Early Doe Season Helpful or Harmful?

By: Lindsey Noel

Michigan hunters who can’t wait for the start of deer season are in luck because Michigan has proclaimed an early doe season this year.

According to www.michigan.gov/dnr, starting Sept. 18 until Sept. 22 there will be an early firearm antlerless deer hunting season that will take place on private land in the Lower Peninsula.

“We have looked at this for several years because we have a tremendous deer population in southern Michigan," said Rodney Clute, Department of Natural Resources big-game specialist.

Not all the hunters are happy about the decision to start early this year though.

“I do think the deer population needs to be controlled but I think there are other ways to go about it,” says Chad Klein, 21, a hunter from Grand Rapids, Mich.

After reading several blogs from concerned hunters it is obvious that there is some apprehension about this attempt to control the population.

One fear hunters have stated is that the number of poaches will increase as the bucks will walk into range and some people wont be able to resist shooting them.

Another concern is that it will take the deer away from the youth because the youth and disabled season starts Sept. 27 right after the early season.

“Comparing the risks to the benefits, I don’t believe its (early doe season) worth it,” states Klein.

For more a map of the legal areas to hunt and more information on the early doe season go here.