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Thursday, October 9, 2008

Deer Baiting Ban? Opponents speak up- CLICK HERE!

summarized from an article by The Associated Press

LANSING -- Opponents of a recently imposed ban on feeding and baiting deer in Michigan's Lower Peninsula are set to make their case in a Lansing courtroom.
The state Department of Natural Resources issued the emergency rule after Michigan's first case of chronic wasting disease was detected at a captive deer operation in the Grand Rapids area.
Pictured to the right is a popular Deer Attractant - Buck Jam
Critics of the ban sued and a hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon before an Ingham County judge.
Plaintiffs include a vegetable farmer and a store owner who say the ban is hurting them financially. The DNR defends the policy as a necessary precaution to prevent the spread of the disease.
The baiting ban also may be discussed at Natural Resources Commission meeting.

The baiting ban is a hot topic because it is causing economic devastation in an already rundown economy for some people. Unfortunately, it may be an absolute necessary.

The baiting ban is a temporary measure to limit the spread of CWD.

What's the alternative? End the ban? Well, if the disease spreads, there's going to be fewer deer to bait anyway.

Relying on hunters to limit the spread of the disease would not seem to be feasible. While it might be possible to deduce a deer has been infected by it's attempts at cooling off near a water source, there's probably not an easy to way identify deer in early stages of infection using the naked eye (or even though a rifle scope).

And if you're shooting to eat, you really want to be ingesting diseased meat? While it's unclear as to whether CWD affects humans, do you really want to take the risk of the disease mutating if in fact it currently doesn't?

It is an unfortunate situation for all involved: deer, hunters, and economy alike. But the finger should not be pointed at the government. It's the disease that's causing the problem.

Let's attack it intelligently, not with knee-jerk reactions.

Labels: Michigan Deer Baiting

posted by The MBD # 7:04 AM

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Deer Baiting Ban? Opponents speak up- CLICK HERE!

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