Michigan’s Natural Resources Commission voted last week to change deer hunting rules, limiting hunters in the lower peninsula to one buck per season.
The compromise was reached following a nine-hour meeting on Wednesday.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources had wanted a stricter “one buck” rule for all of Michigan.
However, the NRC said it was unnecessary to go to that extreme because the Upper Peninsula has fewer deer and colder winters. Supporters of the plan say it will, somehow, entice hunters to harvest more does, leading to a reduction in overall population.
Opponents say there’s no guarantee that will happen.
The new rule affects Hillsdale, Branch, and Lenawee Counties, where the overpopulation of deer causes significant issues with crop damage and costly car-deer collisions.
Looking ahead, officials are considering a new program for the southern Lower Peninsula. The “Earn a Second Buck” plan would let hunters get a second buck only after harvesting a doe first. The DNR will share a plan in July, and residents will have a chance to give their opinions before a final decision.
