The Michigan House of Representatives has approved a bill that would lift the ban on baiting deer during hunting season and ease other restrictions on feeding deer.
The bill, sponsored by Representative Jennifer Wortz, aims to help control Michigan’s growing deer population, which has led to a growing number of car/deer crashes. Along with an increase in crop damage.
Wortz says the current ban, put in place in 2019, doesn’t stop deer from gathering naturally in fields and orchards. She argues that “Deer will gather anyway.”
Wortz said the baiting ban has not stopped disease or overpopulation — She said, “It’s made things worse.”
House Bill 4445 would allow hunters and landowners to use bait to attract deer, which could make hunting easier and safer. Michigan has about 2 million deer, which is the second-highest number in the U.S. This large number leads to roughly 55,000 deer-vehicle crashes each year, with over 300 happening every day during the fall rut.
Farmers also suffer, losing up to 10% of their crops annually due to deer.
The legislation now heads to the Senate for approval. Wortz says the move is a step toward better managing Michigan’s deer and protecting residents and farms.