Fall in Michigan means deer hunting. And as the hunting seasons kicked off in September with the Youth and Patriot Hunts, as well as the start of archery this past October 1st, hunters need to be aware of changes to deer harvest reporting.
Starting in 2022, any deer harvest must be reported to the DNR. Hunters must report their deer harvest within 72 hours or before they transfer the deer to a processor or taxidermist. Hunters are able to report their harvest through the Michigan DNR website at https://www.mdnr-elicense.com/harvestreport or download the Michigan DNR Hunt-Fish app, available on the Apple or Andriod Store.
Deer harvet totals by DMU and County have already begun to start coming in and can be tracked here at https://www.mdnr-elicense.com/HarvestReportSummary/. The DNR has started to mandate this reporting due to the lack of response the department was receiving from their annual mail surveys that were conducted at the end of every season.
This move is also similar to reporting requirements in nearby states, such as Wisconsin and Ohio. The Department of Natural Resources is hopeful the move will continue to aid in their efforts to manage the deer herd and population throughout the state of Michigan.