Michigan Votes Forum

When the season starts on the 8th or the 9th of nov, done the road it would end the 24th or 25th which is before Thanksgiving which is a time for almost everyone to hunt not everyone can get Saturdays off either but almost everyone has thanksgiving off and lots go hunting that day or following days like black Friday when the wife is out shopping getting those deals. With the proposed change that wouldn't be able to happen.

Don't move the opening date. Leave it as it is, the 15th is considered a holiday by many people in this state. Don't change to make it a convience for people who can't time off of work. They can hunt the first Saturday after the opener. It's been this way for a number of years, leave it that way.

This would allow the bucks to pass on their genetics and have better hunting once the primary rut is over. It also makes it easier to travel and take time off from work. Knowing that you have atleast a Sat and Sun. to hunt every year. Would also increase the economics of Mich.

Come on guy's it would'nt make a difference in the long run when it opened. Opening day is opening day. From a biological standpoint and for the betterment of our deer herd we need to change.

This should have been done years ago. On weekday openers I'd have to take my kids out of school if they want to join me on opening day and thats not something that is encouraged in our school district. Enough with the emotional crying about "tradition", make it a Sat opener where the most people can enjoy it.

...don't fix it! This is not the Manufacturing sector, with it's incessant cry for 'continouos improvement'. There's a lot to be said for 'time-tested'.....

There will be way too many people in the woods. I already hate hunting on Thanksgiving and the first saturday of deer season.

Making it the second Saturday would open the season too early in November, which is when bucks are most vulnerable during the chase phase. Michigan already has one of the earliest and longest rifle seasons in the Midwest. Open the season the third Saturday in November and run season for 7-10 days. An earlier opening would also take away more of the archery season which is already being eroded by extended muzzleloader seasons and late antlerless seasons.

Just leave it where it is. Nov. 15 works just fine.

Just leave it where it is. Nov. 15 works just fine.

I thinkit should be opened on the 3rd Saturday in November and the season should run for 9 days.

Leave it the way it is, many other things to worry about

too many bucks are being killed during the guns seasons. we should open the gun season on thanksgiving day and close it on december 1st

The November 15th opener should not be changed. Committed deer hunters find a way to get the opener off. Additionally, having opener on the fifteenth rotates the weekday/weekend start every few years, and this keeps everyone happy; some years those that like a weekday opener get what they want, some years those that like a weekend opener get what they want. This stuff about having a Saturday opener is the same thing as having QDM, it just makes it easier for those less committed to deer hunting to hunt on opener, just like QDM would help those less committed to the pursuit of big bucks to kill big bucks. Having to make sacrifices to participate in a Wednesday opener makes participation that much sweeter. Once big bucks are easy to kill, what's the accomplishment in killing big bucks? Let's quit changing hunting to accommadate those less committed to hunting.

It's tradition and not everyone gets weekends off to hunt. I work weekends and would NEVER get the opener off!!!!!!! I have a chance to hunt the way it is now! The 15th is a majic day, don't change it. It's a Tradition for me for 21 straight years. I don't want that to end Is it all about killing deer and getting a better time to harvest? NO its about deer camp and tradition and the 15th of november. LEAVE IT ALONE

Survey after survey has shown overwhelming support for leaving the opening day of firearm deer season on November 15. Hunters do not want it changed.

I see no reason to change the opener. It's worked for years and still works just fine nowadays.

The date has a good deal to due with the rut. Nothern Mi towns just want two full weekends of hunters. NO!!!!

Don't change a thing, Northern towns get enough money from hunters...

I would prefer the first Sat. in December.

I think it is a great idea.

Please leave the opener on the 15th. Not only is this a tradition, but also allows for some opening days to have less people in the woods which helps those who are traditional hunters.

THIS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO DESTROYING OUR DEER HERD. ANYONE WHO KNOWS DEER BIOLOGY (IF YOU HUNT YOU SHOULD) KNOWS THAT THE PEAK CHASING PHASE OF THE RUTT WHEN THE BUCKS ARE ON THE MOVE HAPPENS B4 THE 15TH BUCK KILLS WOULD BE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH. THIS WOULD RESULT IN MORE DOES BEING BREED BY A SINGLE BUCK THERFORE SHALLOWING THE GENE POOL. WE TOOK A STEP FORTH IN OUR RESOR DATE IT IS ALREADY TOO EARLY BUT A TRADITION NONE THE LESS. AS FAR AS GETTING A DAY OFF OF WORK GOES IF YOU ARE A SERIOUS HUNTER THAT LOVES THE SPORT YOU CAN GET THE DAY OFF.RETAILERS HAVE TO WORK SATURDAYS TOO I BET ON NOV15 2008 WHICH IS A SATURDAY THE SERIOUS HUNTERS WORKING IN RETAIL WILL BE IN THE WOODS.

Moving the opener earlier in November would be disasterous. The rut peaks at that time (around the 8th or 9th) and even more yearlings would be slaugtered. If it's going to be move it later in Nov and get away from the rut.

THINKING about this bill? is this bill going to get the state out of the pit that it's in? hell no. but it's all the rage here. let's just cut the funding for everything jennie likes, and lets see how she reacts. let's get down to the basics of what government is about. let's get government out of business. let's get government out of our schools. let's get government out of our houses. let's put government ONCE AGAIN on the job that the government SHOULD be on.

“let's get government out of business. let's get government out of our schools. let's get government out of our houses. let's put government ONCE AGAIN on the job that the government SHOULD be on.” Of course, you understand that means getting the Republicrats out of the legislature, don’t you, Mr. Troll? Take a look at who sponsors bills like this one.

The new world order will have its way. Government will be in our faces! The Illuminati have already won! No prayer in schools, homosexuals getting prefered status, girly men everywhere. Is just a matter time before the noose is cuts off the blood supply to our freedom! Where finished because we are stupid, stupid, stupid! Were off the gold standard. Our kids in school don't have any clue on how government operates or our constitution. We have new world order Federeal, State and Local judges who legislate from the bench. Were stupid, stupid stupid. We don't even own our own property! look what happens when you cant pay your property taxes! ITs gone, gone, gone! and so are we!

those who govern here are only interested in "being in government", not in GOVERNING WELL. there have been hundreds of bills proposed by both sides, and NONE of them seem pointed at curing the ills of michigan.

government can't cure the ills of Michigan. Perhaps that is up to private individuals working hard to make things better.

will have to make things better, by digging deeper and paying the government more taxes.

I would like to see the 15th stand as our season opener. It was and will always be magical day for me and my family, and I am looking forward to passing it on to my son. I have not always been able to hunt on that day, but it does not mean the magic is not there nor the tradition. Family values, our heritage, our culture and our tradtions mean something to a great deal of us. I say let it stand, a firm date that everyone knows and is a long standing traditon and heritage of Michigan hunters as well as everyone in the community.

The good Representative has it wrong. Rather than moving the opening day of firearm deer season forward (earlier)it would be much better for our herd if it was moved back...like the 3rd Saturday in November, or perhaps the day after Thanksgiving. I see no good reason to move it forward.

well its feb 28 the stock market crashed yesterday ford is announcing more lay-offs phizer is leaving toyota is setting up shop in missippi good thing representative schaeffer is proposing this bill that ought to fix it. c'mon lansing leave our hunting alone. this idea is biologically wrong due to the rutt. it is wrong also because it is a long standing tradition. if this is supposed to stimulate the economy we should have voted in dove hunting instead of our dove hunters going out of state we should not have let mrs. rosenstien from birmingham make the decision because she likes to see them on her feeder. by the time hunting season roles around none of us are going to have a job to take days off from.

I think this is a great idea. I have missed many firearm opener due to school and work obligation with a mid week openers. I'll go a step further, why not have Saturday openers for all seasons. Pheasant, deer archery, turkey, etc... Weekend openers would be helpful in trying to include school age children with opening day. Taking them out of school for such activities is frowned upon. Yes, I know I could take them out the following weekend, and I do, but there is nothing like going out opening day. Also, as a avid bowhunter the shortening of bow season has me concerned. This should also be address by possibly adding days at the beginning of archery season, such as a second or third Saturday in September opening.

THE IDEA OF MAKING THE OPENER THE 1ST SAT. OF NOV. IS RIDICULOUS. FIRST OF ALL IT IS TOO EARLY THIS WOULD INTERFERE WITH THE PRIME CHASING PHASE OF THE RUT BUCKS ARE NOT EVEN BREEDING DOES AT THAT POINT. THIS WOULD LEAD TO A SINGLE BUCK BREEDING A LARGER NUMBER OF DOES WICH WOULD PROMOTE INBREEDING. WE ALSO KILL TOO MANY BUCKS ALREADY HAVING AN OPENING DAY THAT WAS IN THIS CHASING TIME WOULD RESULT IN MORE DEAD 1.5YR OLD BUCKS. DOES THAT ARENT IN ESTRUS WILL ALWAYS BE THEIR AND THE GUY THAT JUST WANTS TO FILL HIS FREEZER CAN TAKE ONE ON THE 15TH OR ANY SATURDAY THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. OUR BUCK QUALITY IS BAD ENOUGH IN THIS STATE ALREADY REFFER TO "BOWHUNTING PRESSURED WHITETAILS"(ITS A GREAT READ)TO SEE OUR LOW TROPHY ANIMAL TO HUNTER RATIO.

IF YOU WANT TO BE IN THE WOODS ON OUR GREAT TRADITION OF NOV15 JUST TAKE IT OFF. I KNOW YOU TAKE DAYS OFF TO GO TO BASEBALL GAMES FLORIDA ETC. .WHAT IF YOU WORKED IN RETAIL OR SERVICE INDUSTRY SATURDAY IS THE BUSSIEST DAY WHAT ABOUT THEM. AS FAR AS SCHOOL AGED KIDS GO THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR OWN SEASON IN SEPTEMBER. MICHIGANS OPENING DAY IS TOO EARLY ALREADY(GETS IN THE WAY OF RUTT) IF YOU WANT IT ON SATURDAY WAIT UNTIL O8' YOU'LL HAVE IT THEN. LETS NOT SHORTEN BOW SEASON ANYMORE

request it off now i did(yes i have to work on saturdays) if people are serious about hunting they will get it off. there is now good reason to pass this bill come on lansing get it together we have real issues in this state that need to be adressed. this bill will only make hunting worse in this state nov 15 although still too early is better that having it on the first saturday of november. go to any wildlife biologist and they will tell you why.

why would this be better for our herd you obviously need to learn a thing or two about the deer your hunting. why do we need to change the date it works look at our number of license purchases along side of other states its huge people are in the woods. the only people who the date of opening day doesn't matter to is the people who dont care for or respect our deer. an earlier opener would be disasterous to our herd.

Why do we want to mess with a tradition that have been in place in MI forever. This is nuts. If they really want to improve hunting in MI, don't let them double or triple the cost of a fishing/hunting lic. like they have plans to do next year. Hunting and fishing are some of the last things that people without a ton of money can still do for a reasonable price and with their family.

Get serious now. Do you honestly think that killing less deer in MI is the right way to go? Shortening the season would be catastrophic for the deer heard in MI.