In this 2021 Mining Journal file photo, Brian Andresen, of Marquette, checks in the first deer from the firearm deer hunting season today at the Marquette Department of Natural Resources station. According to DNR statistics, most of the deer harvested on the opening day of hunting season this year were taken in the southern Upper Peninsula.

ESCANABA — The southern U.P. was the place to be during the opening day of firearm deer season, according to data collected by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR released data collected opening day through mandatory deer harvest reporting. Menominee County topped the list of successful hunters with 181 bucks; 30 antlerless deer taken opening day for a total of 211 total. Delta County was second with 124 bucks and 21 antlerless deer reported opening day for a total of 145. Marquette County had 88 bucks and seven antlerless deer for a total of 95.

In the entire Upper Peninsula, 945 bucks and 109 antlerless deer were harvested opening day. That’s a total of 1,054.

Totals in other U.P. counties are:

Alger: bucks – 17, antlerless – 2, total – 19

Baraga: bucks – 48, antlerless – 1, total – 49

Chippewa: bucks – 63, antlerless – 2, total – 65

Dickinson: bucks – 84, antlerless – 12, total – 96

Gogebic: bucks – 46, antlerless – 2, total – 48

Houghton: bucks – 50, antlerless – 4, total – 54

Iron: bucks – 85, antlerless – 24, total -109

Keweenaw: bucks – 12, antlerless – 0, total – 12

Luce: bucks – 14, antlerless – 1, total – 15

Mackinac: bucks – 36, antlerless – 1, total – 37

Ontonagon: bucks – 58, antlerless – 0, total – 58

Schoolcraft: bucks – 39, antlerless – 2, total – 41