Hunters unfazed by state baiting ban
Joel Pavelski
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: News
As of this year's hunting season, Michigan hunters can no longer bait or feed deer, according to a ban the Michigan Department of Natural Resources issued in August.
But many hunters - including some Hillsdale College students - say the ban doesn't affect their practices much.
"There have been some hunters upset over the ban, but there is an overwhelming majority who understand that they cannot bait for the sake of protecting the wild herd," said Mary Dettloff, public information officer for the DNR.
She said sales of hunting licenses are up 3,000 from the same time last year.
"People are out hunting because they want to put meat in the freezer," she said. "They are worried about food prices. With licenses at only $15, you can get a lot of meat for a low price."
Student hunters at Hillsdale were aware of the ban but unfazed.
Joe Stempien, a senior from Coldwater, said that the ban wouldn't change the way he actually hunts.
"Bait only improves your chances of shooting the big buck," he said. "People get too worked up over who gets the biggest deer instead of being thankful over the opportunities to spend time with your family."
After the Michigan state government confirmed a case of chronic wasting disease at a private deer farm in Kent County, it turned to the emergency plan Wisconsin officials used in a similar case six years ago: a baiting ban.
Although many hunters expected the ban to be lifted before gun season, which begins on Nov. 15, it was made permanent on Oct. 9.
Dettloff said the ban was necessary to stop the spread of CWD.
"We only found it in one deer, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist in other areas of the state," she said. "Our primary goal is protecting the resource."
Dettloff said that the DNR was increasing its testing throughout the state, and would attempt to test 50 deer in each county for the disease.
"This is Michigan, people have hunted for generations, it's a part of our lifestyle. The economy is not effecting hunting, and the baiting ban is not affecting hunting," she said.
Stempien said he didn't believe the ban would stop anyone from actually baiting.
"There aren't enough DNR officers to stop everyone. They can't go into everyone's woods," he said.
But many hunters - including some Hillsdale College students - say the ban doesn't affect their practices much.
"There have been some hunters upset over the ban, but there is an overwhelming majority who understand that they cannot bait for the sake of protecting the wild herd," said Mary Dettloff, public information officer for the DNR.
She said sales of hunting licenses are up 3,000 from the same time last year.
"People are out hunting because they want to put meat in the freezer," she said. "They are worried about food prices. With licenses at only $15, you can get a lot of meat for a low price."
Student hunters at Hillsdale were aware of the ban but unfazed.
Joe Stempien, a senior from Coldwater, said that the ban wouldn't change the way he actually hunts.
"Bait only improves your chances of shooting the big buck," he said. "People get too worked up over who gets the biggest deer instead of being thankful over the opportunities to spend time with your family."
After the Michigan state government confirmed a case of chronic wasting disease at a private deer farm in Kent County, it turned to the emergency plan Wisconsin officials used in a similar case six years ago: a baiting ban.
Although many hunters expected the ban to be lifted before gun season, which begins on Nov. 15, it was made permanent on Oct. 9.
Dettloff said the ban was necessary to stop the spread of CWD.
"We only found it in one deer, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist in other areas of the state," she said. "Our primary goal is protecting the resource."
Dettloff said that the DNR was increasing its testing throughout the state, and would attempt to test 50 deer in each county for the disease.
"This is Michigan, people have hunted for generations, it's a part of our lifestyle. The economy is not effecting hunting, and the baiting ban is not affecting hunting," she said.
Stempien said he didn't believe the ban would stop anyone from actually baiting.
"There aren't enough DNR officers to stop everyone. They can't go into everyone's woods," he said.
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