State Representative Joel Sheltrown (D-West Branch) will be hosting a deer hunters' town hall meeting in West Branch on Saturday, March 4 to solicit input from hunters on measures to help restore the size of the Michigan deer herd. Sheltrown has been leading the fight in the Michigan Legislature against plans by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to increase license fees and further reduce the deer population in many Deer Management Units. Sheltrown argues that the DNR has decimated Michigan's white tail population and consequently hurt the state's economy.
At the town hall meeting, hunters will be asked to provide comments on proposals to; limit doe permits, establish a "quiet time" from November 5 to November 15, create a one buck limit, institute a mandatory deer count, alter the DNR's forest management practices, and alter or repeal Proposal G. Sheltrown wants to hear the views of a broad cross section of deer hunters before he moves forward with any of these initiatives.
The town hall meeting will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 4 at the Ogemaw Township Hall in West Branch. The hall is located one mile west of the intersection of M-55 and M-30. Several hundred hunters are expected to attend. Hunters who are unable to attend the event, can request a deer hunters' survey by calling Sheltrown at toll-free 1-888-347-8103 or by e-mailing him at dist103@house.mi.gov.