A doe at location F-3 from the 2025 Presque Isle deer survey. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — The 2025 Presque Isle deer survey has been released. The survey is conducted each year in a collaboration between NMU Fisheries and Wildlife Association, Moosewood Nature Center and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and is reported to the city of Marquette to provide an estimate of deer populations on the island, giving insight on potential herd management decisions.

The report was prepared by Korben Moelter, Louis Good and Tyler Petroelje.

The size of the herd on Presque Isle has varied over the years, with a peak occurring in 2001 of one hundred animals. When deer populations grow too large, it can result in overgrazing and health concerns, which led the City of Marquette to take action. “Following the ban on feeding deer (May 2000) and the culling (January 2001), deer estimates have mostly been under 50 animals,” said the 2025 Presque Isle deer survey.

The city has been conducting the survey ever since alongside NMU professors and volunteers, passing the torch on to the NMU Fisheries and Wildlife Association and Moosewood Nature center in 2023.

The 2025 survey was conducted in September and October, using camera traps placed strategically around the island which take photos when motion is detected. Photos were then organized by species, and images of deer were further organized by relative age and sex. Bucks were identified individually based on antler shape, which allowed researchers to estimate the total population based on ratios between bucks and does.

After all ten cameras had been deployed for 40 days and the data had been analyzed, researchers came to the estimate of 29 individual deer; 8 bucks and 21 does. Deer were photographed most often in the area of Presque Isle located near the Moosewood Nature Center and the Bog Walk, and least often in the area of the island around Sunset Point.

“If all observed deer were resident, densities would be approximately 23 deer/km2 which is roughly 1.5-3 times greater than recommended deer densities to limit forest regeneration impacts,” said the survey. “However, it is possible that deer may travel on and off Presque Isle using the tombolo (which connects Presque Isle to the ‘mainland’), and it is likely that the peninsula could be a portion of an individual deer’s home range. This may suggest that not all deer reside only on Presque Isle which is important to consider to understand potential forest impacts of these estimated deer densities and any needed management actions.”

The survey also said that the relative abundance of deer photographed near the tombolo, which is near the Moosewood Nature Center and Bog Walk, indicates that deer are in fact using it to travel on and off of the island.

In 2023, the deer herd on Presque Isle was estimated to be 34, and in 2024, the estimate was 63.

Annie Lippert can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 550. Her email address is alippert@miningjournal.net.