LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the state’s deer population is growing and the number of hunters is shrinking.

The DNR 2023 Deer Harvest Survey shows hunters killed and tagged around 255,000 deer during the firearm deer season.

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That number is down from more than 303,000 last year and nearly 400,000 in 2021.