OVERISEL TOWNSHIP, Mich. — In an eleven-day span, hunters in Michigan shot 13,203 deer as part of the state's new extended late antlerless firearm season.
From Jan. 2-12, hunters were able to harvest up to ten deer in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula with antlerless licenses offered at a discounted rate ($5).
As of Friday morning, data from the DNR's Harvest Report Summary showed Sanilac County as having harvested the most deer during the season (712), with Jackson (619) and Hillsdale (546) counties ranking second and third. In West Michigan, Ionia (453), Calhoun (448) and Newaygo (409) counties led the pack, while Muskegon County had harvested the fewest deer (139).
In July, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission created the extended late antlerless firearm season, looking to better balance the state's buck-to-doe ratio and offer hunters increased opportunities in the Lower Peninsula, where an abundant deer population has led to increased deer-related car crashes and crop damage.
Prior to the start of the new season, the 2024-25 deer harvest in Michigan was made up of 55% antlered deer and 45% antlerless deer, according to data from the DNR. As of Friday morning, the disparity between these two numbers had shrunk (53% to 47%), largely due to the new season's antlerless-only limitation.
"I see it as a big blessing," said Tim Boetsma, co-founder of Doe Patrol, an Allegan County-based nonprofit that processes deer and donates the venison for free. "Being able to get a couple extra weekends out hunting is a huge blessing for a lot of people."
Whether it be the busyness of the holidays or the unpredictability of Michigan winters, Boetsma says time often slips away from those who still want to fill out their deer tags. As daylight wanes, the extended late antlerless firearm season affords them another opportunity.
If a hunter already has a freezer full of venison, Doe Patrol offers its services, processing deer for free and donating the meat to local charities. They recently provided Matthew's House in Grand Rapids with nine months-worth of protein.
"It's been a huge blessing to see how many people have jumped on board with our mission of taking that overabundance of does and using it as an opportunity to give back to the community," said Kelli Boetsma, co-founder of Doe Patrol.
While the new season is not an "be-all, end-all" solution to better managing Michigan's deer population, Noah Vanden Brink, a volunteer with Doe Patrol, says he's happy to do his part in stewarding both nature and his neighbors.
"It's a way for me to serve without having to be in the spotlight," Vanden Brink said. "Getting to be behind the scenes and do some good in the world."
