Republican lawmaker wants hunting rights expanded in Michigan

White-tailed deer | Lynn Freeny/Department of Energy

As the Michigan Natural Resources Commission weighed plans for managing Michigan’s deer population on Thursday, state Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) has called on lawmakers to act on efforts expanding deer hunting season to address overpopulation in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

According to Michigan State Police , there were more than 58,000 vehicle-deer crashes in 2022.

“Hunting is the most effective control we have to limit deer populations,” Cavitt said in a statement. “Rule changes won’t matter if we can’t encourage more parents and grandparents to wake their kids up early, hand them an orange hat, and hike out into the woods to see what they can call in.”

As the Natural Resources Commission met Thursday to consider proposals for addressing deer population concerns in the Upper and Lower Peninsula, Cavitt weighed in on some components, including allowing only antlerless deer to be harvested during certain hunts, expanded antler point restrictions to protect younger bucks and measures to encourage hunters to shoot does.

“Obviously, we want every outdoorsman to consider the environment first when taking deer. I’ll be the first to say we should all be a bit more willing to take a doe until the population starts dipping back down to normal,” Cavitt said. “But we can’t change the rules so much that it chases people away from hunting entirely. It’s already expensive to get the equipment and clothing. It’s a hassle for some to even find a place to hunt. Many may throw in the towel altogether if you start forcing them to count the number of antlers on each side of a deer’s rack before they can take a shot.”

The commission voted 5-1 to adopt multiple changes to deer regulations set to take effect during the 2024 season, with a number of amendments. According to Michigan United Conservation Clubs , no antler point restrictions were adopted, while the Liberty Hunt — open to people with disabilities and youth 16 and under — will be antlerless only in 2025. Natural Resources Commission Chair Tom Baird also assured hunters that work on deer management would continue.

The number of hunters in Michigan has dropped off each year, creating difficulties in managing deer populations. According to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), 872,000 people purchased a deer hunting license in 2019, with the DNR selling 582,000 licenses in 2019. It estimates 434,000 people will purchase a deer hunting license in 2030 representing a 25% decline from 2019.

Cavitt pointed to one of his bills, House Bill 5305 , as a small piece of the puzzle in addressing deer overpopulation in the Lower Peninsula. The bill, which has gathered support from many House Republicans, would extend Michigan’s muzzle-loading deer season from 10 to 14 days.

The bill currently sits in the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation and has not yet received a hearing.

The best way we can address the overpopulation is by expanding access to all sorts of hunting options,” Cavitt said. “That starts with plans like mine to expand the muzzleloader season. But one bill won’t fix everything. We need to work with the DNR, the NRC and all our partners to find more ways to get people off the couch and back into tree stands.”

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