CADILLAC — We’re taking a look at the Department of Natural Resources deer harvest numbers so far this year.
The reported deer harvest for the entire state is down compared to last year by almost 30,000 deer, which is about 11%.
But in the Upper Peninsula, the reported deer harvest is down even more at 26%. Meanwhile, in the northern Lower Peninsula it’s down 16% and down 7% in the southern Lower Peninsula.
The DNR said hunters in the U.P. have expressed a great deal of anger, frustration and concern with the low deer harvest this year. The DNR also said it’s too early to tell whether their harvest reporting system has improved this year, and they do not know the rate of hunters who are not reporting their harvest which could be having an impact on the lower harvest numbers.