Region 2
On a regional basis, the biggest jump in the 2006 firearms harvest was in the northern Lower Peninsula (L.P.), or Region 2. The total kill of bucks and does was up 11.5 percent from 2005 (82,962 in 2006 versus 74,436 in 2005). Here again, those numbers don't give a true picture of what happened there. The buck kill was up a whopping 34.6 percent in that region, and the antlerless harvest dropped by 25.2 percent.

Gun hunters bagged 61,427 antlered bucks in Region 2 last fall compared with 45,635 bucks the year before, an increase of more than 15,000 animals. The tally of antlerless deer decreased by fewer than 7,000 animals (21,523 in 2006 and 28,784 in 2005).

The deer kill was up significantly in both districts of Region 2 but was highest in the northeast. Total gun season harvest went up by 18.5 percent in the northeast compared with 12.3 percent in the northwest. There were 36,068 whitetails shot in the northeast's gun hunt during 2006 versus 30,433 animals in the 2005 season. The buck kill was up by 39.5 percent in that district (26,082 in 2006 versus 18,700 in 2005), and the antlerless harvest was down by 14.9 percent (9,981 in 2006 compared with 11,726 in 2005).

The tally of bucks and does taken last fall in Region 2's northwest district was 35,765 animals, compared with 31,835 deer during the 2005 season. The buck harvest climbed by 36.9 percent (28,028 in 2006 and 20,478 in 2005) and the antlerless kill fell by 31.9 percent (7,729 in 2006 and 11,345 in 2005).

By looking at the number of hunters who tried their luck in the northern L.P. across the last two deer-hunting seasons, it's abundantly clear that hunting success was much better in 2006. A slight decline was seen in hunter numbers in the northwest, and hunter numbers increased by 3.7 percent (4,000) in the northeast. According to MDNR estimates, 28.8 percent of the hunters who hunted in the northeast took at least one deer and 27.5 percent of those who went afield in the northwest were successful in tagging a whitetail. The success rate on bucks was just slightly better in the northwest (23 percent) than the northeast (22.5 percent), and these numbers were darn close to buck-hunting success in Region 3 districts.

Hunters who used to hunt in Region 2 but haven't for a number of years may want to consider returning. Besides the presence of more bucks, the antlered whitetails occupying this part of the state have been exhibiting better antler development. More record-book bucks have been taken in this region than in the past.

For instance, in Osceola County on opening day of gun season, Mark Coselman from Fowlerville bagged a 23-point non-typical buck that gross-scored 189 7/8 inches before netting 171 2/8 inches, which is the highest scoring non-typical on record for the county. Brad McClure of Custer connected on the best-ever recorded typical buck for Mason County with any weapon. With bow and arrow, he collected the 10-pointer that netted 161 5/8 inches.

Counties in the northeast district include Emmet, Cheboygan, Charlevoix, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Crawford, Oscoda, Alcona, Iosco, Ogemaw and Roscommon. The northwest district counties include Leelanau, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Wexford, Manistee, Mason, Lake, Osceola, Mecosta, Newaygo and Oceana.

Region 3
Michigan's single district with the largest increase in deer harvest during the 2006 firearms season was the southeast district of Region 3. There, the grand tally of bucks and does went up by 23.1 percent (13,799 in 2006 and 11,210 in 2005). The numbers broke down to reveal a jump of 42.2 percent in that district's buck kill, and only a 2.4 percent increase in the number of does and fawns taken. The tally of bucks was 8,282 in 2006 compared with 5,825 in 2005, a difference of more than 2,000 animals.

In spite of the jump in harvest, hunting success wasn't that great in Region 3's southeast district. Hunter numbers last gun season only increased by 4.1 percent -- fewer than 2,000 sportsmen. However, buck-hunting success in that district was only 18.8 percent, one of the lowest in the state, according to the MDNR. Hunting success for either-sex deer was better at 29.1 percent but still not as high as other districts in Region 3.