By Louie Stout

There are some discussions going on behind closed DNR doors that could result in changes for Michigan’s deer season.

Among those changes include realignment of some deer management units (DMUs) and reduction in antlerless permits.

While it’s only speculation at this point, Southwest District Wildlife Supervisor Steve Chadwick said some of those changes could be made.

“Our chief has mentioned DMU 486 has to change,” said Chadwick. “So we’re looking at splitting that up in some fashion.”

His district was hit very hard by the deadly EHD virus the past few years, and as hunters will attest, there were areas where deer were few and far between.

One proposal on the table, Chadwick said, was to address declining numbers in the lower three counties – Berrien, Cass and St. Joseph. Maybe a separate DMU?

“There’s been a dramatic decline in harvest and population,” he said. ”Part of that was by design – to reduce crop depredation and deer/car collisions. But EHD has escalated that. We’re now looking at the data to determine what kind of recovery we may need.”

It’s a juggling act, Chadwick added, since the DNR doesn’t want to return to the days of numerous deer colliding with vehicles and the issuance of multiple deer depredation permits to landowners.

Biologists will be meeting over the next few weeks and a proposal for public view will be developed sometime in March.