Upper Penninsula Hunting Report

[riverrat10]

dmcianfa, Well said. My wife and I love venison and never have had a problem in getting our yearly needs, until this year. Today was the last day of rifle season, I hunted everyday of the season, in a usually good area, and seen 3 does and 1 wolf. I'm now wondering how muzzleloader season will be, with the full moon and lack of snow. We have 3 buck tags and 2 doe tags, and am wondering if I want to fill any of them because of the lack of deer. Someone mentioned hunting wolves in the future, I wonder how they will eat.

[outdoorsman]

can you use bait in the upper part... i was told by the DNR i can't in the lower part
i was going to come up last month i had some stuff come up but couldn't make it

[dmcianfa]

ORIGINAL: outdoorsman

can you use bait in the upper part... i was told by the DNR i can't in the lower part
i was going to come up last month i had some stuff come up but couldn't make it

 
Yes, you can bait in the UP, but it must be no more than a volume of 2 gallons spread out over 10' by 10' area at least 100 yards from any permanent buildings or livestock pens.  Hope that helps.  Also, you can use any type of food for bait.

[outdoorsman]

Thanks dmcianfa.. here in south west ohio at hueston woods you can't but at a place called rush run you can, i called and asked hopefully next season me and my girlfriend
will go back up

[smitty]

I herd from a friend that the bridge count was down 41% this year.  Has anyone else seen any numbers?  What is your opinion on the bridge count?  I think it is a joke and a comp out by the dnr.  I just cant imagine it being at all accurate, they have no idea how many hunters may have deer covered, already butchered, or left at friends houses for safe keeping.  I would be in favor of check stations, just like for bear. 

[dmcianfa]

ORIGINAL: smitty

I herd from a friend that the bridge count was down 41% this year.  Has anyone else seen any numbers?  What is your opinion on the bridge count?  I think it is a joke and a comp out by the dnr.  I just cant imagine it being at all accurate, they have no idea how many hunters may have deer covered, already butchered, or left at friends houses for safe keeping.  I would be in favor of check stations, just like for bear. 

You better keep that rubbish to yourself.  Checkstations are the devil and are irrelevent and a waste of time.  There are better ways to keep track of deer populations and hunters afield.  If I had to drive 30 miles to the nearest check station I would charge every penny in gas and send the bill to the state of michigan because I don't leave camp the entire time I hunt in the upper penninsula and I like it that way.  they are more often then not run by inept folks who can't tie their shoes anyway because the state can't afford to pay them.  Bear I can understand because it is a much more volotile species to manage, but deer?  I would protest to the nth degree. 

[dmcianfa]

Whel, seeing some nice racks developing around the area I hunt in, but too early yet to tell which or if there will be any whoppers.  Wanted to add that I saw a lot of twin fawns this year with their mamas.  I also saw three of a kind with a doe, which I've not seen in the past.  Wonder if this was a triplet or if this particular doe picked up an extra one because it was abondoned somehow someway. 

[DeerCamp]

I also heard the numbers were down about the 40% mark. As far as the 3pts on one side, I really wish they would make that for all tags. I have guys in camp who are just buying the single tag just so they can come home with a deer. Im not a fan of it and Ill pass on you younger ones this year again. I guess if it makes them happy, but to me I feel tehy would be happier shooting a wall hanger.
 
I will be going back up to the UP again  in the up coming weeks and I couldnt be more pumped about it!

[Crookedneck]

I have been seeing quite a few does with twins. Herd seems to be in good order. Of course I hunt the southwest of Menominee county also. The crops are doing outstanding, and the woods are full of feed. Should be a good year. At least in this neck of the woods.

[AlleganBowhunter]

The lady who owns the land my father in law hunts on (Perkins Area) told him there has been a small 6 or 8 and a big one "with points everywhere" coming into her apple orchard. 

Maybe this will be the year I get to at least see a giant UP buck...