Outdoors

Our plan was to arrive early enough to pitch our tent before nightfall, and as we made our way north and crossed the Mackinac Bridge — the gold, scarlet and tangerine leaves increasingly colorful and more vibrant with each mile — we were right on schedule.

You’ve seen them in the movies and Halloween cartoons. They’re big.

What if bald eagles or Kirtland’s warblers or lake sturgeon no longer existed? Fifty years ago, this hypothetical question could have become a reality. Populations of these iconic wildlife species — and many others — were dwindling and in danger of disappearing.

It’s midmorning, with the savory smells of sizzling bacon and campfire coffee lingering in the air as my campground neighbors sit at picnic tables finishing their breakfasts. I realize I’d better get moving before the day’s forecasted humidity and full sun make my planned adventure unbearable.

On July 11, 2024, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission approved the scheduled deer hunting regulations for this fall. The full package of regulations includes updates that won’t begin until after the 2024 seasons have ended; those updates will be explained at a later date. The commissioners and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources thank everyone who gave their time, insight and feedback to the work of the DNR’s Deer Management Initiative, which contributed to many of these regulation changes and decisions.