Hunters reported a quiet opening week of regular firearm deer season throughout most of Alger County. Warm weather, paired with a mid-week opener, led to an inactive start for the 2023 season.

Deer were scarce according to those surveyed between Shingleton and Trenary, and as far south as Corner Lake in the Hiawatha National Forest. The one exception was the Bear Trap Inn, which saw a good number of healthy seven and eight-point bucks on their pole from the Van Meer and Melstrand area. The largest was a twelve-point, 186-pound buck shot near Shingleton. As of Sunday night, there were a total of 203 deer registered as taken in the county since the season opened on November 15.

Hunters should remember to properly record what they kill, as this is the second year that the State of Michigan has enforced mandatory harvest reporting. According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, “hunters are required to report a successful harvest within 72-hours or before transferring possession of the deer (to another person, a processer or taxidermist).” In addition to the new requirement, hunters must still tag their deer as usual.

For information on Michigan’s mandatory deer harvest reporting and to see the latest numbers, visit: michigan.gov/dnr/ things-to-do/hunting/deer/ harvest-reporting