Michigan deer hunters are frustrated and are wanting to see change happen soon. Over the last several years in Michigan, the state's deer harvest report and numbers of hunters have seen a great decline. There are currently hunters that were surveyed that were only 39% satisfied with their overall hunting experience. The decrease in license sales is also grown  to 12% fewer since 2004.

To combat these dwindling numbers, there has been the implementation of Antler Point Restrictions (APR)'s. APR's have been in place for over a decade in Michigan with hopes to see more mature deer. Counties with APR's in place for all bucks like the North West 12 have seen a decrease in yearling bucks taken but the APR's in effect for the second buck statewide has not solved the issues of the deer populations and the buck to doe ratio.

Why the falling numbers in deer harvest, license sales, and deer hunter satisfaction rates?

While there is not a single answer that would fix all of the previously mentioned issues, there is a simple common sense method that would help see a change in the low deer harvest, license sales, and deer hunter satisfaction rates.

The answer in part would be a One Buck Rule also known as an (OBR). This would help solve the struggles Michigan is facing. The One Buck Rule (OBR) allows each hunter to kill one buck and one buck only regardless of season and weapon used.

States like Indiana and Ohio have a One Buck Rule (OBR) and have a much higher satisfaction rate among hunters as well as a large and growing amount of out of state hunters each year.  

Going to a One Buck Rule (OBR) would allow the hunter to make his or her own choice as to what is a trophy. The hunter can make their own choice if they want to shoot the younger deer or if you want to pursue the bigger more mature buck. Some limit of three to four antlerless kill tags should be in effect also depending on the county. The OBR also encourages a hunter to harvest an antlerless deer as well. If they are hunting to feed their family and can only harvest one buck, harvesting an antlerless deer would be a great option to fill the freezer. When Indiana moved to the One Buck Rule in 2002, they saw a great increase in antlerless harvests. This would benefit the herd to bring the buck to doe ratio to a healthy level.

Some regulation changes are absolutely necessary for the future of hunting whitetail deer in Michigan. By moving to a One Buck Rule (OBR) it would help balance the deer herd in Michigan and increase both in-state and out-of-state license sales as well as increase the hunter satisfaction rate.

Please sign this petition and let us see Michigan become one of the best states to hunt in!