Call of the Wild
Michigan DNR sees uptick in hunting and outdoor activities during the coronavirus pandemic
John Williams has been hunting in Michigan since he was 14 years old. Williams, 65, said he’s a little surprised at a surging interest in hunting, considering the costs of the sport. In order to hunt for a doe or antlerless deer one must not only have a hunting license but also the antlerless permit and a small game permit – which can add up to nearly $100 in hunting permits
“I heard when they opened up the licensing for doe permits – three or four places – sold out in the first two days,” Williams said.
While the number of deer hunters taking to the field has been steadily declining for more than a decade, 2020 may be an exception.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources says there has been a renewed interest in hunting of all types since March when the coronavirus pandemic blasted across the U.S. and forced businesses to shut down, stay-at-home orders and urgings that people socially distance themselves from each other.
Being a seasoned hunter, Williams understands the lure of the outdoors and hunting.
“They want to go out and get a deer. I get that. It’s organically grown. The meat is very lean. It’s low in cholesterol
and very healthy for you,” Williams said.
Williams worked in construction and spent most of his career building roads in Macomb County before retiring. He and his wife raised their family in Chesterfield Township and moved to their summer cabin in the woods of Clare County permanently once they retired. “I hunt right here where I live. Last year I shot two deer in two days.”
That gave him more than 200 pounds of organic meat for his freezer.
Hunting is also good for the soul. For the time that passes while waiting in the woods for a deer allows one to absorb the fresh air and antics of nature, such as a fox prancing across the horizon as if knowing it was not the prey for the day, while sharing a meaningful conversation with a family member or friend.
Like his father before him, Williams taught his son how to hunt when hewas 14 years old and while they did not see any deer during their first trip out, they both had fun, which is what a lot of hunters are pining for this November - whether they’re seasoned hunters or new to the sport.
This year, the opening of firearms season falls on a Monday. That might make for shorter stays for people heading north to hunt, along with the fact that many businesses that cater to hunters have closed because of the pandemic.
While theremay be more hunters than last year, their stays may be shorter.
“Usually guys go up north for the entire opening week,” Williams said. “They’ll rent a hotel or motel room, stay in someone’ s cabin or park their camper in the woods but a lot of businesses are closed this year because of the pandemic. “
So, chances are the worst traffic will be on the Friday before Nov. 15, when everyone heads for the hills to set up their spots.
Renewed interest
With the coronavirus pandemic came a renewed interest in outdoor activities of all kinds, including hunting, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“We have seen an uptick in participation, particularly spring turkey licenses during the height of the pandemic,” said Tom Weston, head of licensing for the Michigan DNR. “The same with ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) permits, we also saw an uptick in them. Folks have time on their hands and just want to get out and about.”
When it comes to deer hunting, and hunting in general, the numbers so far this year show a growing interest in hunting.
A mid-September report from the Michigan DNR indicates that overall participation in deer hunting is up 26.97% over the same time as last year, and that overall participation in hunting is up 121.61%.
The renewed interest spans all ages and genders, according to the DNR. The number of:
• Women hunting is up 34.66% over the same time as last year,
• Men hunting is up 19.71%,
• Hunters aged 10-16 is up 189.73%,
• Youth age nine and under is up 105.4%.
If the past is an indication, it might be a keep-your-fingers- crossed situation whether pandemic-related interest translates into long-term enthusiasm for hunting.
“We’re very excited about this,” said Kristin Phillips, chief of marketing and outreach for the Michigan DNR. “I’m trying to keep my expectations in check.”
Particularlywhen it comes to deer hunting, there have been fewer hunters in recent years as older people “age out” and fewer younger people have the time or have other priorities.
Michigan DNR statistics indicate that 725,190 Michigan residents hunted deer in 2008, and those numbers have dropped steadily since.
In 2019, 584,802 people hunted deer in Michigan.
The final numbers for 2020 won’t be known until the end of the year, but the DNR said its biggest day for issuing hunting licenses is yet to come. That’s usually the weekend before the regular firearm deer season begins in mid November. So far, though, the DNR has issued 751,310 deer hunting licenses, and many hunters acquire multiple licenses for the various deer hunting seasons–antler less, firearms, or archery.
The need for hunters
If 2020 turns out to be like 2019, hunters will take more than 370,000 deer this fall.
The DNR relies on hunters to manage and cull the state’s estimated 1.7 million deer population.
Mark Billings, 69, of Roseville has had many thrilling moments as a hunter but nothing compares to this year’s Liberty Hunt.
“My grandson Anthony got his first deer on Sept. 12,” Billings said. “He is 13-yearsold.”
It happened during the Liberty Hunt, which is a twoday event on the hunting calendar that allows youth under the age of 16 and qualified persons with disabilities to hunt for an antlered or antlerless deer.
Anthony has been fishing since hewas old enough to walk and carry a rod and Mark taught him how to hunt when hewas 7-years-old but this was their first official hunting trip and it could not have been a better experience for both of them.
“I took him to my sister’s property in Melbourne,” Billings said, where certain regulations apply including no hunting a doe that has a fawn. “Her rules are you don’t shoot mama deer if she is with a baby deer.”
On their first day out that’s exactly what happened. Anthony heard a deer approaching from the right of their blind and sure enough it was Bambi and his mother. So, they took a break and returned to the house for breakfast.
“Wewent backout around 1 p.m.,” Billings said, and not long after that Anthony heard a second deer approaching the blind. “He waited about 30 or 45 minutes until the deer was in close range.”
Among the rules taught to young hunter sand even firsttime adults is to make sure you have a clear shot and no obstructions in your site whether it’s a fawn or a person. Once he had a clear shot within his range Anthony put the gun on the window ledge, set his scope and fired one shot.
The deer jumped and then Anthony jumped.
“He was so excited,” Billings said.
After waiting a few minutes they headed to the area but the deer was gone. It’s then that Anthony used the lessons his grandfather taught him – to track the deer. “I know where he was standing. I know which way he was headed,” he told his grandfather, and sure enough after tracking the blood trail for several twists and turns Anthony found his deer. Billings handled the dressing of the deer in the woods but Anthony watched closely so the next time he put a deer down he could do it himself.
“I was very, very proud of him,” Billings said. “I was 8 or 9 when my dad took me out to hunt. When I turned 14 I was able to shoot a rifle on my own but my dad was next to the whole time.”