The Cooperative Harvest Survey was available for cooperative members to fill out after the 2024 deer seasons. 197 members submitted a survey. Members averaged 33.61 years of hunting experience, ranging from 1 to 73 years. Members represented an ownership or access an average of 154 acres, ranging from 5 to 2000 acres. Buck to Doe harvest ratios among all cooperatives combined was 1 buck to 2.16 does.

See the full report here.

General Observations: 

• Age and Antler Size: Emphasis on targeting bucks that are 4.5 years old or older. 

• Cooperative Engagement: Mixed feelings about the effectiveness and acceptance of cooperatives among hunters. 

Suggestions for Improvement: 

• Outreach and Meetings: Increase outreach efforts and organize yearly meetings during the off-season to spread more information. 

• Guest Speakers: Invite guest speakers or celebrities to NDA events to boost participation. 

• NRC and DNR Engagement: The NRC and DNR should listen more to co-ops and make it easier to donate does and lower prices on doe tags. 

• Advertising and Awareness: More advertising and word-of-mouth promotion are needed to raise awareness about cooperatives. 

• Financial Assistance: Provide financial assistance for landowners affected by issues like gypsy moth infestations. 

Specific Feedback: 

• Habitat Improvement: Interest in habitat improvement and farm tours. 

• Doe Harvesting: Limit the number of does taken to help the deer herd grow. 

• Food Plot Seeds: Discounted food plot seeds could be beneficial. 

• Baiting: Consider re-establishing baiting practices. 

• Social Media Presence: Increase social media presence to educate and engage neighbors. 

Leadership and Participation: 

• Leadership Engagement: The effectiveness of a cooperative is linked to the engagement of its leadership. 

• Recruitment Challenges: Difficulty in recruiting new leadership over time. 

• Support for Leaders: Leaders feel supported but believe the general population needs more education on the benefits of cooperatives. 

Miscellaneous: 

• APR and Lobbying: Bring back APRs and start a collective lobbying program with the DNR. 

• Amish Education: Educate the Amish community about cooperative benefits. 

• Communication: Emphasize communication and friendly conversations to foster cooperation. 

Feedback to Cooperative Leaders: 

General Observations: 

• Harvest Guidelines: Emphasis on harvesting bucks that are 4.5 years old or older and having at least 8 points. 

• Cooperative Goals: Questions about the actual goals and age targets for deer harvesting within cooperatives. 

Suggestions for Improvement: 

• Game Law Compliance: Importance of following game laws to maintain cooperative integrity. 

• Neighbor Involvement: Need for more neighbor participation to strengthen cooperative effectiveness. 

• Communication and Meetings: Increase communication, organize pre-deer season gatherings, and hold more group meetings. 

• Habitat Projects: Interest in habitat improvement projects and tree/seed discounts. 

Leadership and Participation: 

• Leadership Praise: Positive feedback for co-op leaders. 

• Challenges: Issues with large, spread-out co-ops and difficulty engaging non-cooperative hunters on federal land. 

Specific Feedback: 

• Doe Harvesting: Encourage less doe harvesting to help the deer herd grow. 

• Event Planning: Plan cooperative events further in advance to improve attendance. 

• APR and Age Management: Push for reinstatement of APRs and focus more on age management rather than antler size. 

Miscellaneous: 

• Amish Education: Educate the Amish community about sustainable hunting practices. 

• Communication Tools: Better communication on membership and signage. 

A summary of the comments made to the NDA Leadership team regarding Statewide Deer Regulations: 

1. One Buck Rule: A recurring suggestion is the implementation of a “one buck rule” to improve deer population management, which means limiting hunters to the harvest of a single buck. 
2. Antler Point Restrictions (APRs): Many people advocate for APRs to ensure larger and healthier deer populations. Suggestions include requiring a certain number of points on one side of the antler. 
3. Doe Harvest and Tag Costs: There is a call for cheaper antlerless tags to encourage more doe harvesting, potentially balancing the buck-to-doe ratio. Suggestions include having “earn a buck” programs, where one must harvest a doe before obtaining another buck tag. 
4. Season Length and Timing: Some suggest shortening the gun seasons and adjusting its timing to avoid periods like the rut to better protect the population. 
5. Regulation Simplicity and Enforcement: The feedback points out that current hunting regulations might be too complex and not effectively beneficial, calling for simplified rules and better enforcement. 
6. Youth and Senior Considerations: Suggestions include reducing costs for young and senior hunters and bringing back the youth hunting season. 
7. Baiting and Cultural Shift: There’s a clear division on the issue of baiting, with some advocating for bringing it back with restrictions and others focusing on changing hunting culture through grassroots efforts. 

Survey and analysis funded by the Michigan NDA. Completed by Mi In-Sights Consulting, LLC.