2021 Deer Regulations Are Out!-The Economy of Hunting

2021 Deer Hunting Regulations were approved Thursday by the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. This was approved from their Feb 11th, 2021 Meeting. The agenda is HERE but the recording isn't available yet (I know some are sitting on the edge of their seats waiting! 😏). For those of us who like to hunt (or at least thinking about it) regulations will make a difference in our hunting options.

Michigan is one of the states that maximizes its hunting and fishing industry. According to the Michigan United Conservation Club the state $11.2 billion in purchases and 171,000 jobs (4). That is big money for the state and rural areas that don't have established industries.

I'm working on some ideas on how to attract micro manufacturing to Delta County Michigan. Drawing tourist related micro-manufacturing allows the city of Escanaba and Gladstone to fill its down town store fronts for tourism while enough space in the back for small craft manufacturing (SME manufacturing may not be downtown but plenty of space in the area). 

Thus, deer hunting could include all types of tourism craft manufacturing such as gloves, targets, arrows, bows, clothing, snow shoes, and much much more. Known as a hunting area Delta County could maximize its outdoors to attract small business and encourage tourism and industry.

The new regulations are quoted below (2), 

The 2021 approved regulation changes are:

• Deer Management Unit-specific antlerless deer licenses have been replaced with a universal antlerless license that can be used across multiple DMUs.
  
• Antlerless licenses may now be purchased without an application in the Lower Peninsula and portions of the south-central Upper Peninsula that have DMUs open to antlerless deer hunting. Licenses may be used on public or private land.
• In the mid-zone Upper Peninsula DMUs that are open to antlerless deer hunting, a deer hunting access permit must accompany the universal antlerless license. The deer hunting access permit, intended to limit participation where the population can be sensitive to harsh winter weather, will be available through a drawing.
• The northernmost DMUs of the U.P. are closed to antlerless deer hunting in all seasons.
• Archery hunters in portions of the Upper Peninsula may pursue antlerless deer on their deer or deer combo licenses. DMUs 127, 066, 131, 042, 031, 007 and 048 will be closed to antlerless harvest during the archery seasons.
• The expanded urban archery season through Jan. 31 is now permanent in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
• Upper Peninsula supplemental and recreational deer feeding regulations have changed, including:A permit is no longer required for supplemental feeding in the Upper Peninsula.
  
• Supplemental feeding can occur Jan. 1 to May 15.
• Recreational or supplemental feeding is prohibited if a location is deemed to be a safety hazard.
• All recreational feed must be given in increments of only 2 gallons per calendar day and only 2 gallons at any one time.

The 2021 deer hunting regulations will be printed in the 2021 Hunting Digest, which is expected to be finalized in late spring and available at license agent locations and online at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests around July 1.

Who are they? "The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is a seven-member body whose members are appointed by the Governor and subject to the advice and consent of the Senate." (1).

You can read Public Act 451 of 1994, MCL 324.501 that authorizes the commission.

You can see the new regulations HERE.

Public Act 451 of 1994, MCL 324.501