New Firearms Opening Day for Deer Hunting

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

Despite the DNR's public statements pledging not to change the rifle opener, the proposal is back on the table again - with more support.

As recently as April the DNR again disavowed plans to change the rifle opening day...
"The Nov. 15 firearm opener is a tradition so deeply-entrenched in Michigan deer hunting culture, some communities treat it as a de-facto public holiday. -Chad Stewart, deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNR"
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-en...o-way-dnr-says

Now they (DNR) are back at it pushing to change the November 15 start date to the 3rd Saturday of November, changing the November 15th opening day established in 1925.
https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/s...hunting-season
https://www.9and10news.com/2023/05/1...20every%20year.

[Leader]

Despite the DNR's public statements pledging not to change the rifle opener, the proposal is back on the table again - with more support.

As recently as April the DNR again disavowed plans to change the rifle opening day...
"The Nov. 15 firearm opener is a tradition so deeply-entrenched in Michigan deer hunting culture, some communities treat it as a de-facto public holiday. -Chad Stewart, deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNR"
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-en...o-way-dnr-says

Now they (DNR) are back at it pushing to change the November 15 start date to the 3rd Saturday of November, changing the November 15th opening day established in 1925.
https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/s...hunting-season
https://www.9and10news.com/2023/05/1...20every%20year.

A good way to get & keep more hunters would be to REQUIRE registration of your kill under penalty of prison time.
But not just for deer, everything... even fish.

[tvhero]

A good way to get & keep more hunters would be to REQUIRE registration of your kill under penalty of prison time.
But not just for deer, everything... even fish.

I'm hoping that was supposed to be in the purple font.

I'm personally not in favor of having the firearm deer opener a roaming date.

[Roundballer]

tyhero, I'd like to introduce you to Leader. With time you will learn, in the mean time, you bit, hook, line and sinker.

[Garymac]

Being retired it really doesn't matter to me when when the season runs. For my son and nephews who hunt and still work, opening on a weekend makes a lot of sense. It would make it easier for them to come up hunting if they didn't have to take mid week days off.

[oldmann1967]

No need to change the opener. Just go hunting when you have the day off.

[Leader]

Being retired it really doesn't matter to me when when the season runs. For my son and nephews who hunt and still work, opening on a weekend makes a lot of sense. It would make it easier for them to come up hunting if they didn't have to take mid week days off.

It's a 15 day season, you get 2 weekends in EVERY deer season.

[Garymac]

You guys obviously don't hunt...It's all about "opening day" and if opening day is on a weekday it's harder to make it sometimes. It doesn't really matter what the date of "opening day" is. Like I said, I don't really care but for some making "opening day" on a weekend makes a difference and might encourage more people to hunt. With dwindling numbers of hunters every year its a revenue thing for the state. If "opening day" was on the third saturday of Nov it would still be "opening day".

[Sledhead]

Opening day is a joke.
I have a pet rock that identifies as my son.
We are going out for the youth hunt and he's going to shoot the biggest buck of his life...

[MCPO_SOCM_RET]

Opening day is a joke.
I have a pet rock that identifies as my son.
We are going out for the youth hunt and he's going to shoot the biggest buck of his life...

Is his name Pete? If so I saw the frail little 8yo rock on big buck night last year.
MC: "Hi Pete, tell us about your deer it looks like a big one."
Pete: [hiding behind dad's leg] "Yeah my dad told mom it was the big one he was watching all year"
MC: "and when did you bag this big buck?"
Pete's dad answers for him now: "About 15 minutes after daylight on the youth opener, he stepped out of the tree line at about 200 yards and Pete here put him down with one shot"
MC: "And what were you using?"
Pete: [shrugs and looks at dad who answers] "A 450 Bushmaster" (now mind you Pete is only knee high to a grasshopper weighing in at a whopping 45lbs soaking wet)
MC: "wow that's impressive Pete, that's a big gun. Were you nervous or did you have any problems?"
Pete: [shrugs] "My dad helped with most of it"...interrupted by Pete's dad "well I just helped him get it up into the rest, he did everything else."
MC: "Uh, ok. Contrats Pete. Now lets move on to Ricky from Reed City..." (Ricky is a 6 foot tall 200lb "10yo" with a 5 o'clock shadow BTW)

....but I digress and fully get the point.

MY main point in posting this was just for situational awareness, since the DNR has a poor track record of making changes known to the general public at large.