Courtesy Photo Deer tracks appear in the mud in this undated photo provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

ALPENA — Jim Thatcher, Chris Thatcher and Ethan Thatcher look forward to deer season every year.

The family trio definitely wouldn’t miss it.

Their family has hunted for many generations and they hope to continue that tradition, instilling a love of nature, friendship and sportsmanship in all who choose to hunt.

Ethan Thatcher has been hunting with his father, Chris Thatcher, since he was 4 years old. Chris Thatcher’s uncle, Jim Thatcher, mentored him over the years and taught him the ins and outs of hunting.

All three enjoy the solitude of the forest and the excitement of winning the biggest money.

When they return to camp, they have fun playing cards, joking and eating good food.

As hunters prepare to go into their blinds today for the opening day of firearms season, state data shows the number of Northeast Michigan families who share the Thatchers’ enthusiasm is dwindling.

The number of residents with deer hunting licenses in every zip code touching Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency and Alcona counties decreased by 2% between 2019 and 2023, according to Michigan Department of Natural Resources data.

That’s a loss of nearly 300 Northeast Michigan hunters in five years.

The number of residents with hunting licenses statewide during that period increased slightly between 2019 and 2023, but the number in 2023 remained lower than in 2020, which was the peak in those five years.

This is part of a long-term trend.

In 2019, MLive used similar DNR data to find that hunter numbers decreased by more than 18% statewide between 2013 and 2018; this included a 15% decline in Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency and Alcona counties.

Amy Trotter, CEO of United Conservation Clubs of Michigan, said a number of factors are keeping people away from the forest.

First, he said, people are “difficult to access” these days because it’s denser and there’s less high-quality public deer habitat available. Hunters today tend to be older and some are physically unable to access hunting grounds.

He also said young people don’t start hunting, in part because their parents and grandparents are less likely to hunt.

“If you don’t know anyone else who hunts growing up, you probably won’t be able to seek it out or find someone to take you when you’re a kid,” he said. “It requires good mentoring.”

Hunting contributes millions of dollars to Northeast Michigan’s economy, according to a 2019 study commissioned by the United Conservation Clubs of Michigan, and DNR officials say hunting plays an important role in managing wildlife populations and habitats.

“When viewed statewide, the decline in hunting numbers is quite alarming,” Trotter said. “We don’t need to have a magic wand to stop this trend or reverse the trend.”

‘CRAZY BUSY’

Despite losses in hunters, deer hunting remains particularly important to Northeast Michigan, according to a News analysis of DNR data; More than 2,000 out of every 10,000 residents here have a hunting license, compared to fewer than 600 statewide.

Presque Isle, Montmorency and Alcona counties rank in the top five of Michigan’s 83 counties in per capita revenue from hunting licenses, number of deer killed and hunting-related economic activity, according to United Conservation Clubs research. and DNR data. Alpena County ranks in the top 25 in these metrics.

Last year, hunters killed 475 deer per 10,000 people in Northeast Michigan compared to 271 deer per 10,000 people statewide, according to a News analysis of DNR data. Hunting-related economic activity equaled $2,297 per capita in Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency and Alcona counties, compared to $652 per capita statewide, according to a News analysis of data from the United Conservation Clubs survey.

John Zampich worked at Adrian’s Sport Shop in Rogers City for many years and saw different hunting trends during that time.

He said local fishermen provide a steady stream of income during the spring and summer months and when ice fishing takes off.

However, during these times, hunters use the store most frequently and generate a large portion of the store’s annual income.

“We start to see a jump in business on October 1st, and things pick up a little bit more on November 1st,” Zampich said. “Then it’s very busy from opening day until Thanksgiving when the intensity starts to taper off.”

But he and other sporting goods store employees said they are seeing fewer hunters than in past years.

Check out the interactive graph below that shows the number of residents in zip codes in Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency and Alcona counties that own at least one hunting license each year. Viewing from a mobile device? For the best viewing experience, turn your device horizontally. The story continues below the chart.

Check out the interactive graph below that shows the number of residents who hold at least one hunting license in Michigan each year. Viewing from a mobile device? For the best viewing experience, turn your device horizontally. The story continues below the chart.

‘Almost a religion’

A 2019 United Conservation Clubs study found that hunting license sales and spending on things like hunting and camping gear, food and lodging contribute nearly $6.6 billion to Michigan’s economy, including $139.5 million in Northeast Michigan.

United Conservation Clubs has not repeated its study in recent years to track whether declines in hunters have reduced the sport’s economic impact, but anecdotal evidence points to some problems.

Mike Mahler, economic development director for the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber does not specifically track the economic impact of hunting in Northeast Michigan.

But when he moved to Northeast Michigan more than a quarter-century ago, he recalled, when he went to the store in the fall, he saw nothing but hunter-orange hats and heard nothing but camping while his neighbors hauled loads. regarding the material.

“I had no idea,” Mahler said. “Hunting has almost become a religion here. “We even close schools for this.”

These days, Mahler said, “You don’t see this level of excitement, this level of economic activity, at least in my windshield assessment.”

Any economic losses in Northeast Michigan may be mitigated compared to other parts of Michigan because many out-of-state hunters travel here for hunting camps, Mahler said.

Still, employees and owners of several firearms and outdoor gear stores told The News they see a slowdown in activity around hunting season, especially among the younger crowd.

But Trotter, of Michigan United Conservation Clubs, said the high costs of ammunition, firearms and other hunting gear likely keep the economic impact high.

“The commercial side of hunting and fishing is not decreasing because even though there are fewer hunters, they are spending more money,” he said.

‘INVASTIC SPECIES… MAY BE ACTIVE’

DNR data shows hunters killed 12,294 deer in Northeast Michigan last year; This figure is approximately 2,300 fewer than the previous year. Statewide, hunters killed nearly 29,000 fewer deer.

This situation worries wildlife management experts.

DNR officials said Michigan’s natural resources are already seeing the detrimental effects of an increase in the deer population.

Deer consume all the vegetation they can reach, reducing the amount of food and cover they and other wildlife can obtain from the area.

These areas may experience faster growth of invasive species that deer and other animals will not consume. In turn, these invasive species have a greater opportunity to outcompete native plants, reduce biodiversity, and reduce the overall quality of the habitat.

“As moose numbers increase, they tend to reduce the biodiversity of the plant community in a given area,” said Chad Fedewa, DNR Deer, Elk and Moose Management Specialist. “As they consume too much, things they don’t like to consume, such as invasive species or even native plants that are less beneficial than other plants, can take over.”

Overpopulated deer also feed more heavily on crops, disrupting cattle operations due to the faster spread of bovine tuberculosis.

Fedewa said regulated deer hunting is the DNR’s preferred management tool, and increasing deer harvest is a good first step to help reduce deer numbers and allow vegetation to regenerate, hopefully resulting in less impact on natural resources in the area.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

Over the past few weeks, The News reporters examined the data and spoke with hunters, economic development officials, wildlife officials and outdoor gear stores to understand the impact the decline in hunter numbers is having on Northeast Michigan.

Here’s what they found:

* TODAY: Hunting down in Northeast Michigan

* SATURDAY: Economic impact of the decrease in hunting

* MONDAY: The impact of reduced hunting on the environment

* TUESDAY: Meet a family of multi-generational hunters

Check out the document below, which details the results of a study on the economic impacts of hunting and fishing in Michigan, commissioned by the United Conservation Clubs of Michigan.

Economic Impact of Hunting and Fishing Study with JustinHinkley on Scribd