Deer Baiting Ban Lower Pennisula

The Michigan DNR has put a ban on deer baiting in the lower pennisula for the 2008 hunting season. CWD Chronic Wasting Disease was found in a deer on a Kent County Deer Ranch (ENCLOSURE) not the wild. This ban is going to put a real hurt on local business owners throughout the North that make there living catering to hunters. In Michigan I would GUESS that over 85% of Bow Hunters hunt over bait and 70% of Gun Hunters hunt over bait. The ban also includes mineral licks and salt blocks. Local mom and pop stores, gas stations and farmers sell tons of carrots, corn, apples, and sugar beats every year specifically for deer. Not only do people buy the bait to hunt over they also use it to view deer in there yards and to supplement the deer during the hard winter months. Michigan has one of the biggest deer heards in the United States and over 700,000 licensed hunters. Deer hunting is a major part of our economy and way of life. To put this ban in to effect is ridiculous in my opion and will drive hunters out of the woods even more. We are having a hunting decline in this state at an alarming rate and this ban is going to increase the decline. The DNR is not working for the DEER OR HUNTERS is our state. TB was found a few years ago in the North Eastern part of the state and the DNR put out a similar ban then thinned the deer herd in the area to the point hunters quit going to hunt. Michigan is flat and very hevily wooded with the average shot less than 50 yards. Is baiting any different from food plots? Should'nt they be banned also? Deer come together in close contact in food plots. Should all the apple trees be cut down or fenced in deer come to these trees and feed in close contact. IN MY OPINION diseases come in go and cannot be predicted or controlled by the DNR.

This is a great time to Purchase Hunting Land in North West Michigan, prices are down and inventories are up. The deer heard is growing here and lots of huge bucks will be taken again this year.

Give me a call if you would like to purchase or sell hunting land in Northwest Michigan.

Mike St. Peter 231-288-7879

mstpeter@greenridge.com