Love to see deer, want to see more deer, or having a problem with deer?

Michigan residents and hunters, now is your time to be heard, as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Deer Management Initiative is working to address current and future deer-related challenges facing the DNR and the Michigan Natural Resources Commission.

Collaborating with a social scientist from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University, a subgroup of the initiative has crafted a questionnaire for the public, aimed at assessing opinions and perceptions about deer, current deer management practices, and the overall significance of deer in residents’ daily lives.

The data gathered will provide additional insights for future discussions and subsequent recommendations.

The initiative, established earlier this year, brings together members of the public and representatives from stakeholder groups to offer diverse perspectives on deer management topics.

"We recognized our proficiency in surveying hunters but acknowledged a gap in gauging general public attitudes and views toward deer more broadly,” says Chad Stewart, DNR deer, elk and moose management specialist. “We want to learn more about how important deer are to our residents, what trends they see in their local areas, and what concerns they may have about deer in our state.

“That’s why we’ve opted to make these questions available through an online survey that is accessible to everyone, albeit with certain limitations on interpretation. This data will remain valuable, offering insights into how residents across the state perceive deer."

Take the survey

All residents, regardless of their interest in or knowledge of deer, are encouraged to participate. Completing the survey should take no more than five minutes.

Survey findings initially will inform members of the Deer Management Initiative team about Michigan residents' attitudes toward deer and deer management, and eventually will be made available to the public.

A link to the survey, open through April 16, is available at michigan.gov/deer.

Source: MDNR