Talking Michigan Transportation Reprise: DNR boosts hunting to help farmers, reduce car-deer crashes
Sep 10, 2026
Ed Golder, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources public information officer, explores the state’s growing deer challenge. He discusses why southern Michigan has more deer, the decline of hunting, expanded doe harvests, and hazards caused by feeding wildlife. He also highlights Hunters Feeding Michigan, which connects farm deer removal with venison donations, and efforts to reduce vehicle-deer crashes.
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Why Southern Michigan Has Too Many Deer
- Southern Michigan’s deer population grows through milder winters, declining hunting, and limited public hunting land.
- Northern Michigan faces the opposite concern, with too few deer and abundant public land.
Why Michigan Keeps Losing Deer Hunters
- Deer hunting declines about 3% annually as older hunters age out and younger people choose different recreation.
- Urbanization, less leisure time, fewer hunting camps, and difficult entry barriers weaken hunting’s traditional social pipeline.
Why Hunters Should Harvest More Does
- Hunters should target more antlerless deer, especially does, to reduce reproduction and manage dense herds.
- Removing one doe can prevent twins or triplets across successive seasons, making doe harvest especially effective.