Doe Tags in the UP
Michigan
If we finish with another mild winter, do you think there will be doe tags available in parts of the UP, particularly, southern Iron County?
I hope so but i dont think its leaning that way.
man I see a lot of deer, all in nice shape, and lots and lots of does and fawns,,,,,, we will see, but I guess you are right,,,,,,
Right now, it is shaping up to be a BAD winter.
Are you talking about antler less permits..... Or being able to shoot antlerless deer during archery season ?? Big difference.... Antlerless deer were off limits to archers for the last 2 years during archery season...... Unless you had a doe permit (antlerless)..... There were still antlerless permits available in the southern zones of the U.P.
I dont now where its been a eeak winter in the UP but Seney, Germfasf, and Newberry seem to be piling up the snow. Id stilll like two see a two tag system next year one buck tag no apr with one doe tag call that a combination and id pay for that. Even being out of state. Luckily the southern part hasn't seen has much snow that should help the deer migration. But your rt razor I have seen more deer this year then the last two some very large does some with twins and some with triplets. Time will tell.
yeah I am in southern Iron Co just across the border,,,,,,, grouse hunting in Wis has been very good, when the winds die down,,,,, on the MI side our snow has been light ,,, we do not get the weather, that you get in the northern UP...... Deer are in good shape, I know a place by Bruce Lake that is just loaded with deer,,,,,,
Big Bear, I am talking about taking a doe, with any weapon, in any season, just one though....... I remember when the 2013 storm came in, and with poor winter grounds, which is a continued problem, still not addressed enough, a lot of deer died and were wasted, a tough death
I talked to a Michigan deer biologist about the possibility of shooting does during archery season before the 2016 season... She said that nothing was going to be addressed for 2016,,,, And the DNR evaluates rule changes on a 3 year cycle..... She said it will be addressed again before the 2017 season.... But that doesn't mean any changes will happen...
looks like Florence County is going to issue doe tags, with a 50/50 split for private land and public land,,,,,, since they border Iron County, be interested in what will happen on Michigan side of the river
Any word on being able to shoot does during archery season across the U.P. again ??
I talked to a biologist last week. No changes for most of the UP this year. There may be a few more doe tags available in the high density areas of Menominee, Delta, Dickinson counties.
Keith..... I guess my next question if there are basically no changes,,,,, Would be..... will that mean that there will be no changes for the next 3 years ?? I was told by a lady deer biologist ( I can't remember her name). That deer regulations are fixed on a 3 year cycle. I was under the understanding that last year was the tail end of the 3 year cycle. So if there are no changes to the regulations for this season...... will that mean that does will be off limits during archery season for 3 more years..... or is there a possibility that we could shoot does in archery season next year.... as you can see I am VERY FRUSTRATED with this. I don't give a damned about horns.... and I detest the thought of passing up a chance at venison while bow hunting my property year after year.
Let me make clear that my frustration with this is based on that same DNR deer biologist admitting to me that there was and is no sound biological data that supports the need to make does off limits to archers.... that this was a political agenda pushed for to the NRC by the gun hunting organizations and UP Whitetails. What is the Michigan Bowhunters doing to make this right ?? I believe my MBH membership has lapsed. If someone can show to me that MBH is doing something about this I will gladly renew my membership.
Bear, I agree with you 100% regarding the biological effect on the doe issue. The NRC is not listening to their biologists as they should. I don't know where we are in the 3 year cycle. I thought this year would be year 2. If the regs are on a 3 year cycle, why did they make the change last year if it wasn't the 1st year of the cycle?
You are correct about the clout of gun hunting orgs. With the milder than average winter this year, the population should be starting to rebound. UPW will be taking credit for this because of the doe restrictions.
I've owned my land in Delta County for 2 years now and we've had no shortage of deer, especially does and this is on really crappy land. We do have doe tags in our county but I think the old rules for tag usage should be put back.
Our deer numbers actually exploded last year after I added 4 food/kill plots. We should be killing more does off my land than we are. I know my friends from Menominee still have very high deer numbers too. I think the last couple of mild winters have seen the deer numbers really grow.
I agree that the antlerless rules should be revisited throughout the UP.
Happy you did good. What did you plant?
I know this can be a explosive topic but the APR in our area has really increased our deer herd, bucks and does. Of course 48 degrees in January didn't hurt either!!!
I think there is too much pressure on young bucks, ,,,,, geesh give them a chance,,,,,,, I would take one deer, and would take a big fat doe, if I could,,,, but that is me,,,,,
Razor: that's what the APR does. Gives the young bucks a chance.
Jon,
I had a plethora of stuff planted. In the bigger plot (in the post above) with those 9 deer in there, it was not created until late summer and I planted winter rye, oats, red clover, Austrian winter peas, and radishes.
In the smaller kill plot, I planted Granda Rays Soil Builder in May and then broadcast in his Fall Draw in August. I built that plot in the spring and had food there all summer.
In the plot in the pics in this post, I had rape and radishes and the deer did not let it grow. I threw in some winter rye later on. Look at the seclusion cage (especially in the 2nd pic where the growth is a foot high) compared to the rest of the plot. That plots needs lots of amendments though. It will be getting buckwheat and Soil Builder in May and TBD in August.
Mind you, last year was my inaugural year in planting food plots. I am a rookie but I'm well read and befriended some knowledgeable people. I have lots of soil amendments to do this year.
In this 4th plot I cleared off an old logging trail, I planted Granda Rays Logging Trail Mix. It grew great in crappy soil but the deer were so-so with it as they preferred the other stuff I grew. I did get deer in there and they really dug up what was there this winter.
This plot is now gone because I had an excavator really open this area up. He needs to get back in with his dozer to level it now. I plan to plant a small section of it this August and let the rest grow back naturally to give the deer more natural browse. My forest is very old and stunted and wet and openings are key. I have a friend who started a little furniture building business and he's taking lots of cedars and that is a win-win for me.
No shortage of deer in Delta County in the UP.
Last year i had no shortages of does sometimes 5 or 6 at a time. Bucks were a different story only one decent shooter. APR doesn't save small buck a 1.5 year could have 4 on a side just small. I agree 2 tags one buck one doe id kill a fat mature doe. Killing a older mature doe no different then a old mature buck. But then again antlers dont matter to me i cant eat them.
I just ordered some of Grandpa Rays soil builder mix Happy. My Ph on my dirt in my little kill plot was only 4.7 two years ago. I added 4 or 5 hundred pounds of lime each of the last 2 years. I'm going to test my soil again and add about 8 bags of Dairy Doo as soon as I can get up to Newberry.... I have another similar size natural clearing that I'm going to try to get my quad with the groundhog max into and start building a second plot.
I am have a time of it finding a two row corn planter without paying an arm and a leg for it. Besides planting two 4 acres fields for me, the grandkids want to plant two acres of sweat corn to roadside sell.
Anyone out there know where there is a two row corn planter for sale?
Farm auction down by lyons/archabold ohio had a 2,3,4 row planter their not far from mi/oh line usually go pretty cheap all were working condition not yard decorations. I could try to find out how much
Bows the way. If it isn't too much trouble I would appreciate it.
Happy: On a side note. Have you ever metal detected your new fields? May find some copper "things" laying under that dirt.
Hey Jon Checkout RDH outdoors they had a nice 3 row corn planter not sure what you want to spend.
Big Bear, this is what Soil Builder looked like last year after I planted it last April which was way too early. I learned that I should have waited until later in May but I got lucky. The buckwheat in the mix had issues though as it does not like frosts. This plot only got average sun. I rented a tiller and tilled it after my son and I raked a lifetime of leaves out of it. I did not do a soil test and just laid 480# of lime and 150# of triple 19 fertilizer.
My friend and I just took out around another 15+ trees from this area this weekend to allow more light and I put down 320# of lime after raking it. It is ready for planting. I won't be doing that until Memorial Day weekend. It is getting Soil Builder again with extra buckwheat and clover for the summer plot.
Nice..... I wasn't planning on planting until August... my plot gets loaded with ferns.... I'm headed up in 2 weeks to spread out the Dairy Doo in my plot and till it into the dirt with the ground hog max..... I haven't decided if I'll round up the plot this trip up or just weed whack the ferns out when they come up in mid summer.... hopefully they'll stop growing after I've eliminated them for a few years.... They're a pain in the rear. Are you guys seeing any ticks up there ?? Last year I bought one of those paper painting suits and duct taped all my sleeves on it while doing my quad work. I looked like a marshmallow.... but I didn't get any ticks on me like I have in the past... I HATE ticks !!!
Two things first any suggestions
And i know this is bowsite but had a great time with my girls at WTU dinner last night smiles say it all
Cute little critters, Bows. You are right, smiles says it all. Not sure what you are asking on the first photo of the woods tho.
What to do with it as it was logged 10 years ago. Soil is sandy. Lots of stumps. I dont think burning is an option. I dont know anyone with a dozer if someone has contacts im intrested. Tough 8 acre area with one line of trees dividing it.
Clearing is expensive. I had 42 semis of pine chips removed from my place which left me with about 10 acres of stumps. Removal?? Hiring it down was not an option because of the cost so I bought a front end loader/back hoe. It was 10 grand but worth every penny and I can probably sell it for what I paid for it BUT it is just too dang handy. Not sure what your options are and what your long term dreams are. Either way it is going to cost. But if you plan to keep your property and hunt it, it is worth making it better for game.
getting back on track, MI has their suggestions out, on doe tags, coming up.... got my e mail today...... looks like 4 units in the UP, all around Menomonee,,,,, and that is it
