(Michigan Department of Natural Resources photo)

LANSING — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is launching a Deer Management Initiative aimed at evaluating and responding to present-day challenges.

Those interested in participating are invited to submit their applications online by Jan. 31 at https://survey.sogolytics.com/survey1.aspx?k=RQsTSXWUsTPSsPsPsP&lang=0.

In collaboration with the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, the initiative seeks to develop recommendations to ensure the sustainable and healthy management of deer populations and their habitats across the state.

“We’ll be developing two separate groups, one for each peninsula, since the challenges in each area are unique,” DNR deer management specialist Chad Stewart said. “Our focus with each group will be to pull together people with different perspectives and experiences but a common passion for improving Michigan’s deer herd for future generations.”

The Upper Peninsula faces habitat concerns, changing weather patterns and a diverse array of predators, a combinations of factors not experienced in deer management in recent years, Stewart said.

In the Lower Peninsula, the DNR faces significant hurdles in managing deer populations due to declining hunter numbers and how that affects traditional management. Continued changes in land-use patterns — with a high percentage of privately owned land, which can limit access to hunting lands — further exacerbate these challenges. Additionally, bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease are established and affecting deer populations in some areas of the region.

“We are looking forward to working with our traditional stakeholder organizations and partners, while also welcoming creative, new voices,” Stewart said. “It’s important that none of us are tethered to a single idea, that we are all willing to explore novel and diverse solutions to enhance our deer herd and effectively address the challenges ahead.”