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By Louie Stout
Opening Day Buck
Tom Sibal of Goshen shot this big, 8-point buck opening morning of gun season in Fulton County. The deer dressed out at 192 pounds, the biggest he’s ever taken in more than 30 years of hunting. The next day he watched two eagles feast on the gut pile he left behind.
The 2018 deer firearms season in Michiana won’t break any records, but it certainly was better than last year.
Wildlife biologists in both Indiana and Michigan say their respective gun seasons were pretty good and showed signs of a healthy deer population.
Admittedly, it’s not fair to compare the recent gun season harvest numbers with last year since this region was bludgeoned with horrible weather during the early part of the 2017 gun season. This year’s weather was more conducive to a good day in the field.
All of the area counties’ harvest exceeded last year while St. Joseph and Elkhart kill numbers for this fall were pretty close to what they were in 2015 and 2016. Kosciusko, Marshall and LaPorte were about 200 deer shy of what the gun harvest produced during the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
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By Louie Stout
Biologists Predict Better Season for Gun Hunters in Both States
If archery season is an indicator as to hunting prospects for this week’s firearms season, the 2018 deer season could be a very good one.
Michigan’s firearms season opens Thursday while Indiana’s kicks off Saturday.
The bow harvest has been up in Indiana and Michigan which suggests the deer herd is up. Of course, conditions have been pretty good for a fall hunt and crops have been coming out of the fields, both factors that improve hunters’ chances of getting a deer.
Indiana deer biologist Joe Caudell said official harvest numbers for St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, LaPorte and Kosciusko counties show more deer killed (1,491) by this year’s bow hunters through last week than last year (1,312) or in 2016 (1,204) during the same period.
“I noticed the antlered harvest is up from the last couple years as well,” Caudell said.
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By Louie Stout
Got more deer meat than you need? Consider donating your next deer to the “Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger” program or “Indiana’s Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.”
Participating nearby Indiana processors are Jaworski Market in South Bend (574-297-0091), Slabaugh Meat in Nappanee (574-773-0381), John’s Butcher Shop in Nappanee (574-773-4632), Martin’s Custom Butchering in Wakarusa (574-862-2982).
In Michigan’s Cass County, Vlasicak Meat Market (269-445-8763) in Cassopolis is accepting donations. Most of the processors will handle the processing at no charge or you can donate a portion of your next deer to the program.
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By CALEB ECKLOFF, Michigan DNR
The Aging Process: How and Why Deer are Aged at DNR Check Stations
Whether for fun or to better judge preferable animals to target, many hunters have an interest in the ability to age white-tailed deer, whether on the hoof or in hand.
Each fall, as successful hunters bring their deer in to be registered at Michigan Department of Natural Resources check stations across the state, many of these men and women watch carefully as DNR wildlife technicians and biologists age deer based on characteristics of the animals teeth.
The DNR uses the age of harvested animals - not exclusively deer - to model species age structure with the intent to better manage wildlife.
Furbearers, such as black bears and bobcats, are aged by removing a tooth and sectioning the tooth to count the layers of cementum, which is a specific part of each tooth that is deposited annually.
Like the rings of a tree, annual cementum deposits may be counted to determine the age of the tooth and, by extension, the age of the animal.
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Meijer Offers Free Michigan Youth Deer Licenses Friday, SaturdayYoung hunters once again will have the opportunity to get a free deer hunting license at all Meijer stores in Michigan Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14-15.
Youths must be accompanied by an adult, and can receive the free junior deer hunting license coupon in stores.
The deal is valid for a single junior deer hunting license, a $20 value, or mentored youth hunting license. Those who hunt in Michigan also must purchase a base license, which costs $6 for youth, ages 10-16. The base license allows hunters to hunt small game and purchase additional hunting licenses. The mentored youth hunting license, valid only for hunters under the age of 10, includes a base license and does not require separate purchase of the base license.
Meijer has offered youth hunters free deer hunting licenses since 2008. Last year, more than 54,000 young hunters got free licenses during the weekend giveaway.
Questions? Contact your local Meijer store.