A bill in the Michigan House of Representatives aims to give hunters a better way to control the state’s growing deer population.
House Bill 4445 was introduced by 35th District State Representative Jennifer Wortz.
The bill was recently approved by the House Natural Resources and Tourism Committee.
It now moves to the full House for a vote.
Representative Wortz, a Republican from Quincy, said the bill is needed because deer numbers have increased dramatically, especially in southern Michigan.
Over the past 40 years, the deer population has grown from 200,000 to about 1 million.
In a recent article on farmprogress.com, Wortz shared her experience with crop damage caused by deer. She explained that farmers face millions of dollars in losses each year.
They also spend hard-earned money on deer deterrents.
The bill would change current laws to allow hunters to bait deer during hunting season. Baiting is a tool that supporters say will help control deer numbers.
The change has found support from the Michigan Farm Bureau.
The Bureau’s legislative counsel, Rebecca Park, said that hunters are the most effective way to keep deer numbers in check.
The Department of Natural Resources opposes the bill. DNR officials worry the legislation might limit their ability to regulate baiting.
Wortz disagrees, saying the bill simply prevents a complete ban on baiting, allowing science-based decisions to be made.
She emphasized that managing deer populations is crucial for farmers, hunters, and the health of the herd.
Wortz said she believes that giving hunters more tools, such as baiting, can help reduce crop damage and keep deer numbers balanced.
Along with causing millions of damage in crop damage, and being the state’s most expensive agricultural pest, deer also cause millions of dollars in vehicle damage due to car-deer collisions each year in Michigan.