Cam Cavitt

State Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, this week urged the Legislature to act on measures to expand deer hunting seasons to address rampant deer overpopulation in the Lower Peninsula.

Recent reporting revealed that, last year, deer caused more than 58,000 car wrecks, killing 19 people.

“Hunting is the most effective control we have to limit deer populations,” Cavitt said in a statement. “Rule changes won’t matter if we can’t encourage more parents and grandparents to wake their kids up early, hand them an orange hat, and hike out into the woods to see what they can call in.”

During a regular meeting on Thursday, the Natural Resources Commission considered proposals from two Deer Management Initiatives, one from the Lower Peninsula and one from the Upper Peninsula, created earlier this year to address the population issues.

Some measures to address the overpopulation include only allowing antlerless deer to be harvested during certain hunts, expanded antler point restrictions to protect younger bucks, and measures to encourage hunters to shoot does.

“Obviously, we want every outdoorsman to consider the environment first when taking deer,” Cavitt said. “I’ll be the first to say we should all be a bit more willing to take a doe until the population starts dipping back down to normal. But we can’t change the rules so much that it chases people away from hunting entirely. It’s already expensive to get the equipment and clothing. It’s a hassle for some to even find a place to hunt. Many may throw in the towel all together if you start forcing them to count the number of antlers on each side of a deer’s rack before they can take a shot.”

Last fall, Cavitt introduced a bill that would extend muzzleloader season from 10 to 14 days. Cavitt noted that, while his bill would only be a small piece of the puzzle, combining legislative measures like his could be key to addressing the overpopulation crisis.

State officials have reported annual decreases in Michigan deer hunters. When there are fewer hunters, fewer deer get harvested. Michigan Department of Natural Resources leadership has reported that, while, in 2000, there were more than 800,000 registered hunters, the state has been lucky to get close to 600,000 in recent years.

“The best way we can address the overpopulation is by expanding access to all sorts of hunting options,” Cavitt said. “That starts with plans like mine to expand the muzzleloader season. But one bill won’t fix everything. We need to work with the DNR, the NRC, and all our partners to find more ways to get people off the couch and back into tree stands.”