West Central Michigan Branch of the NDA

11/01/2026

Some of these findings may surprise you 👇👇
https://deerassociation.com/new-study-investigates-peak-rut-buck-movement/

10/28/2026

Amazing!

10/27/2026

Update: New heatmap shows suspected EHD reports by township.

We have heard from hunters who are concerned about deer losses in their hunting areas and want more information about where Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is occurring. In response, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has developed a new map of townships where suspected EHD deer have been reported. The map will be updated regularly at the webpage linked in the comments.

The map shows reported EHD activity within every 36 square-mile Township-Range block in Michigan and counties where EHD has been confirmed. It is intended to improve transparency and help hunters understand where reports are coming from and where laboratory testing is still needed to confirm EHD.

Please note that EHD reporting is voluntary, and not every report can be confirmed through laboratory testing. To confirm EHD through laboratory testing, the DNR must collect a sample within 16 hours of a deer’s death. The map should be viewed as an indication of reported activity, not a precise count of deer deaths or complete assessment of where EHD is occurring.

We hope this information is helpful, and thank you to all who have reported deer through our Eyes In The Field tool. Both the reporting tool and the EHD heatmap pages are linked in the comments.

10/13/2026

Dear all,

I hope this message finds you doing well and enjoying your fall, deer season thus far. While we have not had any meetings as of late, our West Central Branch has been busy consulting with the Kent County Deer Coalition on the Deer Connections program, supporting deer cooperative development throughout the county/state, assisted in sponsoring military and youth hunters for the Hunt Michigan Collaborative: NDA Farm Tour, and financially supporting venison donation programs in Michigan! In addition, we recently sponsored some KTCT, agri-science students to take their hunter’s safety and NDA Deer Steward 1 classes.

Our West Central Branch will be running a small fundraiser, NDA’s Gun Calendar Weekly Drawing, with a chance to win 53 guns! The cost per calendar is $59. You can purchase one or multiple for yourself, or you can gift them to someone else. These calendars can be purchased using this link https://deerassociation.com/event/c/ Calendars will be mailed to your address.

Finally, our Save the Date for our Annual West Central Branch of NDA Banquet is Saturday, February 27th, 2027 at Gilmore Collection on West River Drive again. Tickets will be available to purchase online late December/early January! For now, please put this date on your calendar and begin inviting friends!

Have an enjoyable deer season! Please reach out if you need anything or have any questions!

Respectfully,

Mike Ketelaar

President of the West Central Branch of NDA

Buy a 2027 NDA calendar and get entered into 53 weekly drawings for just $59! You get a great calendar, a chance at 53 guns, and you support your favorite deer conservation group!

10/10/2026

Handled properly venison should not be “gamey”

Here are the most common ways hunters ruin the flavor of venison and make it "gamey" through poor handling, and how to avoid these mistakes!

10/04/2026

Save these lists and keep them handy. A good tracker can find a mortally wounded deer you have lost blood on, and it is a lot of fun to watch the dog work.

09/17/2026

Join us tonight or tomorrow for our Deer Connections Open Houses! 🦌

Deer Connections is a new Kent County pilot connecting landowners interested in providing hunting access with hunters looking for places to hunt, while creating opportunities for venison sharing.

Landowners with 5+ acres, hunters and anyone interested in the program are invited to stop by, ask questions and learn more:

Tonight - Thursday, Sept. 17 | 5 - 7 p.m.
Kent County Road Commission North Complex
11777 White Creek Ave. NE, Cedar Springs

Tomorrow - Friday, Sept. 18 | 8 - 10 a.m.
Kent County Road Commission South Complex
4949 Tim Dougherty Drive SE, Grand Rapids

Light refreshments will be provided.

Check out the website at https://www.deerconnections.com/

09/06/2026

A great video for youth and new hunters. The 3D model is gold.

The Deer Hunting 101 video series was developed by the National Dee...

09/04/2026

The national antlerless harvest increased 5% in the 2024-25 season. But some regions and states contributed more to this improvement than others. See which states are doing their part and which are falling short in our latest article 👇👇
https://deerassociation.com/6-states-struggle-with-doe-harvest-9-lead-the-way/

07/21/2026

50,000 Deer. 20 Years of Service. Meet KCRC's "Deer Sheriff."

For more than 20 years, Andy Albertson has worked for the Kent County Road Commission (KCRC), earning the unofficial nickname "Deer Sheriff" for responding to reports of deer within the county road right of way. This month, he reached an "un-herd of" milestone: removing his 50,000th deer.

While Andy has become synonymous with this responsibility, he isn't the only one answering the call. His work is supported by KCRC crews throughout the network. Together, they remove large animal carcasses from the roadway to enhance safety for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

"It's certainly an interesting way to make a living," Andy said with a laugh. "But it's an important public service. I'm proud to do it, and people are generally happy to see me!"

After reaching the 40,000 mark in 2022, it took four years for Andy to remove another 10,000 deer, bringing his total to 50,000. Although that number reflects his dedication to public service, we hope the journey to 60,000 takes even longer.

While Andy and KCRC crews respond after deer-related incidents occur, KCRC is committed to reducing these incidents before they happen. That's a major reason why KCRC participates in the Kent County Deer Management Coalition.

Established in 2024, the Coalition brings together Kent County townships, cities and villages, along with Kent County, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the KCRC to implement a coordinated, science-based approach to reducing human-deer conflicts while maintaining a healthy deer herd and supporting ecological sustainability.

These efforts are especially important because Kent County ranked first in Michigan for deer-vehicle crashes from 2022 through 2024. Preliminary 2025 data suggests only Oakland County recorded more deer-vehicle crashes.

With the Coalition’s efforts and community support, we’re optimistic that Andy's next milestone won't come nearly as quickly.

Learn more about the Coalition at kentcountymi.gov/deer