MARQUETTE, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Numbers from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Marquette office show a sharp decline in the number of harvested deer so far this firearm season in the Upper Peninsula.

The U.P. saw just under 4,800 bucks harvested during the first two days of the 2023 deer season. That’s down from 6,200 during the same time period last year.

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While the numbers are unofficial, they paint a picture of a deer herd impacted by several factors. According to a report, the buck harvest in the Upper Peninsula has been declining over the past 35 years.