Michigan’s 2024 Early Archery End of Season Harvest Report

As you scroll through the county-by-county countdown to which county harvested the most deer in Michigan's 2024 Early Archery Season, take a look at a few of the headlines from around the state building up to the season:

• Michigan DNR is encouraging hunters to hunt antlerless deer - Port Huron Times Herald
• Michigan urges hunters to shoot more does as deer population swells - Detroit Free Press
• Why Michigan Officials Want You to Shoot More Deer - Newsweek

It's clear that Michigan farmers and drivers, along with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), have a concern. That concern is the rapid growth of Michigan's deer herd, estimated to be over 2 million. So, is anybody listening?

Michigan Archers Disappoint With Buck Heavy Harvest

From October 1 to November 14, 2024, the number of deer reported to the DNR's online reporting tool brought the 2024 Early Archery season total harvest to 76,079. Of that, only 21,541 were antlerless (does). That means that 72% of deer harvested were bucks. (see the full 83-county harvest report below)

Of course, that leaves a lot of bucks and a buffet of does for them to court and mate with. And though whitetail deer in Michigan only reproduce once a year, 90% of females will have fawns, and most will have twins. See the issue here?

Michigan's Fate Rests in Firearm Season

Unless you're looking forward to dodging even more deer and watching even more forest floors stripped bare as the ever-growing herd expands exponentially. Or hopes for unbent, fur-free fenders and crops that aren't devastated by feeding deer rest on firearm deer season hunters in 2024.

RELATED: The Real Danger for Michigan Hunters? It’s Not Bullets

How's that looking, you ask? Well, with the season opener on November 15, as of November 18 at 4:00 pm EST, 66,614 deer have been reported as harvested on the DNR's reporting tool. Of that, 48,749 have been bucks. That's 73%, 1% in the wrong direction. Get ready for a higher deductible. (see the full 83-county harvest report below)