Dan Martin / news@whmi.com


As part of the Michigan DNR’s Deer Management Initiative, a number of group members are collaborating with a social scientist from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at MSU to craft a public questionnaire, aimed at assessing people’s opinions and perceptions about deer.

Established earlier this year, the initiative works to address current and future deer-related challenges facing the Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan Natural Resources Commission. According to a recent press release, the initiative brings together members of the public and representatives from various stakeholder groups to offer a variety of perspectives on deer management topics. Chad Stewart, DNR deer, elk and moose management specialist says the DNR wants to learn more about how important deer are to our residents, what trends they see in their local areas, and what concerns they may have about deer in our state.

As part of the 2024 Deer Management Initiative process, a subgroup of participants volunteered to work with a social scientist to formulate the questionnaire, which seeks input on current deer management practices and the overall significance of deer in residents’ daily lives. The data gathered will provide additional insights for future discussions and subsequent recommendations.

Stewart says, "We recognized our proficiency in surveying hunters but acknowledged a gap in gauging general public attitudes and views toward deer more broadly,” he said. “We want to learn more about how important deer are to our residents, what trends they see in their local areas, and what concerns they may have about deer in our state.
All residents, regardless of their interest in or knowledge of deer, are encouraged to participate. Completing the survey should take no more than five minutes.

Survey findings initially will inform members of the Deer Management Initiative team about Michigan residents' attitudes toward deer and deer management, and eventually be made available to the public.

Links to the survey and DNR Deer page are provided.