It seems the evidence is clear, with the Department of Natural Resources figures reported for this deer season, that the numbers of deer “harvested” are down.

There are natural fluctuations in the deer population and other wildlife, too. With all the snow we have this early in the season, it is bound to have adverse effects on all the wildlife and may cause many to starve for lack of food this winter. So the 2020 deer season may also be adversely affected, too.

But the DNR is playing God and interfering with the natural cycle of life. Why do we need an early hunt for children? Can the young children properly handle a rifle? Did they really shoot the deer during that hunt or did their father shoot for them? Many of the photos published from this early hunt are bucks with big racks. These big bucks are the strong breeding stock needed to mate and produce strong young, but they are killed before the rut season even begins. Maybe the DNR needs to learn about breeding from farmers. A prize breeding animal is not young but older and stronger, to pass on his “good” genes to future generations.

I love seeing the deer when I am out and about, but this fall I only saw one big buck in the wild and only a couple of the young spike horns. There were a lot of females, though, and many with their young. However, I did happen to see a large number of big bucks on several occasions — they were in the Iron Mountain City Park. I hope this will not be an indication of the future for big buck sightings. I would love to be able to see them survive in the wild.