By PAIGE HOUPT
Capital News Service
LANSING- Some three years later northeast Michigan residents still blame a ban on deer baiting for harming the local economy.
In 2008, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission prohibited hunters from baiting deer. The ban was an attempt to control bovine tuberculosis in deer after chronic wasting disease was found in one deer in Kent County.
Last June, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources lifted the statewide ban on deer baiting for the entire Lower
Photo: cseeman (Flickr)
Peninsula, with the exception of Alpena, Alcona, Crawford, Iosco, Oscoda, Montmorency and Presque Isle counties.
The ban remains in effect in those areas because they are still considered areas of concern for bovine tuberculosis. The disease, which causes drastic weight loss in deer, can be fatal and is easily transmitted between animals when they group in small areas or congregate around piles of bait or feed.
Jeff Kala, a Presque Isle cattle farmer, says his decrease in business is due to the high risk of bovine tuberculosis and the caution of meat buyers.
“People are more aware now and are much more cautious when they are buying their meat,” Kala said.
Kala said the economic fallout of banning deer baiting might have some type of effect on local hotels or restaurants.
“Tourism might be down a little bit, but the bovine tuberculosis is the real issue.”
T.C. Hite has owned the Bay Motel in Alpena for 28 years and has noticed a decrease in the number of hunters who stay during the season.
“I’m sure it’s a combination of both the baiting ban and the bovine tuberculosis scare,” Hite said.
“Its not one or the other, I’m sure it’s a combination of both.”
State Rep. Peter Pettalia, R- Presque Isle, introduced a House resolution to encourage the DNR to allow baiting in the region for a two-year trial. The Michigan House of Representatives approved that resolution at the end of June.
Pettalia argues that the Lower Peninsula ban made more sense when it affected every county, but to segregate one county from an economic advantage is discrimination.
“It was more acceptable when everything was the same in the Lower Peninsula,” he said. “When they separated us six counties in northeast Michigan, it puts those counties at an economic disadvantage.”
Local officials say the baiting ban has impacted the area because hunters spend money in the hotels, restaurants and local bait shops, and they are more likely to hunt in areas were baiting deer is permitted.
“It has definitely impacted the area in all economic aspects,” said Jackie Krawczak, executive director of the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It couldn’t have happened at a worst time, it all seemed to happen when the economy began to take a dive and when workers were retiring from the auto industry.”
Krawczak said the chamber and local officials believe it’s important to educate local residents and farmers on how deer baiting benefits the economy.
In August, Pettalia invited residents to a series of town hall meetings with Dick Posthumus, senior policy adviser to Gov. Rick Snyder, to discuss the issue.