FAQ’S ABOUT FEEDING AND BAITING BAN
This was issued by the Michigan DNR. It will give you all a little insight to the reasoning behind the ban. Please tune in to the show this Saturday in Lansing, from 8-10 AM on The Game 730 WVFN-AM. Sunday from 8-10 AM On Network Stations WMMI 830-AM, Mt. Pleasant, Sports Xtra 1330 WTRX Flint, WODJ AM 1490 Muskegon and News Radio 1250 WNEM Saginaw.
Our Guests will be: Doug Roberts, “The Deer Professor” from Border Crossing Scents and the Pairadice Hunt Club, Lance Valentine - Walleye 101, Rebecca Humphries - Director of the Michigan DNR to talk about CWD and the Feeding and baiting ban.
We hope you’ll join us this and every week for AM Outdoors!
Frequently Asked Questions
Lower Peninsula Bait and Feed Ban
August 2008
What is the deer bait and feed ban?
Because of the confirmation of a deer with chronic wasting disease in a privately owned deer in
Kent County, it is no longer legal to bait or feed deer or elk in the Lower Peninsula. The ban
applies equally to feeding for recreational viewing as well as hunting.
What is considered bait?
According to state law, “bait” for deer is “a substance composed of grains, minerals, salt, fruit,
vegetables, hay or any other food material, whether natural or manufactured, which may lure,
entice or attract deer.”
Is this ban necessary?
Yes. Biologists have long known that disease is easily spread among animals that are drawn into
close physical proximity by feed. Although the exact means of transmission of chronic wasting
disease is not known, most scientists believe any exchange of bodily fluids — saliva, urine,
feces – facilitates transmission. A healthy white-tailed deer population in Michigan is important
for the following reasons:
• Chronic wasting disease can spread through the deer herd.
• Without appropriate management within the current CWD surveillance zone, the disease may
spread to other areas of the state.
• All deer infected with CWD die from the disease.
• White-tailed deer are native to Michigan and it is important to preserve our native wildlife.
• Any regional threat to a healthy deer population is a statewide concern.
• A healthy deer herd is important for hunting traditions. Michigan has more than 725,000 deer
hunters who have harvested an average of 450,000 deer annually during the past decade.
Deer hunting contributes more than 10 million days of recreation every year.
• Deer hunting annually generates more than $500 million dollars impact to the state’s
economy. A healthy deer herd is critical to the state’s economy.
Isn’t restricting baiting in the entire Lower Peninsula too extreme?
No. The state of Michigan adopted a policy, which was developed by the Department of Natural
Resources and the Department of Agriculture, six years ago designed to help stop the spread of
chronic wasting disease in the event it was detected in a deer or elk within the state or within 50
miles of the state’s border. The policy calls for the immediate end to baiting and feeding within
the entire peninsula in which the infected animal was detected.
How does this ban affect bear baiting?
Bear hunters may use fish or fish products, meat or meat products or bakery products to bait
bears. However, no substance defined by law (see question above “what is considered bait”) as
bait for deer may be used in the Lower Peninsula.
How long will the ban be in effect?
We anticipate the ban will be in effect for at least the duration of the 2008 hunting season.
How about hunting over food plots or agricultural fields?
It is legal to hunt over standing crops or food plots.
May I use attractant scents?
Yes. Scent products are not considered bait.
I already have my bait, what do I do now?
We expect landowners to make every attempt to make any bait inaccessible to deer, either by
selling it to someone can use it legally (e.g., livestock producer), fencing it, covering it or
disposing of it in an approved landfill.
What if I discover someone else baiting?
Call our RAP (Report All Poaching) Line at 1-800-292-7800 and report any illegal activity.
Is it illegal to sell bait?
No. The DNR does not regulate the selling of bait.
What’s the fine if I’m caught baiting?
The fine for illegal bating is anywhere from $50 to $500 and up to 90 days in jail
DNR OUTLINES RULES FOR BAITING AND FEEDING BAN
The Michigan DNR has outlined the ruling on the ban of baiting and feeding of whitetail deer, elk and moose in the lower peninsula. This was taken directly form the DNR press release dated 8/28/2008. Please take the time to read this and pass on the information. Thanks to everyone for all of your emails and questions. I will keep this up to date as we go. -Duran
DNR OUTLINE BAN ON FEEDING AND BAITING IN LOWER PENINSULA - MICHIGAN
Deer and Elk Feeding Ban Outlined, Will Impact Bear Baiting
In the wake of Monday’s announcement that Chronic Wasting Disease
(CWD) has been confirmed in a privately-owned white-tailed deer in Kent County, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has immediately implemented provisions of the state’s Surveillance and Response Plan for CWD.
Among the provisions is an immediate ban on all baiting and feeding of deer and elk in the Lower Peninsula. This ban will also affect bear baiting activity.
Provisions of the baiting ban are:
- All grains, minerals, salt, fruits, vegetables, hay, or any other food materials, whether natural or manufactured, which may lure, entice or attract deer are prohibited.
- Food plots are not subject to the ban.
- Foods found scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural planting or harvesting practices, foods available to deer through normal agricultural practices of livestock feeding if the area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis, or standing farm crops under normal agricultural practices are not subject to the ban.
- Baiting is defined in the Wildlife Order as placing, depositing, tending, distributing, or scattering bait to aid in the taking of a deer.
- All counties in the entire Lower Peninsula are subject to the baiting ban.
- The Upper Peninsula is not included in the ban.
Current bear baiting regulations prohibit the use of any materials that lure, entice, or attract deer or elk where it is unlawful to bait or feed deer or elk. As a result of the deer and elk baiting and feeding ban, no bear baiting with food materials other than meats, meat products, fish, fish products, or bakery products will be allowed in the Lower Peninsula at any time.
DNR conservation officers have increased surveillance and enforcement efforts on baiting. Baiting and feeding unnaturally congregate deer into close contact, thus increasing the transmission of contagious diseases.
Bait and feed sites increase the likelihood that those areas will become contaminated with the feces of infected animals, making them a source of infection for years to come.
DNR officials remind citizens that, to date, there is no evidence that CWD poses a risk to humans, nor has there been verified evidence that the disease can be transmitted to humans.
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer, elk and moose.
Most cases of the disease have been in western states, but in the past several years, it has spread to Midwestern and eastern states. Infected animals display abnormal behaviors, loss of bodily functions and a progressive weight loss. Current evidence suggests that the disease is transmitted through infectious, self-multiplying proteins (prions).
Prions are normal cell proteins whose shape has been transformed, causing CWD. The disease is transmitted by exposure to saliva of infected animals. Susceptible animals can also acquire CWD by eating feces from an infected animal, or soil contaminated by them. Once contaminated, soil can remain a source of infection for many years, making CWD a particularly difficult disease to manage.
More information about CWD is available on the State of Michigan’s Emerging Diseases Web site at www.michigan.gov/chronicwastingdisease.
The DNR is committed to the conservation, protection, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural resources for current and future generations.
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AM OUTDOORS - STATE WIDE!
Since the guys at Synergy Soup Interactive have got me going on this blog thing, I just can’t seem to stop!
I just wanted to let everyone know that with all of the hard work and love that has gone into this show, we are now syndicated in the State of Michigan on the Michigan Talk Network.
Still based out of the Lansing studios of The Game 730 AM - WVFN, AM Outdoors airs live on Saturday mornings from 8-10 AM. We encourage all listeners in all areas to tell their stations that they want AM Outdoors in their area. I feel we have a great show with even better guests.
We are proud to welcome the following stations to the AM Outdoors family: WODJ AM 1490 - Muskegon, WMMI 830 AM - Mt. Pleasant, News Radio 1250 WNEM - Saginaw, Sports Xtra 1330 WTRX - Flint.
We are happy to be a part of these stations programming and look forward to adding more as we progress with our little show.
Please feel free to send any questions or comments to me directly at duran.martinez@citcomm.com. If you love or hate the show, I want to know. If you have a topic or a concern, I want to know. We cannot grow unless we hear from you.
Special thanks to my tireless producer Brock and a few choice people that have helped us get to where we are at. THANK YOU ALL!
CWD IN MICHIGAN
It was reported that the first case of Chronic Wasting Disease was discovered on a deer farm in Kent County.
Having reported this, the Michigan DNR has put forth, effective immediately, the ban on feeding and baiting in the entire lower peninsula. With this order, many hunters and business owners alike are wondering how this will affect Michigan’s economy. One thing is for sure. If the ban continues throughout the year, everyone will feel it.
Michigan ranks third in the US for licensed hunters and anglers behind Pennsylvania and Wisconsin respectively. That means the 1.37 million hunters and anglers in the State of Michigan may not be spending the 3.4 billion dollars that they normally spend annually. Yes, 3.4 billion (with a “B”).
If all law abiding citizens follow the DNR’s order of ”no baiting and no feeding” this state’s economy will suffer another blow that it cannot withstand. This will affect every “Mom and Pop” party store, gas station, grocery, hardware and bait shop that sells bags of corn, beets, apples and carrots for bait or feeding purposes. Farmers who raise these crops specifically for these seasons or even designate a portion of their crop to the hunting season. And were not done yet. Because the transfer of deer from licensed deer ranch’s has been prohibited, those who have booked hunt’s cannot transfer their harvest .
Michigan also contributes to the outdoors industry as a large manufacturer of deer scents and attractants. Companies like Border Crossing Scents cannot ship their product because it contains natural deer product.
CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE
The disease itself affects both Whitetail and Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk and Moose. It has not been known tobe admissable to humans to date. Symptoms of CWD can go undetected for several years. Some of the signs of the disease in infected anilmals are staggering, excessive drooling, droopy ears, a wide, shaky stance and lethargic behavior.
CWD has been found mainly in a few western states and Virginia in the wild and other states in captive deer herds. For more information, a good website is www.cwd-info.org.
HOW WILL IT BE ENFORCED?
At no time do I or anyone here at AM Outdoors condone going against the directive put forth by the Michigan DNR. With that being said, we know without question that baiting will continue to be done. With the limited man power of the DNR the workload on Conservation Officers will increase. It is up to us as stewards of our sport to do what is asked until the ban has been lifted. Hopefully this will not go on all year.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Having used bait in the past, I do find it a great way to bring deer into an area that they may pass through but not normally stay for any given period of time. After having planted food plots in places near my tree-stand, this will give me the opportunity to get ‘em in close and help give the deer good, quality forage throughout the year.
I can only hope that we can rebound from this one isolated incident and get Michigan’s outdoor heritage rolling again. Safe and strong for generations to come!