Whitetail Deer

Michigan has a large whitetail deer population. They are one of the favorite quarry for hunters. And, contrary to what many would believe, that relationship is what has helped them thrive. Sportsmen and women are some of the best keepers of the natural habitat our animals need to survive. We are typically more active than most in ensuring good science based management is used to protect or nurture the animal and fish populations in our state.

Whitetail deer are very elusive animals with a great sense of smell, sight and sound. Now I know if you are from the suburbs in Lower Michigan and have them running around your yard, you might not think they would be all that difficult to get close to. But the urban animals are nothing like their backwoods cousins. 

Bucks and does mate in the fall. And that drive for reproduction puts them on the move all times of night and day. That, and when a tough winter drives them to roadside grass, is when you need to be especially careful while driving. The damage to a car is frustrating, but more than that I always feel it’s such a shame to see an animal like our majestic deer be killed in a car accident. 

Deer have neighborhoods and patterns. A doe and fawn will have a smaller home area than a buck will. Typically bedding down in the same general area each day.