Michigan's Upper Peninsula white-tailed deer population is facing a dire survival crisis due to an unusually harsh winter. The region experienced 111 days with at least 12 inches of snow on the ground, the third severe winter in five years. This has led to widespread starvation among the deer, with wildlife biologists documenting red, gelatinous bone marrow in the leg bones of the animals, indicating a lack of fat reserves. The situation is particularly dire for fawns, who are younger and weaker, and for does, who may not give birth or produce dangerously underweight fawns. The harsh winters have also led to a decrease in the buck harvest success rate, with only 20% of hunters successfully harvesting a buck in 2015, the lowest rate in 23 years. The DNR is working to manage deer wintering complexes and improve deer habitat on private lands, but the long-term survival of the deer population remains uncertain. The situation highlights the importance of managing winter habitat and the need for further research to understand the impact of severe winters on deer populations.
