but I will give a short explaination, because I hate typing, and if one doesn't have something good to say about someone or some group, then, well,,,,,I will say I am grateful fo ALL cionservation groups, regardless, they all are full of members willing to vounteer there time and money for conservation & preserving the hunting heritage.
> Having said that, I got sick and tried of each and every WU/QDM meeting turning into a bee-yotch session, you had to be wearing hipboots to wade thru the accumilating tears. "Experts" would say that _*voluntary*_ APRs/OBR would not work, and constantly pushed for _*mandatory*_ rule changes. This was just ONE sticking point for me (there were others I am not going to get in to now). Voluntary vs. mandatory. Voluntary equals personal choice, freedom to decide for one's self how to utilize tags without being under un-needed/un-neccessary (IMO) rules & regs. I will _*never*_ be in favor of _*mandatory*_ state-wide regs, and would never want to push them on to everyone in the manner of having smug, so-called experts saying, "just drink the Kool-Aid and follow blindly, sheep..." ....now I'm starting to rant a bit, sorry. IMO, _*these*_ _*are*_ the good ol' days right now, and deer (& turkey, etc) hunting is the best I have ever seen in my life here in Michigan.
> One incident really opened my eyes; a QDM friend of mine, who wanted MARs for the entire state, kept saying, "we let all bucks go unless they have at least 4 pts/side on our land, and everyone should do the same". Well, he shows up at our October NWTF chapter meeting with a huge, heavy-horned, beautiful, high-scoring rack in-hand. When I ponted out that it had only 3 points per side, he said, "yeah, I know, but when I saw how heavy the rack was and how big the deer was, I determined right then and there that it was a tacker and loosed an arrow". And I said, "Oh, I see...you made a *voluntary* decision there, hmmmmm...."


 
Got it! Thanks for the reply.


----------



## solohunter (Jan 2, 2006)

Luv2hunteup said:


> bigbuckhunterdan
> 
> If you really want to know why Michigan's deer do not have the amount of bone on their head as surrounding states read the attached link. Parts of Michigan have snow cover up to 6 months a year and very little of Michigan's total land mass has prime agriculture ground. 30"-40" inch less of antler for the same age class deer is typical due to the above factors. Weather and soil makes a huge difference.
> http://ww2.dnr.state.mi.us/publicat...3500-3599/3512_Deer_Management_Plan_FINAL.pdf


There seens to be enough bone on michigan heads, to bad its not on the deer herd,,,, :lol:


----------



## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Henrik for President said:


> Our state will never harvest trophy bucks like other midwestern states. Think about the food alone... How many 10,000ac - 100,000ac cornfields do you drive by in Michigan? Not many, if any at all. 2 1/2 year old Nebraska deer look like 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 year old Michigan deer simply because of food availability.


Or one could go 180 degrees in the other direction and note the large deer that are shot in areas of Saskatchewan that have no agriculture. Some of the largest deer I've seen have been in an area of South Dakota with no agriculture to speak of and they are pushing 120" at a very young age.


----------



## Birdbuster (Mar 9, 2012)

I am retired and have hunted and fished Michigan all my life. I have seen many changes over the years, some to the good some to the bad. Our sport suffers from a few things. Politics and money, Sportsmen and hunters who can't agree to disagree and quit trying to impose their will on each other and last but not least poaching. We are our own worst enemy and endanger losing our privledges, thats right privledges because people cannot do what is right to enhance instead of cripple our sport. I will make a couple of quick points, Bear Baiting and Dove Hunting come to mind. The anti-hunters almost got bear baiting and hunting in general banned because they had a decisive plan to divide and conquer us and it almost worked if it wasn't for sportmen and women with common sense that seen what was going on. We need to allow each other the freedom to make our own choices on how or what game we want to hunt or we will continue to cut off our noses to spite our face.


----------



## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

musicman34 said:


> Yep, way too many ridiculous hunting shows.


 
.....that aren't filmed in Michigan.:evilsmile:lol::lol:


----------



## musicman34 (Oct 7, 2011)

QDMAMAN said:


> .....that aren't filmed in Michigan.:evilsmile:lol::lol:


Yeah, and for that we can all be thankful!:lol:


----------



## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

TSS Caddis said:


> Or one could go 180 degrees in the other direction and note the large deer that are shot in areas of Saskatchewan that have no agriculture. Some of the largest deer I've seen have been in an area of South Dakota with no agriculture to speak of and they are pushing 120" at a very young age.


That is ENTIRELY because of the Weather in those areas, the further north you go the larger all Deer species are.


----------



## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

METTLEFISH said:


> That is ENTIRELY because of the Weather in those areas, the further north you go the larger all Deer species are.


South Dakota is not north of Michigan.

Many states south of us have larger deer also. Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Wyoming etc...

My point being ag land is not the end all be all.


----------



## fish_AK (Nov 10, 2009)

TSS Caddis said:


> South Dakota is not north of Michigan.
> 
> Many states south of us have larger deer also. Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Wyoming etc...
> 
> My point being ag land is not the end all be all.


Ummm the deer in texas have smaller bodies than the norther whitetails. 

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## miruss (Apr 18, 2003)

fish_AK said:


> Ummm the deer in texas have smaller bodies than the norther whitetails.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine



BUT all those feed deer on those thousand acer ranchs that only allow 10 hunters sure have a big rack


----------



## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

fish_AK said:


> Ummm the deer in texas have smaller bodies than the norther whitetails.
> 
> Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


Yes they do, but everyone is talking about antlers. Hence the 120" comment.


----------



## HPP (Jun 18, 2012)

In my neck off the woods I don't know of any of hunting friends that kill spikes or four points. QDMA has had a good influence hear in SE Mich, but most people are unable to lay off the 2-1/2 year old bucks. I think a one buck limit should be implemented. We need are bucks to get to 3-1/2 and older to get really nice and also shorten the regular gun season to 10 days.


Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

HPP said:


> ...... We need to ......also shorten the regular gun season to 10 days.


 Only if we also shorten the bow season by the same 37.5%


----------



## sbooy42 (Mar 6, 2007)

itchn2fish said:


> Only if we also shorten the bow season by the same 37.5%


----------



## stndpenguin (May 19, 2010)

How does a one buck limit produce more 3.5 year olds?.. 

Outdoor Hub mobile, the outdoor information engine


----------



## michiganTony (Apr 6, 2012)

more bucks would live, the older they get the smarter they get. the way it is now you can legally shoot 2 yearlings as long as their antlers meet the current regs..keep in mind you can legally shoot a 10 point opening morning and later that evening shoot a spike horn....stupid, the combo tag blows...and, if all hunters knew they only get one buck a year odds are they wont shoot the first 4 point they see...that same 4 point now gets to grow older, and, ...smarter...(the dumbest deer in the woods is the yearling buck, regardless of the size of his rack).


----------



## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

Michigan is a great place for someone on a limited budget to get a chance to have a fun hunt! Not many states have the public land opportunities we enjoy. There are big bucks out there, you just have to find them. The DNR is never going to place a wallhanger public land buck in your lap no matter what regulation changes are made.
Good luck to all this coming season!


----------



## Justin (Feb 21, 2005)

triplelunger said:


> Michigan is a great place for someone on a limited budget to get a chance to have a fun hunt! Not many states have the public land opportunities we enjoy. There are big bucks out there, you just have to find them. The DNR is never going to place a wallhanger public land buck in your lap no matter what regulation changes are made.
> Good luck to all this coming season!


Great attitude ! Good luck to you also.


----------



## MIhunt (Dec 18, 2011)

Anything that people will come up with will always upset another person/group. Also why does it matter if our deer have huge antlers or not? You cant eat them. Id prefer to use a new system to try and increase the size of our deer even though it is highly unlikely that such an idea will come about. And hardly seeing and killing that big buck makes it more special. If you saw 5+ deer with huge antlers everyday then would you think its exciting? i wouldnt. And if every hunter had 5 deer with 140"+ racks or even 120"+ racks it wouldnt be as cool. I think that Michigan hunting has many flaws but we should stop worrying about the bone on their head and start worrying about something else.


----------

