One was a January thaw that temporarily reduced snow depths and energy loss among whitetails. The thaw made it easier for deer to find food at a time when traveling to feeding areas is sometimes hampered by deep snow. A late November blizzard also blew down numerous trees across the U.P., creating a quality food source that helped carry many deer through the winter. The tops of those windblown trees made a big difference in some yarding areas where winter rations are often slim.

I didn't find a single fawn that died last winter in a wintering area I monitored in north Marquette County, and the herd included some small fawns. Something else I saw in that winter yard leads me to predict that U.P. bowhunters stand to reap more of the benefits generated by the two previous mild winters in a row this fall than they did last year in terms of antlered bucks. I saw more antlered bucks after the 2007 hunting seasons ended than I have for years.

I counted a total of eight different antlered bucks that survived hunting season, and I know I didn't see all of the bucks that were present. Seven of the antlered whitetails I saw were yearlings. They all made it through the winter, so those bucks will be 2 1/2 years old this fall. The one older whitetail will also be a year older. Because of the record mild winter of 2006-2007, there was a bumper crop of button bucks last fall. Those that survived last winter, and I think enough of them did to make their presence obvious this fall, will have their first sets of antlers. Therefore, the stage is set for a terrific buck harvest in Region 1 during bow season.

The chances of filling bow tags will be best in the western U.P. counties of Marquette, Delta, Menominee, Dickinson, Iron, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw. In fact, bowhunting success for that district is the second highest in the state at 35.7 percent, trailing one Region 3 district by .8 of a percent. The total bow harvest went up by 17.3 percent in the west U.P. during 2007 (8,629 versus 7,356). The buck kill went up by 5.1 percent (3,852 and 3,685), and the harvest of antlerless deer increased by 29.4 percent (4,776 and 3,690).

Highest deer numbers are in the southwestern counties of Menominee, Delta, Iron and Dickinson. That's also where bowhunting pressure is highest. In a southeastern Dickinson County deer management unit (122), bucks must have at least 3 points on one antler to be legal. Although this antler restriction has been in effect for more than five years, it doesn't seem to affect the number of book bucks coming from the county.

Deer numbers are much lower in northwest U.P. counties, but some monster bucks are present and bowhunting pressure is light. Kevin Butler from Elk Rapids, for instance, bagged a mature 8-pointer last fall while bowhunting in Baraga County with his recurve bow that qualifies for state records. The whitetail was his best buck ever. It was the only deer he saw from daylight until 2:30 p.m. when he made the 20-yard shot on the whitetail. However, that's the only deer he needed to see. The rack had a 17 1/2-inch spread and the deer had a dressed weight of 190 pounds.