Hunting News

Supplemental deer feed permits available for southern UP

Supplemental deer feed permits available for southern UP

By Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Winter supplemental feeding permits allowing private citizens and sportsmen's groups in the Upper Peninsula to feed deer are now available.

Supplemental deer feeding permits are available by contacting DNR offices in Baraga, Marquette, Crystal Falls, Escanaba, Newberry, Sault Ste. Marie and Shingleton (Cusino).

In the northern part of the region, supplemental feeding began earlier in January. For the southern U.P., accumulated snowfall depth measurements trigger the issuance of permits.

“Although we continue to have high concerns regarding potential for communicable diseases, such as chronic wasting disease, and would prefer that people not feed deer, the snow depth readings we tabulated Jan. 17 reached the level where we begin to issue supplemental deer feeding permits,” according to Terry Minzey, U.P. regional wildlife supervisor.

Snowfall depth totals are collected beginning in November.

For Iron, Dickinson, Delta and Menominee counties and that portion of Marquette County south of the boundary between Township 43 North and Township 44 North, permits are issued if accumulated snowfall depth averaged between the Crystal Falls and Escanaba DNR field offices reaches 48 inches by the Monday nearest Jan. 15.

In Schoolcraft and Mackinac counties and that part of Chippewa County south of the T43N-T44N boundary line, permits are issued if accumulated snowfall depth averaged between the Manistique and Naubinway DNR field offices reaches 60 inches by the Monday closest to Jan. 15.

It’s important to consider the types of food used to feed deer.

Easily digestible food sources most beneficial for feeding deer include grains, second-cut alfalfa, clover, and pelletized deer food.

Apples, potatoes, sugar beets, carrots, and many other foods deer consume during summer and fall provide little benefit for deer during winter conditions and are not legal for supplemental feeding under permits.

“Permits are free of charge, and permission must also be obtained from the landowner,” said John Pepin, deputy public information officer.

Rules in place for supplemental deer feeding include:
+  Feed must be placed at least a quarter-mile or more from the nearest paved public highway (this includes any paved, asphalt, or concrete roadway); at least 1 mile from domestic farm animals, and at least 1 mile from wheat or potato fields, commercial fruit orchards or commercial plant nurseries or tree farms, unless otherwise specified in the permit.
+ Feed can consist only of grains, second cut alfalfa and clover, and pelletized food materials containing no animal protein. The feed must be scattered on the ground at a depth not to exceed 3 inches.
+ Anyone issued a supplemental feeding permit must agree to assist the DNR in collecting deer tissue samples for disease surveillance, and must report to the DNR by May 30 the quantity and type of feed used, dates and duration of feeding, and other required information specified in the permit.
+ Anyone who fails to comply with the supplemental feeding provisions will be ineligible for any future supplemental feeding permits.

In the event chronic wasting disease (CWD) is documented at a location within 10 miles of Michigan's border with another state or Canadian province, or as determined by the DNR director, the director will issue an interim order banning the use of bait and the feeding of deer and elk, at a minimum, within the relevant CWD management zone.

Recreational feeding of wildlife is allowed on private land in the U.P. year-round, provided the feed is placed within 100 yards of a residence and the total amount of feed does not exceed 2 gallons at any time. The feed must be scattered on the ground and must be at least 100 yards from areas accessible by livestock.
For more information on deer in Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/deer.

Copyright 2024 by Buckmasters, Ltd.

Copyright 2020 by Buckmasters, Ltd