wrightshot

Here in lower Michigan, baiting has been baned for this season (CWD). Now I know that we can not "bait", but what about attractance? Can "deer crack" still be used, salt blocks, etc.

Has anyone here in Michigan looked into this?

YooperMike

Generally, nothing can be used to attract, lure, or do anything with something they eat. In IL there is no baiting, and also no minerals or anything else, regardless of during season or in the off-season. Sorry dude.

Germ

Here you go

• Will things like salt blocks, mineral licks and attractants like C'Mere Deer be legal?

No. Anything that's designed to draw a deer to eat or lick it is banned. Attractant scents like doe urine and doe-in-estrus are legal.

• Some people like to feed deer just to view them, not to hunt. Is that still legal?

No. And food put out for other wildlife, like turkeys, is legal only if it is made inaccessible to deer.

• Why isn't baiting banned in the Upper Peninsula?

The CWD plan says that baiting will be banned if an infected deer is found within 50 miles of either of Michigan's peninsulas. The Kent County deer was 250 miles from the UP.

• Food plots are still legal. Aren't they just as likely to spread disease as bait?

Many studies have shown that concentrating bait in piles is far more likely to spread deer disease than food plots. The science is sound on this. In addition, the DNR has no control over agricultural practices and can't legally stop people from growing crops.

• Bait is still being sold by a lot of stations and mom-and-pop stores. Why doesn't the DNR just ban the sale of bait?

Once again, the DNR has the authority to regulate the method and manner by which we hunt deer. It doesn't have the authority to regulate commerce and tell stores what they can sell. It's up to the hunters to end those sales by refusing to buy bait.

• I see deer licking each other all the time. Won't that spread disease?

Deer are social animals and tend to move in groups of three to eight that usually are related, and they do lick each other. What bait piles do is draw in a lot more unrelated deer and increase the amount of contact between them. Bait piles also increase the amount of urine and feces dropped in a small area. Just as a hospital full of sick people is a good place for humans to pick up an infection, a bait pile that draws sick deer is a way to increase the chance of disease spreading among animals.

• If I unknowingly eat venison from a deer with CWD, can I catch the disease?

CWD infects deer species that include whitetails, mule deer, elk and moose. Other mammals, including humans, apparently are immune. However, erring on the side of caution, scientists recommend that people avoid eating meat from a deer known to be infected with CWD or that they think may have the disease.

• They've found a couple of dozen dead deer along the Clinton River in southeast Michigan in the past couple of weeks. Could they have died from CWD?

The DNR is investigating those deer deaths, but tests so far have ruled out CWD, bovine tuberculosis or any other known disease. Biologists are awaiting the results of toxicology tests to see if the deer were poisoned by something in their environment or in the water.

wrightshot

Thanks Germ!!

So you can hunt over food plots and fields but, no feeders or bait piles. I assume we are still able to use items like buck bombs and attractance.

sandilands

Have they cancelled the rut? Cause we all know that there is going to alot of deer lickin each other at that time[:-][:-]

DowningAir

Thanks for the info! I was wondering the same thing. We don't need the bait, we've got one of the best deer populations in the country . Havea goodseason Michigan guys and good luck!

ScottF2345

I was recently in Meijer and the hunting section with all the mineral licks and the C'mere Deer was stripped.

Germ

sands the DNR reason for baiting banis this and it makes sense. Deer travel in small groups, these groups are very social. Bait brings more "groups" of deer together that might not be together if it was not for the bait. The bait brings these "groups" close together.

I am not against baiting at all, but I understand what the DNR is saying and trying to do.

MichiganArcher

I am in Flushing, MI and down here in mid to southern MI we really don't need bait to harvest deer however up north just south of the bridge you'd be hard pressed to harvest one without the use of bait. There are just too many game trails and miles upon miles of woods to "hunt" them. If you can get on a farm up there you're golden but in the timber the odds are against you. I am personally just planning on hunting down here this year. I have permission on two farms and working on my third. I understand what the DNR's concept is but the deer was in Kent County and is an imported animal which makes no sense to me. They are going to damage the already failing economy more than anything. Farmers, bait markets, gas stations and the such may as well close up shop.

DowningAir

Scott:

I've noticed that too. I was curious as to if they would do that or not. I walked into Wal Mart early this week to find that the shelves of attractants had been replaced. The same time last week there was a whole section full. Better safe then sorry I guess.