The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is updating its deer hunting regulations. The department is reinstating certain restrictions on the kinds of deer that can be harvested in the southern part of the state.
In 2018, the DNR implemented a regulation to prevent chronic wasting disease, an incurable neurological condition that affects deer.
The regulation allowed hunters in parts of the Lower Peninsula where the disease was spreading rampantly to harvest deer with any number points coming off the main part of their antlers.
But statewide deer biologist Chad Stewart says there was no impact on hunters’ behaviors and no change in the number of deer getting infected.
“I think that's going to continue to spread either with or without antler point restrictions because in some places, it's fairly widespread," he said.
Stewart says the state is now keeping regulations the same for the entire peninsula.
"Every hunter in southern Michigan, if they purchase a combination license, (it) has one, what we call, unrestricted tag, which means they can take any antler deer on it and one restricted tag which means that they have to take a deer that's certainly a little bit larger and has at least four points to a side."
These regulations have also been reinstated in the south central part of the Upper Peninsula.
"We are back to how we were before chronic wasting disease appeared," Stewart added. "Hunters can also resume baiting and feeding in this area where as it was prohibited in the past couple of years."
Additionally, the state will now be allowing young hunters and those with disabilities to kill more than one antlerless deer during Michigan's annual Liberty Hunt. The event takes place September 9th and 10th.
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