Excellent habitat conditions throughout Michigan indicate good white-tailed deer hunting this year for the Northern Lower Peninsula. Michigan wildlife officials believe the deer population for the Northern Lower Peninsula will see an increase in harvest this year. Good news for those looking to tag a deer this fall.
With the mild winter Michigan received last year and little impact from the previous winter, whitetail populations have been increasing steadily across much of the Northern Lower Peninsula.
Deer Population Up in Northern Lower Peninsula
Deer sightings have been good throughout the region, and many have reported seeing healthy fawns. There have been numerous reports of twins and even some triplets within the deer herd. As said, it’s been a good year!
Mast production (fruits and nuts) has been spotty throughout this region of Michigan. For the third year in a row, high production of apples is being reported. Acorn and beechnut production is diverse, with some areas seeing decent production and others reporting none.
Deer should be targeting the mast producing trees frequently as well as fall food plots throughout the region. Scouting to find these areas will be very important to early-season deer hunting success. Contacting a local wildlife office may be a good first step if looking for some insight on locations or hunting strategy. Wildlife staff can likely point you in the right direction.
More Bucks in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula
Expect to see increased deer numbers compared to last year throughout most of the Northern Lower Peninsula. Many areas may see more 2.5-year-old and 3.5-year-old bucks this year with the continued three-point antler point restriction (APR) in many counties in the northwest area. This APR allows the majority of 1.5-year-old bucks to mature to the next age class, thereby resulting in increased numbers of 2.5- and 3.5-year-old bucks in the years following.
All Northern Lower Peninsula Deer Management Units are open for antlerless hunting. All in all, thing look a little better than the hunting on the Southern Lower Peninsula, but success can vary by property across the state. Those headed out deer hunting in Michigan should review the 2016 Antlerless Deer Digest for more information.