Thousands of Deer Slain!

But State Game Warden believes Slaughter was less than in 1903

Complete returns from the sale of deer licenses in Michigan have not been received, but State Game Warden Charles H. Chapman is of the opinion that more hunters tramped the woods than last year, says the Soo News. He believes that not more than 7,000 deer were killed this year, 5000 of which were shot in the Upper Peninsula.

Last year 19,106 men went into the woods with licenses to kill deer. Out of this number but forty-five were nonresidents of the state. As near as could be estimated 22,000 deer were killed, 16,000 being shot in the Upper Peninsula. This year nearly all the counties in the state called for more license, as the demand was much greater, but the success of the men who shouldered their guns and marched to the tall and uncut seems to have been discouraging in many instances.

I presume the lack of snow had something to do with the results said Mr. Chapman this morning, but I don't believe that will account for the great difference in the two years. I believe the killing of 22,000 deer last year thinned them out to a considerable extent. One would naturally expect the extinction of that many animals would affect the supply, and I am not surprised that the number of killed this year has fallen off.

"In 2002 many hunters think our game management is heading in the wrong direction even though hundreds of thousands of deer are taken each season compared to 22,000 in 1903."