Michigan hunters

[Ray Lyon]

There is a proposal before the natural resource commission to install a seven day no hunting "quiet period" before the rifle season. This would essentially eliminate seven days of bow hunting the rut in Michigan. Please send an email to the natural resource commission signed with your name annd address and say you are not in favor of this proposal.
The Commission meets on May 13th.

NRC@michigan.gov

[RIVERWOLF]

DONE !  Thanks for the heads up Ray !

I'm gonna be at the field office sometime next week and will for sure mention it in person as well ...along with a few other topics

Best your way...

Riverwolf.....

[Possum Head]

Boy that stinks. Best wishes fellas!

[Trenton G.]

It will be interesting to see what changes come to Michigan's deer season this year or next. There's a lot of big decisions up for discussion, and a lot of people on both sides of these issues. I serve on the Deer Advisory Team for the DNR, and there have been a lot of "spirited" discussions taking place. A lot of them I don't expect to pass, such as this one and moving the firearm opener back, but I would not be surprised to see it go to one buck. I live in the experimental NW 13 where we have had a 3+ point antler point restriction for almost 10 years now, and it has been a night and day difference in the quality of our hunting (for the better). I was really pushing hard for a bit of a compromise between the current two buck that most of the state has and one buck by suggesting two buck tags still but with a 3+ point APR on one side and the restricted tag being 4+ as it already is. I figured this wouldn't be quite as big of a blow to hunters as taking away one of their buck tags, but my argument didn't seem to get too far. It'll be interesting to see what they decide, and I expect there to be a fairly big uproar regardless of what the NRC decides.

[Jegs.mich]

Ray, thanks for the heads up I'm posting my email to the NRC encase anyone wants to copy and paste................
Good afternoon,
I'm writing this email in regards to a proposed "quiet period" prior to rifle season. I am not in favor of this "quiet period" as it would eliminate 7 very productive days of bowhunting. Thankyou for your time and consideration.

Kind regards,

[Ray Lyon]

As a follow up to the above post I received an email from PBS requesting members contact the NRC regarding objection to the proposed quiet period.  I sent my objection to the Natural Resource Commission email but also to the commissioner who lives in my home town. Attached is the response I received from him.  I still believe it's in our best interest to send comments anyway-just in case it comes up. 

[woodchucker]

Call me silly Ray, but why do they think they need a "quiet season" during the bow season??

[Ray Lyon]

Call me silly Ray, but why do they think they need a "quiet season" during the bow season??

I believe this all relates to the effectiveness of crossbows now. People are shooting bucks at 60 and 70 and 80 yards were a crossbow from a rest and using a scope. This puts a lot of pressure on bucks before the rut and also takes more bucks out of the herd before gun season. Therefore, those hunters who are just rifle only are seeing less bucks in gun season than they used to. Their solution, is to cut down on the archery season. Under the guise that they need a "quiet period".  We all know that scouting, those people running bait in Michigan even where it's not legal, and building blinds, and small game hunters, all contribute to disturbing deer whether bow hunters are in the woods or not.

[Dave Pagel]

I have been going to all the NRC meetings to keep the board and membership at Michigan Traditional Bowhunters informed.  The quiet periods came up after a proposed amendment to move the 11/15 firearms opener back to the Saturday before Thanksgiving and only last 9 days.  I believe this quiet period and another that was proposed in early December was an attempt to reduce bow seasons to appease gun hunters. 

The May 13 meeting will be very interesting.

DP