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Well how was the opener? out of 9 of us one small 5pt and the 2 that had doe tags got them filled! We had 5-6 of snow this year, that seems to help but not this year. few hunters in the woods tags sold are down 20% and with the baiting ban going to go alot lower, I live at camp so still going to try and fill a tag or two! Happy Hunting!

Where ya' hunting at saddlering? My uncle managed to tag a 5 point in Roscommon county on Friday.

In Wexford Co between Cadillac & Mesick, been a tough year bow hunting too ! too many Bears alot of rain this fall iv passed 2 young 6 pts with Bow, got a 7pt but Coyotes ate alot of him and a Doe in the freezer, need one more tho! Love to eat Vension!

Was a rough year at camp. Manistee county. No tags filled yet. One of our members got a shot at 0730 on the opener, made a bad shot, spent hours wandering about the property. Next day wandered again. 27 hours after the shot I found some blood and a fresh bed, but no deer. I saw a 3 pt., a spike and four does on the opener and no deer the next two days. They went nocturnal fast due to all the screwing around looking for that deer. I figure we’ll find the remains in spring. Disappointing start, but not over yet.

Old70

With the bow hunters not baiting and hammering the herd on public on both sides of us, we had some deer.

By 9:11 opener morning , my son had a 4 pt and me an 8 pt gutted and back in camp.
Friday morning was dead all around us though.

Will go back up to probably fill doe tag sometime later.
Tim

Little slower than last year but our group has hung up a 10, a 7, and 3x 8 points plus s couple does. Loving the no baiting. Lots of deer moving daily here.

Very few hunters this year because of CWD and no bait.

It’s been nice actually not hearing a war atmosphere on opening day.

I’m tagged out thankfully with 2 nice 8 points, heading to ohio after thanksgiving to hunt gun opener.

Every year seems to be less and less interest with my coworkers. Dying sport for sure

I am looking forward to moving to the eaton Rapids area. I bought a Henry steel for the occasion. Now y'all tell me this, bummer 😂

Hunted my brothers property near Prescott. Saw good numbers of deer opening day, a 6 and 5 point taken by our group. Not as much gunfire heard as in years past. Second day fewer deer seen, I took a 6 point mid day and saw another similar size buck in the evening. Very few gunshots heard during the day. Third day only a few deer seen between six of us, could count the shots heard all day on one hand. This mornings hunt 2 deer sighted and one or two shots heard in the distance. On the drive home I saw quite a few vehicles hauling venison though.

Got the hell outta dodge on the 15th and drove 18 hours west. MI hunting doesn’t do it for me anymore. Been traveling since 2006. Never bought a MI tag this year, so add one less tag sold. I bought a single tag last year and went out 2 days during ML.

I live in the U.P. and the bait is discouraging to me. Plus, the age structure is poor at best.

Saw few deer opening day. I hunt private land that smacks up against the state wildlife area at the Big Manistee bayou. I heard five shots total. Almost no hunters in the woods. The snow certainly did not help.

We hunt public land in Benzie County and a buddy shot a nice 8 point opening morning. I saw a bunch of does but didn’t get a clean shot; same buddy shot a doe the day after opener. Everyone saw deer nearly every day. That 8 was a great reminder that APRs seem to be working up there.

I’ll be heading back up to fill (at least) a doe tag.

I don’t really do my traditional Michigan deer camp for the deer as much as for the opportunity to get outside during a gorgeous time of year and hang out with my good friends for a long weekend. Like dooger said I prefer to hunt out of state if I really want to kill stuff.

I hope this year’s decrease in hunter numbers doesn’t develop into a trend. I love the hunting tradition we have here and will do my part to preserve it.

I hunt in Montcalm County, one of three in our party shot a nice 8pt on the opener. Did not see as many deer as normal due to oceans of corn still standing around us. I passed on quite a few nice deer because we are in an area where a good number of us practice QDM (i.e. let them grow).

Every year we hear less and less shooting on opening day, it is very weird, I attribute it partly to the following: youth hunt, special hunts, CWD drama, cross bows being legal now, QDM, and video games.

I am not opposed to the youth or special hunts, cross bows, or QDM, , but I do believe they have an effect on the number of shots one hears on the traditional firearms opener.

I am opposed to video games and cell phones for young kids, when they should be out enjoying the outdoors be it sports or hunting/fishing. Some kids I know would rather shoot deer or zombies on a video game than go out and actually shoot deer.

Strange times we live in.

Good luck, there is a lot of season left.

Very tough year in Alcona County near Curran. Our cabin went 9 for 9 last year on Bucks. This year only 3 bucks shot. One hunter did see a mountain lion, I came by latter in the day and verified the tracks. One Big Cat, he said long tail and golden tan coat. Does the DNR acknowledge that they have made to the lower?.

I hunted Eaton County opening day. We saw quite a few deer. Dad passed on some little bucks and took a doe. Brother in law took an 8pt. I too passed passed on some little bucks and shot a nice doe at the end of the day.

I have never heard so little shooting on opening day. I thought perhaps it was due to a Thursday opener, but Saturday was even more quiet. I suspect Prarie Creek Station's above comments are accurate. I read an online claim (FWIW) that license sales are down 20% this year. Sure sounded that way.

405wcf

I have land in northern Menominee County. The season is 7 days old and I have heard maybe 12 shots since opening day. I shot a small 8-point opening day and was the only successful hunter among the 4 camps nearby until yesterday, when one guy from a nearby camp got a spikehorn and another from a different camp got a 6-point. There are very few hunters visible in the area and no camps on public land like there used to be. I fear that in 25 years or less the sport will be as dead as I will be.

By the way, 405wcf, I shot my deer with a .405 WCF.

Fun way to hunt. Wish I could use mine in the southern lower.

405wcf

Well, if you trim the cases short enough....

Did a walk about yesterday at the property near White Cloud. The deer had been rooting up acorns
all around but I did not see a thing. The moonlight has them feeding mostly at night and I could not
figure out where they were holing up for the day. Tracks crisscrossed all over with little pattern except
for finding the dropped acorns.
I do not need more meat, but may take a doe in Dec if I get a chance.
I hope to be in Baraga area next week for visit and hunt. Hopefully the big bucks will have moved down
by then. Yes they do migrate to winter yards in Michigan.
Tim

Hope you get one up there Tim. Coming across on M-28 west of Newberry where it goes down to the Seney flats, you should see a well worn north/south path as the hardwoods end on the hill. Yes, they do migrate.

We went 2 for 4, 7pt and 8pt east of Manistee Lake. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them. Did see a small spike however. Decent amounts of deer seen. Very little shooting and very few hunters out the first 4 days. Going back up after turkey bird. I've done fairly well up there over the years later in the season. If i don't get one, I'll give muzzleloader season a go closer to home.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!