Final Deer Count
Final Deer Count
Since 1957, the Mackinac Bridge Authority has counted the number of deer taken south across the Mackinac Bridge during Michigan’s firearm deer season. The toll collectors count bucks and does.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources requests this information each year to provide an index of the size of the Upper Peninsula deer herd and success of the firearm deer season. The Mackinac Bridge Authority counts the deer from opening day through December 2, 1999.
The final deer count for the 1999 firearm deer season is 9,703 deer. This compares to 6,800 for the same time period last year.
1999 season total = 9,703
1998 season total = 6,800
1997 season total = 4,992
1996 season total = 10,900
1995 season total = 18,887
1994 season total = 8,903
1993 season total = 7,328
1992 season total = 8,581
1991 season total = 9,361
1990 season total = 8,450
1989 season total = 9,279
For the first time since 1972, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) operated a deer check station at the Mackinac Bridge. The MDNR examined deer from Wednesday, November 17, 1999, through Sunday, November 21, 1999. During that time period, the MDNR checked 1,000 deer.
Some interesting facts about this year’s deer checking operation:
Most of the deer brought to the deer check station were bucks averaging one and one-half years of age.
The largest buck was a 12 point taken from Chippewa County.
Many of the deer were taken from Delta County.
No tuberculosis discovered in any of the deer.
