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LANSING — In response to diseases that are spreading throughout the state and impacting deer, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has several changes in regulations for hunters looking to harvest the state’s symbolic game mammal: white-tailed deer.
Ashley Autenrieth, DNR deer program biologist, said baiting and feeding deer will be prohibited in the Lower Peninsula in 2019.
“Essentially, baiting and feeding causes unnatural congregation of deer,” she said. “Basically, what you’re getting then is more nose-to-nose contact. You’re getting more deer basically trading saliva and things like that and simply just congregating in higher numbers than is natural. What can come of that is obviously increased risk of disease.”
The baiting and feeding changes for the Lower Peninsula go into effect Jan. 31, and Autenrieth said the regulations impact more than just hunters.
“It means that people that enjoy feeding deer, they’re going to have to stop doing that,” she explained. “It also means the people that have tons of bird feeders out, if they are bringing deer in doing that, that is considered feeding and so they would need to just stop that practice for a couple weeks to try and get the deer to break that pattern.”
Food plots where people grow certain crops meant to lure deer to an area are still legal since they are considered an agricultural practice, not a hunting practice.
One disease of concern in Northern Michigan is bovine tuberculosis. Bovine TB is not necessarily fatal, but it weakens infected deer that may later die from other illnesses like pneumonia. Stressors, such as harsh winters, also can make deer more susceptible to getting TB in the first place.
From year to year, there has been an increase in the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in the core counties of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Oscoda.
Alpena County saw 15 deer that tested positive, followed by Alcona (13), Oscoda (11) and Montmorency (nine), according to the latest bovine TB numbers for last year on Michigan Emerging Disease Issues.
Seven surrounding counties outside of the core area, including Otsego, are usually tested as well. The latest results showed Presque Isle County had one and Otsego County had no positive deer.
Bovine TB impacts cervids like deer, elk and cattle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend eating animals that have tested positive for bovine TB.
Older bucks are also more likely than does to be TB-positive. Any hunters who have a deer with TB are given a replacement deer tag.
Bovine TB testing of harvested deer is optional but highly recommended.
While the DNR encourages hunters to check the chest cavity of deer for lesions that can signify the disease, most TB-positive deer don’t show the lesions.
Chronic wasting (CWD) is another disease of interest to the state. CWD is a fatal prion disease that impacts the animal’s nervous system and attacks the brain.
“If your animal tests positive for CWD, do not eat meat from that animal,” says the CDC’s site on chronic wasting disease. “If you have your deer or elk commercially processed, consider asking that your animal be processed individually to avoid mixing meat from multiple animals.”
The CDC also discourages hunters from using household knives or other kitchen utensils for field dressing.
Autenrieth said there are restrictions on certain lures and attractants statewide this fall hunting season.
“Basically prior to (the change) you could go to any store and buy typical doe urine without having to really check into anything,” she said.
Statewide, anyone using deer urine must make sure it is Archery Trade Association certified.
“The reason for that is the Archery Trade Association actually has a certification program for different cervid owners that produce this doe urine and basically the program helps to ensure that they stay CWD-free so that’s really why we decided to go that route,” Autenrieth said. “It’s one extra step to slow the spread of CWD.”
CWD impacts white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose — which are part of the cervid family.
Some of the season’s changes in regulations only apply to what is known as the 16-county CWD management zone. Within the zone is the five-county core CWD area — Ionia, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm and Newaygo.
Anyone who harvests a deer in the core CWD areas are not allowed to move the deer out of the zone unless they have the deer tested for the disease within 24 hours of leaving the zone — or they have the entire animal deboned with the skull cavity cleaned and other steps taken.
There is no restriction on bringing deer that were harvested outside of the area into the core area.
“For the first time ever, we are allowing regular firearms to be used during the muzzleloading season,” Autenrieth said. “People in the 16-county management zone for CWD will now have the ability to utilize whatever firearm that is legal in that area.”
Muzzleloading season starts Dec. 7.
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CWD was discovered in free-ranging deer in Ingham County in 2015. Since then, the disease has seen an increase in positive deer in surrounding counties. So far, the disease has been found in seven Michigan counties.
The Upper Peninsula’s Dickinson County just joined the list with its first case of CWD last month. Autenrieth said the case involved a mature doe that was harvested.
She said the positive test result came after routine screening for CWD about 4 miles north of the Michigan-Wisconsin border.
According to a DNR news release last month, the department said it has tested hundreds of deer in the U.P.’s counties that border Wisconsin.
“This year alone (as of Oct. 11) a total of 625 deer-damage permit, roadkill and hunter-killed deer have been tested from Dickinson, Gogebic, Menominee and Iron counties,” reads part of the release.
“It was our surveillance efforts that revealed the disease in this particular deer,” Kelly Straka, state wildlife veterinarian, said in the release. “It is now especially important that these efforts continue.”
The disease has become endemic in certain regions of Wisconsin, where it has taken root. The disease is found in about two dozen states and parts of Canada.
CWD has been found more often in adult male deer, according to the Wisconsin DNR’s disease prevalence graphs.
While some deer with CWD show signs of emaciation during the illness, many appear normal.
“Anyone is welcome to get their deer tested this season. It’s still free,” Autenrieth said.
“If they are seeing an animal that they are concerned about, contact their local DNR office or the RAP (Report All Poaching) line.”
The Gaylord DNR office’s phone number is (989) 732-3541.
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