# 28% increase in Hunters in 2020



## Jacob Stanfill (Sep 25, 2020)

"ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) — According to statistics from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, a renewed interest in hunting has dramatically increased since March when the coronavirus pandemic hit across the U.S., forcing businesses to shut down and people to stay home.

The Daily Tribune reported the DNR has so far issued 751,310 deer hunting licenses, compared to 584,802 licenses issued in 2019."

Looks like COVID has everyone in the woods. Explains the increase pressure I've seen on public in southern MI.


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## miruss (Apr 18, 2003)

I wonder if this number is hunters or licenses ? Some people with all this extra time off might be buying more licenses instead of 1 tags for deer camp 2 or 3 . I know i bought 1 more tag this year compared to last.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

miruss said:


> I wonder if this number is hunters or licenses ? Some people with all this extra time off might be buying more licenses instead of 1 tags for deer camp 2 or 3 . I know i bought 1 more tag this year compared to last.


I doubt extra tags account for the additional and noticeable traffic.


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## kstout (Dec 26, 2005)

Same with fishing! I noticed a huge increase in the number of people fishing this summer also.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

In my area im pretty certain there are more hunters. At least bow hunters for deer. At least that's my perception. Not a bad thing.


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## skipper34 (Oct 13, 2005)

We hunt in a low deer density area of northern Michigan on public land. I doubt with an increase of hunters this season that they would flock to an area such as this. New hunters want to hunt in places where deer are plentiful in my opinion.


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## Zorba (Jan 24, 2007)

I hope the governor doesn’t take the money to use for something else like she did with the waterfowling $


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## beer and nuts (Jan 2, 2001)

Def more hunters around me neck of the woods. Seeing increases during the weekday.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Most likely will.

Hunters are paying more as of 4-5 yrs ago and now the state has a BIG cash cow in the Rec passports and no money to print some hunting rules guides??


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

22 Chuck said:


> Most likely will.
> 
> Hunters are paying more as of 4-5 yrs ago and now the state has a BIG cash cow in the Rec passports and no money to print some hunting rules guides??


Suuure .Priorities ...as every non profit has ever done in the past the money gets ate up by administration ...follow the money ! The wasted money !


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

22 Chuck said:


> Most likely will.
> 
> Hunters are paying more as of 4-5 yrs ago and now the state has a BIG cash cow in the Rec passports and no money to print some hunting rules guides??


I have no real issue with no hunting guides. Most people get info electronically now anyway


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

The news release is 2 weeks old. Took a look at the DNR site and did not see anything newer.
If anyone spots an update, please post.

L & O


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

I notice a huge increase in numbers of both hunters and anglers. Irritating personally, of course, but in the big picture is a good thing for us all IMO.


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## Josh R (Dec 4, 2010)

I really hope it's a 28% increase in "Hunters", that's great news and hope it continues!!
License tag sales are up, which is good for bringing more money, license tag sales don't always equate to more individuals hunting tho sometimes

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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Josh R said:


> I really hope it's a 28% increase in "Hunters", that's great news and hope it continues!!
> License tag sales are up, which is good for bringing more money, license tag sales don't always equate to more individuals hunting tho sometimes
> 
> Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk


The DNR sells licenses not tags. So if you buy a combo license or a single deer license it is one license sale....you cant buy both. There are plenty of articles out there where the DNR has cited a large increase in new hunters and returning hunters who hadn't hunted in awhile. License sales have been up for turkey hunting and fishing too.


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## Josh R (Dec 4, 2010)

DirtySteve said:


> The DNR sells licenses not tags. So if you buy a combo license or a single deer license it is one license sale....you cant buy both. There are plenty of articles out there where the DNR has cited a large increase in new hunters and returning hunters who hadn't hunted in awhile. License sales have been up for turkey hunting and fishing too.


Are multiple doe tags considered a license sale? 
Just asking because I'm not sure

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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Josh R said:


> Are multiple doe tags considered a license sale?
> Just asking because I'm not sure
> 
> Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk


Yes they are a license sale. But if you read the tearly harvest report they breakdown the number of hunters vs license sales.

The thought this year was that doe tags sales would decrease because you can shoot a doe on any deer license in most of the state this year. The decrease didnt happen. Deer license sales were up 30% well before doe tags went on sale anyway.


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## Josh R (Dec 4, 2010)

DirtySteve said:


> Yes they are a license sale. But if you read the tearly harvest report they breakdown the number of hunters vs license sales.
> 
> The thought this year was that doe tags sales would decrease because you can shoot a doe on any deer license in most of the state this year. The decrease didnt happen. Deer license sales were up 30% well before doe tags went on sale anyway.


OK that's what I thought the case was, thanks for that info. That's all I was trying to get at, I was hoping that they weren't just going off of license sales. I've heard, like you mentioned as well, that the number of deer licenses has gone up a well as fishing licenses which is a good thing. It is easier, IMO, to track the actual number of hunters and fishermen when there isn't more then 1 kill tag involved like deer hunting. I wonder if they'll announce the actual increase at the end of the season, you would think that number should be easy to get since they can use the person's name or their license number

Let's hope the numbers at least stay steady, maybe the pandemic helped and hopefully those whom either got back into the sport or just started will keep doing so in the future. We need as many as we can get

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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Josh R said:


> OK that's what I thought the case was, thanks for that info. That's all I was trying to get at, I was hoping that they weren't just going off of license sales. I've heard, like you mentioned as well, that the number of deer licenses has gone up a well as fishing licenses which is a good thing. It is easier, IMO, to track the actual number of hunters and fishermen when there isn't more then 1 kill tag involved like deer hunting. I wonder if they'll announce the actual increase at the end of the season, you would think that number should be easy to get since they can use the person's name or their license number
> 
> Let's hope the numbers at least stay steady, maybe the pandemic helped and hopefully those whom either got back into the sport or just started will keep doing so in the future. We need as many as we can get
> 
> Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk


I am sure there will be an anouncment since it has been mentioned many times this year. The harvest report always gives grand total of license sales and number of actual hunters.....we wait a long time for that each year though.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

$5.00 antlerless tags is a pretty good incentive to purchase one or more. Where else can you shoot 10 deer for $50.00?


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