Well, we all knew it would happen sooner or later and it is finally here!  CWD has been confirmed in a deer on a game ranch in Michigan.

     What are the immediate impacts on this years deer season?  First off the Michigan DNR has instituted an immediate ban on ALL deer and elk baiting in the lower peninsula.  This goes into effect today!  Secondly, there will be no transporting of any meat from a deer or elk game ranch in Michigan.  This means that if you shoot an animal from a private ranch in Michigan, the meat must stay on the property.  You can’t take it home with you.  That will pretty much close all private game ranch business’ that deal with deer and elk in this state.

     The impact that I think will be felt economically, will be the farmers that depend on the hunters who buy bait from them in the fall.  This will definetly take a bite out of their income.  They depend on this to survive these hard economic times.  Lastly, we must wait and see what the Michigan DNR’s next reaction is going to be.  There will definetly be some sort of madatory check in of deer at lesat in that area where it was found if not state wide. 

     The DNR has tried to keep this disease from entering this state, but it is now here, and with it we must deal with the impacts that it brings with the discovery of it.  This could and probably will change the face of hunting deer in Michigan forever!