2024 Deer Harvest Numbers So Far For West Michigan Counties

The first weekend of the Michigan firearm deer season is when the most deer are harvested. Let's take a look at the harvest numbers for West Michigan Counties.

Michigan Firearm Deer Season

Michigan's firearm deer season kicked off on November 15. I have hunted a lifetime in the state and have never seen consistent warm temperatures through October and November like we had this season.

 👇BELOW: Deer Harvest Numbers by County for 2023👇

Warmer temperatures mean more hunters in the woods which usually equates to higher harvest numbers. It will be interesting to see the deer harvest numbers for counties in southwest and west Michigan where the epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) caused a lot of deer to die before the season even started.

Read More: If The Lower Peninsula Is A Mitten, What's The U.P. Shaped Like?

2024 Deer Harvest Numbers So Far in West Michigan

The DNR released the most recent set of deer harvest numbers for 2024 and below is how things are shaping up for West Michigan Counties:

• Allegan - 3,501 Total - 2,267 Antlered - 1,234 Antlerless
• Barry - 2,409 Total - 1,650 Antlered - 759 Antlerless
• Berrien - 1,587 Total - 1,018 Antlered - 569 Antlerless
• Calhoun - 3,064 Total - 2,021 Antlered - 1,043 Antlerless
• Ionia - 3,487 Total - 2,388 Antlered - 1,099 Antlerless
• Kalamazoo - 1,827 Total - 1,204 Antlered - 623 Antlerless
• Kent - 2,337 Total - 1,672 Antlered - 665 Antlerless
• Montcalm - 4,171 Total - 2,872 Antlered - 1,299 Antlerless
• Muskegon - 1,740 Total - 1,183 Antlered - 557 Antlerless
• Newaygo - 3,993 Total - 2,578 Antlered - 1,415 Antlerless
• Oceana - 2,786 Total - 1,752 Antlered - 1,034 Antlerless
• Ottawa - 1,855 Total - 1,317 Antlered - 538 Antlerless
• St. Joseph - 1,181 Total - 650 Antlered - 531 Antlerless
• Van Buren - 2,156 Total - 1,415 Antlered - 741 Antlerless

Montcalm, Newaygo, and Allegan Counties have the most deer harvested so far for the 2024 season. You can see that Kent County is down and all the counties in southwest Michigan due to the EHD that hit those areas hardest.

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You can look at the harvest numbers for the 2024 season so far here. If the DNR could somehow incentivize Michigan hunters to shoot two does per 1 buck the herd balance would see a massive change in two years. I don't believe if a 1 buck rule is instated that fewer hunters will go into the woods. In nearby states, the 1 buck rule is making hunters make better decisions on what they harvest while taking out more doe's will make for a better hunting experience. That will increase the number of people going into Michigan woods if they have a better experience.