Deer Baiting and Feeding Ban in the Lower Peninsula
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission has proposed lifting the deer baiting and feeding ban in the Lower Peninsula, which has been in place since August 2008 when Chronic Wasting Disease was detected at a private deer breeding facility in Kent County. The proposal, which will be finalized and voted on at the June 9th NRC meeting, contains the following provisions:
Hunters would be able to place up to two gallons of bait, scattered over a 10-foot x 10-foot area, per hunting spot, from October 1–January 1. No more than two gallons of bait could be on the ground at any given time. This is the same regulation currently in place in the Upper Peninsula, and was the regulation in the Lower Peninsula prior to the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease at a deer breeding facility in Kent County in August 2008. The only exception would be the bovine tuberculosis area (Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties) in northeast Lower Michigan, where baiting and feeding has been banned for several years.
Regulated recreational feeding allowing up to 2 gallons within 100 yards of a person's residence would return to the Lower Peninsula, except in the bovine tuberculosis area.
The proposal directs the DNR to plant wildlife food plots on state-owned hunting land in the bovine tuberculosis area in northeast Michigan and other areas where the population of deer is below the desired goal.
The proposal directs the DNR to work with the Legislature to stiffen penalties for baiting violations, including escalating fines, jail time and hunting license revocation. This would be similar to the penalties for violators who snag fish.
Replies
The Michigan Natural Resources Commission has proposed lifting the deer baiting and feeding ban in the Lower Peninsula, which has been in place since August 2008 when Chronic Wasting Disease was detected at a private deer breeding facility in Kent County. The proposal, which will be finalized and voted on at the June 9th NRC meeting, contains the following provisions:
For more information on the NRC, go to www.michigan.gov/nrc