MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Firearm Deer hunting season ended on Thursday, November 30th and officials are reporting a lower deer population than in other years. Menominee was at 2,959 harvests early Friday afternoon, almost one thousand less than the previous year.
The DNR explained that the unusual late cold season and overall inconsistent weather has caused deer population to go down. Even though firearm season ended yesterday, there is still an overlap of 72 hours that may affect the numbers, but not by much.
DNR Wildlife Biologists said there wasn’t a big shift in the age of harvested deer but as people turn more towards online registration and less in person aging, the data may not be as acurate.
“The deer numbers as far as the ones we looked we’re very typical in age as the deer bubks get older those are your bigger bukcs mre antler develpment there’s very few of those on the landscape beause of deer hunting pressure,” commented DNR Wildlie Biologist Brian Roell.
The check station in Marquette has run out of hunting patches, but patches will still be available for muzzle loaders season online for $8 dollars.
For more information on licensing and to order your hunting patch, click here.
