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Deer numbers up so far this firearm season

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says the number of deer checked at the Marquette station is up 61 percent from last year. Snow and cooler temperatures are keeping deer active so far during the firearm hunting season. (AP Photo/Detroit Free Press, Craig Porter)

MARQUETTE — Favorable hunting conditions such as snow and cooler temperatures are keeping the white-tail deer moving during the firearm season so far, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reported on Monday.

The DNR reported all stations in the western Upper Peninsula are up, while eastern U.P. stations are down slightly so far.

A total of 71 deer have been checked at the Marquette station for Thursday through Saturday, up 61 percent from the 2017 total of 44. Other totals are: Baraga, 42 deer, up 8 percent; Crystal Falls, 77 deer, up 33 percent; Escanaba, 113 deer, up 19 percent; Newberry, 39 deer, down 15 percent; and Sault Ste. Marie, nine deer, down 18 percent.

The total number of deer checked for those dates for the six stations was 351, up 24 percent from 2017. The DNR noted that road construction in 2017 might have reduced the number of deer coming in the Escanaba station. Overall, the number represents a 10 percent increase from the past 10-year average.

Firearm bucks checked at each station for Thursday through Saturday are: Marquette, 66 bucks, up 50 percent; Baraga, 38 bucks, up 3 percent; Crystal Falls, 75 bucks, up 36 percent; Escanaba, 88 bucks, up 24 percent; Newberry, 37 bucks, down 16 percent; and Sault Ste. Marie, nine bucks, no change.

A total of 313 firearm bucks were checked for those dates for the six stations, up 17 percent from the previous year. Again, road construction in 2017 might have reduced the number of firearm bucks checked at the Escanaba station.

The DNR said hunters continue to see multiple deer this firearm season, with checked deer being in good condition.

Antler development is average, although staff noted it expected to see a little better antler development on bucks age 3 and older than what has been observed so far. However, more mature bucks and a low percentage of yearlings are being seen.

Regarding chronic wasting disease, which recently was discovered in a deer in Dickinson County, reports from the Norway station are that nearly 100 percent of the hunters are submitting deer heads. Escanaba reported a moderate amount of submissions for testing and inquiries.

The DNR said many CWD questions were reported from Marquette, but not many submissions for testing. An occasional head has been collected at Newberry, but more than had been collected in previous years.

No heads have been received at the Sault Ste. Marie station where there haven’t been too many questions raised about CWD, although the Sault hasn’t checked as many deer as other stations.

Staff reports suggested that hunter concern, particularly for testing, decreases as one moves away from the core surveillance area.

The DNR said it expects numbers to continue to change through the remainder of the season, which runs through Nov. 30.

Totals are available for the number of deer licenses sold by county in Michigan through Wednesday, one day before the firearm deer season opened.

The DNR said that although license sales were down statewide by 1.2 percent, they were up by 1.6 percent in the U.P. Of the region’s 15 counties, eight had license sales higher than the same time in 2017. For example, Marquette had an increase in sales, from 9,918 to 10,353.

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.

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