ESCANABA –With firearm deer hunting season beginning Friday, many are preparing to leave for camp and are likely hoping for greater success than last year. Fortunately — for hunters, not deer — conditions bode well for the outlook.

The past winter was unusually mild for the Upper Peninsula, making for greater fawn production and likely recruitment (survival of fawns to join the herd in the fall) since does were not starved for nutrition by snow cover and remained strong. In another couple years, those healthy fawns born this spring will be eyed by hunters.

Immediately this season, though, the deer are also healthy and active. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has received reports of “nice bucks” with good antler growth seen on game cameras in the past couple weeks, according to Deputy Public Information Officer John Pepin.

“The negative effects of two harsh winters, back-to-back, contributed to diminish deer numbers and hunter opportunities for success last fall. This year, we expect hunters to see more deer,” he said.

“In addition to healthier deer, a good year for soft and hard mast crops that deer feed on, like apples and acorns, is providing reliable food sources for deer, contributing to bettering their condition,” Pepin continued.

Archery season’s early segment, which runs from Oct. 1 to Nov. 14, has been better to bowhunters this season than last. By the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 13, the number of deer harvested during the early archery season in the central U.P. — Alger, Delta, Dickinson, Marquette, Menominee and Schoolcraft Counties — was 10% higher than the number harvested in that region during 2023’s early archery season. Since hunters have 72 hours to report their kills, that number could theoretically continue to climb for three to four more days.

The reports from the Liberty hunt — open to qualified youth and hunters with disabilities on Sept. 14 and 15 — and the Independence hunt — for qualified hunters with disabilities between Oct. 17 and 20 — were similar this year and last year.

Deer become more active when the weather gets colder. During warm days, deer tend to hunker down more, which is another factor that could have contributed to last year’s disappointment; the season got off to a warm start in 2023. Many people are counting on a chill this year.

“Hunters will be hoping for snow to fall over the two weeks of the firearm deer hunting season to improve tracking conditions and help spur deer along their seasonal migrations from the more northern portions of the region south to deer wintering complexes,” Pepin said.

As always, local hunters are invited to share photos of their successful hunts with the Daily Press. In order to inform follow-up stories, the reporter would also be interested to hear firsthand accounts of conditions in the woods and may be contacted at rbranstrom@dailypress.net or 906-786-2021 ext. 140.