MICHIGAN — Deer overpopulation discussions are common in West Michigan, including reporting from Grand Haven neighborhoods on deer management programs and recommendations from Kent County to reduce car-deer crashes.
WATCH: HOW TO DEAL WITH DEER: Kent County releases recommendatiosn to combat car crashes, overpopulation
The main way the state of Michigan manages the population is hunting. Now the push to change a rule on baiting deer during hunting season is moving forward.
Currently below the bridge, baiting deer with things like corn or carrots has been banned since 2019. The Natural Resources Commission in Lansing said it was a way to slow the spread of diseases in the deer population.
The ban targeted bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease. CWD is an always fatal neurological disease with no known cure.
The idea behind the baiting ban was to remove any artificial forms of feeding that would cause deer to gather in large quantities in ways they might not normally do.
A bill to reverse the ban just passed the Michigan House. Supporters argue that deer are naturally herd animals and gather in large numbers regardless.
With growing deer populations in the lower peninsula, the lift on baiting could help with hunting success. That is key because hunting is the main way the state manages deer herds.
As previously reported, deer hunting success numbers have been dropping in recent years. Statewide hunters reported about 295,000 successful deer harvests for 2025, a drop from around 299,000 in 2024.
The next step for this bill is the Senate for further consideration.
WATCH: Grand Haven approves deer management program to protect native forests
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
