Michigan Department of Natural Resources data shows hunters in Northeast Michigan took 27% more deer in 2024 than they did in 2023, according to a recent story by News staff writer Maxwell Olmstead.

Hunters in Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties harvested 15,171 deer across all hunting seasons last year, up from 12,149 deer taken in 2023, according to the DNR data.

Hunters took 13,945 deer in 2022.

That’s good news.

As The News reported in its “Hunting on the decline” series late last year, the number of hunters in Northeast Michigan has been on the decline for years. That worries economic development officials, because hunting contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the economy, and it worries wildlife management officials, because fewer hunters can mean more deer and more deer can be bad for the environment as they gobble up native plants, allowing invasive species to thrive.

So, though it’s only one year, to have more successful hunters in the woods is good for the environment and the economy.

Importantly, the number of harvested antlerless deer went up by 45%, while antlered deer went up by 12% in Northeast Michigan from 2023 to 2024, Olmstead reported.

DNR officials have called on hunters to take more does as a way to help control the deer population.

It appears hunters have answered the call.

So congratulations, hunters, on your successful 2024 seasons.

And thank you for keeping the economy humming and our natural resources healthy.