Dr. Jim Surrell, Journal columnist

We are now close to the end of our 2018 Michigan deer season with only three days left. I hope all of our dedicated hunting sportsmen had a safe and enjoyable firearm deer hunting season. Here is some information about this major annual hunting event in our great state of Michigan. Michigan has a long history of deer hunting, with its first designated deer season dating back nearly 160 years to 1859. Currently, our state is one of the top five states in the entire USA in terms of the number of deer hunters and the number of deer harvested.

Our Michigan biologists from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources are responsible to monitor and manage Michigan’s estimated 1.75 million white-tailed deer. Prior to the start of this year’s firearm deer season, the DNR predicted that they expect the 2018 firearm season to be a very successful season for our Michigan firearm deer hunters. Based on the reports to date, it does indeed appear that this 2018 deer firearm season will be a very successful one for our Michigan hunters.

Here is some additional information about our Michigan Deer Season last year. The 2017 deer firearm season was considered to be a very successful season. In 2017, Michigan saw about 2 percent fewer firearm deer hunters. However, these Michigan hunters were very successful as they were found to have a big increase in the number of whitetail deer they harvested. Michigan deer hunters had a success rate of close to 50 percent last season as they took an estimated 376,000 deer. This represented a very significant 10 percent increase over the number of deer taken in 2016.

OK, following is my best “shot” at your deer and bear hunting jokes for this season.

What do you call a deer in the middle of a thunderstorm? A “Rain Deer”.

What do you call a bear in the middle of a thunderstorm? A “Drizzly Bear”.

What do you call a bear with no teeth? A Gummy Bear.

Most guys refer to it as “Deer Camp”. Most ladies more accurately refer to it as “Beer Camp”.

What do you call a deer with no eyes? No Eye Deer.

Where does the deer with no eyes live? In his “Deer Blind”.

Two bear hunters were driving out to their hunting camp and they saw a sign that said, “Bear Left”. So, they turned around and went back home.

What is the difference between a hunter and a fisherman? A hunter lies in wait, whereas a fisherman waits and lies.

Two skunks were out in the forest and they saw a hunter coming toward them with his rifle in hand. One skunk then said to the other skunk, “I think it’s time for us to kneel down and start to spray.”

When the hunter left for deer camp, he promised his wife he would bring back some venison. On the way back from his unsuccessful hunting trip he stopped at the grocery store and asked for some venison. The butcher told him all he had was some hamburger. The hunter replied, “That won’t work because she’ll think I shot a cow.”

What is the definition of an extremely rare Upper Peninsula deer? One that stays off the highway.