Summary of MUCC/MSU-E Public Deer Management Forums held April, 2000. Prepared by Michigan State University ExtensionIntroduction Eight forums addressing public concerns towards the State of Michigan’s current deer management policies were held during Apri, 2000. The meetings were conducted in Kalamazoo, Livonia, Okemos, Stanwood, Saginaw, Newberry, Crystal Falls and Gaylord, Approximately 668 people attended the meetings statewide. Citizens were invited to state their ideas publicly and nearly 25% of the attendees chose to exercise this option. Those attending the forums were also asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their personal opinions of the State's deer management practices. 81% completed and returned their questionnaire. The subsequent report is a summary based on all public testimony, written comments, and survey findings compiled from these meetings. Supplemental documents, including a report on the questionnaire, transcripts and questionnaire comments, are available at www.msue.msu.edu/wildlife. Data from the surveys are presented with acknowledgement to the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University It is important to remember that the remarks and ideas identified in this report represent only those that chose to speak and/or return their survey. It does not represent the opinions of all interested parties in Michigan. For example, comparisons between those that returned the forum questionnaire and opinions gathered from statewide surveys conducted by the DNR and Michigan State University, revealed: * Attendees were almost three times as likely to check a deer with the DNR (34% of attendees versus 13% statewide) * Attendees were more likely to purchase an antlerless permit and more likely to purchase multiple antlerless permits (purchasing 1 or more: 65% of attendees versus 50% statewide; purchasing 2 or more: 32% of attendees versus 19% statewide). © Attendees were more likely to approve of the 1999 no-bait restrictions in the Bovine tuberculosis (TB) area and more likely to disapprove of the 1999 restrictions throughout the rest of the state (approve in TB area: 68% of attendees versus 57% statewide; disapprove in the rest of state: 41% of attendees versus 36% statewide) ‘* Attendees were more likely to want baiting banned (36% of attendees versus 24% statewide) The forum surveys revealed that the attendees ranged in age from 15 to 86 and had a mean age of 50. The attendees had hunted an average of 32 years. 31 respondents indicated that they did not hunt deer. Only 15% of the respondents derived some or all of their income from farming. Respondents to the survey also indicated where they preferred to hunt. 26% reported hunting in the Upper Peninsula, 52% reported hunting in the northern Lower Peninsula, and 22% reported hunting in the southern Lower Peninsula.General Findings Numerous diverse opinions and ideas were presented during the forums. Certain issues were mentioned with much greater frequency than were others. We have focused on the most prevalent ones in this summary All the concerns and ideas were compiled into categories and compared statewide. They are presented in the order in which they most often occurred. ‘The relevant survey data is also presented when a direct comparison is available. ‘The items presented statewide during the public testimony portion of the forums appear in the following section. Speakers were not limited to expressing only one opinion or suggestion. The number in parentheses indicates the percentage of the 163 speakers that mentioned each particular topic. «© “Mandatory check of harvested deer.” (18%) It was felt a mandatory check of all deer would result in more accurate harvest numbers than are produced by the current methods; i.e. this would provide an actual count as opposed to the current estimated figures. This topic was the top issue during public comments at the northern Lower Peninsula meetings with 19% of the speakers bringing it up. It was the second most common item addressed at the southern Lower Peninsula forums with 22% of the speakers mentioning it, Mandatory check was not an issue at the Upper Peninsula meetings Although it was advocated by some speakers, 62% of those surveyed had at least some questions concerning the advantages and disadvantages of a mandatory check. An approximately equal number of written comments on the survey supported or opposed mandatory check. Mandatory check was mentioned only 8 times as one of the most important deer management issues for the next ten years, compared to baiting and disease control which were mentioned 94 and 85 times respectively on the survey, © “Limit antlerless permits/no unlimited permits.” (17%) Speakers believed people were taking more than their share, that the system is being abused and that unlimited permits could lead to the decimation of the deer herd. This issue was the number one issue at the southern Lower Peninsula forums with 23% of the speakers addressing it. It was one of the top items at the northern Lower