While a few bucks sporting size extra large coats — to go with their antlers — were again taken by hunters camping on North Manitou Island, the special firearms hunt administered by the National Park Service produced the fewest number deer killed in nine years.
The results of the 2025 hunt continue a trend unwelcomed by hunters including Dan Plamondon of Elmwood Township, who downed one of only 21 antlered deer taken by 151 hunters during the eightday season that began Oct. 25.
Looking through recent history, the hunt seems to have peaked in 2021 when 101 adult bucks were tagged by 196 hunters. That year the Lakeshore issued 267 licenses; the number was capped at 200 in 2024 and 25.
“There isn’t much to tell,” said Plamondon, owner of Cherry Bend Grocery. “We’ve been shooting too many deer out there. A lot of guys didn’t see any, and I only saw a couple deer all week.”
Plamondon shot his buck on the special season opener. He said one reason for overall poor success was a late fall — leaves clung to underbrush — and an abundance of young beech trees that hold onto their foliage until early spring.
On the bright side, Plamondon had the area he hunts pretty much to himself.
“I didn’t see anyone because I hunt the thick stuff. The vegetation gets a little worse every year as the deer population goes down,” he said.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore superintendent Scott Tucker said downed limbs and even trees from a surprising source caused sight problems as well.
The fallen debris, which clogged island trails all summer, came from the northern Michigan ice storm that was thought to have bypassed Leelanau County. The storm took out power for weeks over much of the tip of the Lower Peninsula caused millions in damages.
While bypassing most of Leelanau County, it clipped the north end of North Manitou Island, leaving a transformed landscape that this season caused hiker and hunter hardship, Tucker said.
Because the federal government shutdown did not affect law enforcement, rangers were on the island to oversee the hunt.
“We managed the hunt the way we have every year,” Tucker said. “We did observe violations that were addressed with education. There were hunters camping within 300 feet of Lake Michigan, and food storage violations. Again, all (were) addressed with warnings and education.”
While most hunters did not return with bucks, some 50 — about one-third — did shoot and tag a deer. The NPS sold 200 nonrefundable, first-come-firstserved licenses, although only 151 recipients participated. They shot 24 antlered bucks and 26 does and fawns.
In an effort to keep the island deer herd in check, the Lakeshore has no bag limit. Hunters are allowed to shoot as many deer of either sex as they want.
The buck harvest included one 11- and one 10-pointer, two nine-points and seven eightpoints.
In keeping with NPS policy to control or reduce the deer herd, Tucker appreciated hunter efforts. Vegetation on North Manitou was decimated in the 1970s and early 80s when artificial feeding abruptly ended after the purchase of the island from a private company that sold deer hunts.
“It was a successful hunt with an overwhelmingly positive response from hunters,” Tucker said.
Jim Munoz and Geoff Niessink, owners the “Bear” landing craft and the only owners of a permit allowing commercial transportation to the island other than Manitou Island Transit, transported 124 hunters to the island. The remaining 27 hunters were ferried by five private boats, Tucker sad. The NPS is building a new dock on the island.
The Bear had a busy week. “Picking up without wind protection was really tough,” Munoz said..”We had great help from the Park Service and Spence Brothers (a private contractor building the dock and managing other upgrades on the island) in getting people to our pick-up spot. We started taking guys over the Tuesday prior to the opener of the. Firearms, and started picking them up that Monday. There was only one day we couldn’t get there,” Munoz said.
Munoz, who has been transporting hunters to North Manitou for decades, said the pleasant weather encountered by hunters had a downside. Deer were docile.
“We saw some very nice bucks, but nothing like the 21-point last year. It was too warm” He added, “Those guys are pretty tough. There isn’t much complaining. They know what they’re up against, which is a lot of work.”
