You probably didn't need the March discussion topic to know this, but the growing challenge of deer management is an increasingly concern for Michigan farmers as the state's deer population continues to impact crops, property and public safety.
In response, farmers and hunters are exploring various strategies to manage the deer population more effectively. From encouraging more hunters to hunt to employing management tools outside the season, a range of ideas has emerged.
Solutions include reducing hunting fees, incentives for taking antlerless deer and providing better tools to mitigate crop damage.
In this discussion, several Michigan farming communities share their thoughts on how to address these challenges and create a more sustainable approach to deer management.
How can we encourage more hunters to participate and increase the overall harvest of deer, especially does, during the hunting season?
Stop raising fees for hunters. Don't take away senior hunter discounts. Give youth free hunt. Hunter safety courses are very expensive; we’d like to see it be free. (AgVentures; Saginaw County)
To increase the overall harvest of deer, consider allowing hunting until midnight with vision optics. Deer are equivalent to coyotes and raccoons. (Kirk’s Farm Bureau Group; Livingston County)
Reduce the cost of licenses. Have an early season. Let them shoot a doe and a buck on the same license. (Palestine Community F.B.; Menominee County)
Encourage hunters to understand the rules and respect property owners so they are willing to have hunters on their property. Incentives for hunters to take does would be helpful. It would also be helpful if some of the rules were more realistic about when and where one can hunt. (Green Meadow Plow Jockeys; Kalamazoo County)
Have a bounty on deer during certain times of the year, especially does. Have professional hunts and find a place committed to processing those deer that are killed. Deer know where sanctuary areas are so permit professional hunters in those areas. Farm Bureau needs to converse with insurance companies to see what can be done about permitting professionals to hunt those specific areas. (Happy Harvesters; Macomb County)
Doe Derby looks like it works if processing costs were taken care of. (Country Critters; Washtenaw County)
What strategies can be employed outside of hunting season to manage the deer population, including culling, utilizing damage permits and other management tools?
The DNR has been great at providing block permits, but it’s still not enough. We need more opportunities to shoot them. It has become a job. (Kirk’s Farm Bureau Group; Livingston County)
Make the hunting season longer. Do more to encourage youth hunters and find different ways to fund the program so it is not only relied on fees. (AgVentures; Saginaw County)
More deer damage permits and encourage more farmers to apply for them. (Palestine Community FB; Menominee County)
Establish rules to prove crop damage which are not so burdensome that farmers are discouraged from applying for them. (Green Meadow Plow Jockeys; Kalamazoo County)
Open the hunting seasons to all the cool-weather months. Allow more processors or use our hunting license fees to subsidize our processing costs. (Country Critters; Washtenaw County)
How can county Farm Bureaus help encourage more hunters to take antlerless deer and promote deer donations to help feed those in need?
Changing the public’s mindset is very hard. Show the damage to vehicles and crops. Encourage “heaviest doe” contests. Publish recipes and show nutritional value of venison. Have classes on how to process deer yourself. (Kirk’s Farm Bureau Group; Livingston County)
Consider purchase one buck tag and getting two doe tags free. Possibly leasing out your land to hunters. We would like Farm Bureau to conduct a study for what is needed for farmers to harvest deer and have them donated to a food bank. We have heard of refrigerated trucks that are at the property to hold deer until they are taken to processing. This would be very beneficial for farmers that have land in high deer populations. (AgVentures; Saginaw County)
Get more hunters to shoot does and donate them to food pantries. (Palestine Community F.B.; Menominee County)
How can county Farm Bureaus help encourage more hunters to take antlerless deer and promote deer donations to help feed those in need? The Kalamazoo County Farm Bureau-sponsored Doe Derby was an excellent idea. (Green Meadow Plow Jockeys; Kalamazoo County)
Having professional hunts and find a place committed to processing them. Deer know where sanctuary areas are. Get action on the state end of it because Farm Bureau will not be able to handle it. Farm Bureau needs to converse with insurance companies to see what we can do about it. (Happy Harvesters; Macomb County)
Auto insurance companies need to promote hunting as well as farmers. Rebates for drivers who have had a successful hunt. Now that it's mandatory for hunters to report deer harvesting, this is already documented. (Country Critters; Washtenaw County)
What role should farmers play in deer management, and what additional tools can be put in place to mitigate crop damage?
Farmers should take a lead role in estimating deer census and crop damage in their fields. Is there a disproportionate amount of damage in smaller fields to larger fields? A farmer should be allowed to shoot does 365 days/year. (Kirk’s Farm Bureau Group; Livingston County)
A study can be done on different compound/variety of seed that may be deer resistant/repellant. (AgVentures; Saginaw County)
Let them shoot the deer doing damage and use the meat themselves or donate them to the food pantry, no license needed. (Palestine Community FB; Menominee County)
Farmers need to establish rules and preferences with prospective hunters. Ask hunters to harvest more does. Be sure that hunters understand the expectations as well as the consequences if boundaries are crossed. (Green Meadow Plow Jockeys; Kalamazoo County)
Allow hunters but not just anyone. Try to get state grants to put high fencing up. Possibly some type of sterilization. The DNR says they own the deer. You even have to get a hunting license to hunt on your own property. So they should be the ones to dispose of the dead deer on or next to the roads. (Happy Harvesters; Macomb County)
Allow hunters on your land if you have a problem with deer. (Country Critters; Washtenaw County)
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