Michigan hunters wrap up first day of firearm deer season

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Thousands of hunters took to the woods Tuesday to bag a buck or doe on the first day of firearm deer hunting season.

In Hillsdale County, Jerome’s Country Market saw hunters bring in their kills for a chance at a $1,000 prize for the biggest buck.

Mykel Sumner took his 14-year-old nephew Colton hunting early Tuesday morning. He said Colton had his eyes set on a buck.

“He wanted to hold out for a nice buck and make his first one a buck,” Sumner said. “That happened at 9:30 a.m., double heart and lung.”

Colton and his uncle entered their buck in Jerome’s Country Market’s annual Buck Pole event. He said it’s the first time he has been able to bag a buck.

“Pretty happy,” Colton said. “Because last year, we went hunting on opening day and didn’t see a thing.”

Sumner said he’s a proud uncle.

“It was pretty exciting. We were both shaking,” Sumner said. “I was in so much - pretty much tearing up because I was kind of happy for him. It was something to experience.”

He said he wasn’t sure how Colton’s mom would react to the good news.

“His mom was actually with my wife at the house,” Sumner said. “We were trying to take bets on what his mom would say - if she would be grossed out, but she was proud of him. She was happy for him.”

He said he made extra preparations so Colton could get a head start this season and that preparation paid off. Colton said he’s going to tell all his friends about his experience.

“There are going to hear about it all day probably,” Colton said. “Some of them will be pretty jealous because they haven’t had their first buck, but I’m glad now to say that I had my first buck.”

Everyone who bagged a buck or doe has 72 hours to report it to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Hunters can fill out the form on the DNR website or on the DNR app, which is available on the Apple store or the Google Play store.

Hunters can be fined $50-500 for failing to report a kill.

Read next:

• How to stay safe on Michigan’s slick winter roads
• 3 critically injured, dog killed in head-on collision in Lansing Township
• All public schools in Jackson, Hillsdale counties to remain closed Wednesday due to cyberattack
• Bath Township police seeks information in hunter’s 2018 death

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning.

Copyright 2022 WILX. All rights reserved.