Bill Text: MI SB0612 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Natural resources: hunting; deer baiting license; provide for. Amends secs. 40102 & 40111a of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.40102 & 324.40111a).
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2023-10-24 - Referred To Committee On Natural Resources And Agriculture [SB0612 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0612-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 612
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled
"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending sections 40102 and 40111a (MCL 324.40102 and 324.40111a), section 40102 as amended by 2015 PA 24 and section 40111a as amended by 2015 PA 265.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 40102. (1) "Animals" means wild birds and wild mammals.
(2) "Bag limit" means the number of animals that may be taken and possessed as determined by the department.
(3) "Bow" means a device for propelling an arrow from a string drawn, held, and released by hand where the force used to hold the string in the drawn position is provided by the archer's muscles.
(4) "Buy" or "sell" means an exchange or attempt or offer to exchange for money, barter, or anything of value.
(5) "Chase" means to follow animals with dogs or other wild or domestic animals trained for that purpose.
(6) "Cormorant damage" means adverse impacts of double-crested cormorants on fish, fish hatchery stock, wildlife, plants, and their habitats and on man-made structures.
(7) "Cormorant depredation order" means the depredation order for double-crested cormorants to protect public resources, 50 CFR 21.48, issued by the United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service.
(8) "Crossbow" means a weapon consisting of a bow mounted transversely on a stock or frame and designed to fire an arrow, bolt, or quarrel by the release of a bow string that is controlled by a mechanical or electric trigger and has a working safety and a draw weight of 100 pounds or greater.
(9) "Deer or elk baiting" means the depositing, distributing, or tending of feed in an area frequented by wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer or elk to aid in the taking of deer or elk. Deer or elk baiting does not include any of the following:
(a) Feeding wild birds or other wildlife if done in such a manner as to exclude wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk from gaining access to the feed.
(b) The scattering of feed solely as the result of normal logging practices or normal agricultural practices.
(c) The storage or use of feed for agricultural purposes if 1 or more of the following apply:
(i) The area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis.
(ii) The feed is covered to deter wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer or elk from gaining access to the feed.
(iii) The feed is in a storage facility that is consistent with normal agricultural practices.
(10) (9) "Deer or elk feeding" means the depositing, distributing, or tending of feed in an area frequented by wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer or elk. Deer or elk feeding does not include any of the following:
(a) Feeding wild birds or other wildlife if done in such a manner as to exclude wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk from gaining access to the feed.
(b) The scattering of feed solely as the result of normal logging practices or normal agricultural practices.
(c) The storage or use of feed for agricultural purposes if 1 or more of the following apply:
(i) The area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis.
(ii) The feed is covered to deter wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer or elk from gaining access to the feed.
(iii) The feed is in a storage facility that is consistent with normal agricultural practices.
(d) Baiting to take game as provided by an order of the commission under section 40113a.Deer or elk baiting.
(11) (10) "Disability" means a determinable physical characteristic of an individual that may result from disease, injury, congenital condition of birth, or functional disorder.
(12) (11) "Feed" means a substance composed of grain, mineral, salt, fruit, vegetable, hay, or any other food material or combination of these materials, whether natural or manufactured, that may attract white-tailed deer or elk. Feed does not include any of the following:
(a) Plantings for wildlife.
(b) Standing farm crops under normal agricultural practices.
(c) Agricultural commodities scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural practices.
(13) (12) "Firearm" means any weapon which will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by action of an explosive. A pneumatic gun, as defined in section 1 of 1990 PA 319, MCL 123.1101, other than a paintball gun that expels by pneumatic pressure plastic balls filled with paint for the purpose of marking the point of impact, is also considered a firearm for the purpose of this act.
Sec. 40111a. (1) The commission, after consultation with the commission of agriculture and rural development, shall issue in the manner provided in section 40113a an order concerning deer and or elk feeding in this state.
(2) As used in this section, "deer and elk feeding" means the depositing, distributing, or tending of feed in an area frequented by wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk to prevent them from starving or for recreational viewing. Deer and elk feeding does not include any of the following:
(a) Baiting to take game as provided by an order of the commission under section 40113a.
(b) The scattering of feed solely as the result of normal logging practices or normal agricultural practices.
(c) The storage or use of feed for agricultural purposes if 1 or more of the following apply:
(i) The area is occupied by livestock actively consuming the feed on a daily basis.
(ii) The feed is covered to deter wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk from gaining access to the feed or is being used on a daily basis.
(iii) The feed is in a storage facility or is stored in a manner that is consistent with normal agricultural practices.
(d) Feeding wild birds or other wildlife if done in such a manner as to exclude wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk from gaining access to the feed.
(2) If the commission issues an order banning or restricting deer or elk baiting, an individual may, subject to subsection (3), engage in deer or elk baiting on private property during an open season for deer if that individual does both of the following:
(a) Purchases a deer baiting license. The fee for a deer baiting license is $15.00 for a resident and $30.00 for a nonresident.
(b) Possesses a valid deer hunting license under section 43527a.
(3) The commission may ban deer or elk baiting in a deer management unit where chronic wasting disease or other wildlife diseases affecting deer or elk have been found if the commission finds 2 or more cases of the disease in the deer management unit during a 1 year period.
(4) This section is repealed January 1, 2029.
