The concerning trend of falling numbers of deer hunters in Michigan has continued in 2024, according to preliminary statistics from the DNR's online reporting tool that hunters use.

According to statistics provided by the DNR to the Michigan Wildlife Council, a total of 456,100 people purchased hunting licenses and nearly 1.14 million purchased fishing licenses through Oct. 31, 2024: Overall, hunting license purchases were virtually flat, with just 19 fewer sales than the 456,119 bought over the same period in 2023.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the state reported a harvest of more than 75,000 deer from firearm deer season, bringing the total deer harvest to more than 172,000, a number that will continue to climb.

Three Michigan deer hunters died of heart attacks during the opening weekend of the firearm hunting season while trying to drag away deer carcasses.

Michigan officials are begging out-of-shape hunters to go to the doctor after three men in the state died from heart attacks on the first weekend of deer season. “I’ve never seen three people die in 48 hours from heart attacks while deer hunting before,

At least three Michigan deer hunters have died of heart attacks during the current 16-day season, including two men who were trying to haul away the animals.