500 million dollars a year. That's what the Department of Natural Resources says is the impact of deer hunting here in Michigan. They say its more than just licenses, and gun sales, but also the money spent on hotels, restaurants, sporting good stores, and gas just to name a few.
But last year, several of those businesses reported fewer customers and many hunters reported seeing fewer deer. Both point the finger at the DNR's deer supplemental feeding and baiting ban.
It was set to expire but there are a lot of rumors swirling around legislation is in the works in Lansing to extend it for at least 6 more years. A viewer emailed me wondering if there was any truth to those rumors. In order to understand why the concern from some viewers, its important to first look at the impact the ban had this past season.
According to Jim Gauthier of Gauthier's Archery in Traverse City, "a lot of people did give up because they were not seeing deer, some customers never a single deer the whole season."
And when hunters don't see deer, and then don't hunt the economic impact is felt. This past year after a Michigan deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease, the DNR banned baiting for hunters, and supplemental feeding for folks who just liked to watch deer in the Lower Peninsula. So how did that go over? Just ask Jim who hears from hunters everyday who come into his archery shop.
Jim says of the people he spoke with "half though it was a great idea, half thought it was the worst idea."
The worst idea for some hunters because Jims says "as bow hunters we need to get the deer close to us if it is just hit or miss, they loose their interest to, its not worth their hunting anymore."
And Jim says that means folks aren't buying bows, traveling to hunt, staying in hotels; bottom line they are not spending money in Northern Michigan during deer season.
Jim told me "its hard enough to do business as it is we are seeing losses and losses of businesses because of this."
So when rumors started swirling that there is legislation making its way around Lansing to extend the feeding and baiting bans for years to come, business owners and hunters alike started emailing me. The wanted to know if that was true and what was the motivation behind it.
The source of those rumors is house bill 4198 and the rumors, aren't exactly true.
Representative Gary McDowell is one of the bills co-sponsors. I caught up to him as he was driving home from Lansing. He says hunters need not worry about this bill. He told me its not a ban on baiting for hunting.
Representative McDowell says "no its not, no, as I understand it its giving the department discretion to allow supplemental feeding for our deer population."
According to the DNR there is a difference between baiting and feeding. This bill does not deal with baiting which the DNR describes as putting out food to attract, lure or entice as an aid in hunting.
House Bill 4198 gives the DNR the authority to decide whether or not to allow feeding for recreational viewing or to supplement deer when harsh winter conditions exist.
Representative McDowell says hunters will notice very little change with this bill as it stands now. McDowell says "they presently have that authority it will be expiring at the end of the year this will just extend that legislation."
The bill doesn't guarantee whether or not you would be allowed to feed deer, it just grants the authority to make the decision to the DNR for the next 6 years, as opposed to having to renew that authority each year.
