NRC takes action on CWD regulations this July

At this month’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting, chronic wasting disease regulations are up for action.

The meeting will take place on July 11 at the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at 4125 Beaumont Rd., Lansing, MI 48910. If you are unable to attend but would like to watch, check out the MUCC Facebook page! A full agenda for the day can be found here.

At 10:30 am, the NRC Policy Committee on Wildlife and Fisheries will come to order. Updates from both the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Wildlife Division and MDNR Fisheries Division will be given by the respective chiefs. The chief of the MDNR Wildlife Division Russ Mason will give an update on CWD regulations. 

The NRC Committee of the Whole will meet at 1 pm. The Committee of the Whole will begin with a director’s report given by MDNR Director Dan Eichinger. Eichinger will present the Partner’s in Conservation Award to Steve Wyckoff. After the director’s award presentation, he will give an update on CWD regulations. The director’s update will be followed by legislative and committee updates.

For Action

Commissioners will be taking action on chronic wasting disease regulations initially proposed at the May and June meetings. A write-up of the details for the chronic wasting disease regulations can be found here. The following are amendments proposed by commissioners at the June meeting and will be voted on this month: 

Proposed by Commissioner Tracy:

• The DNR prepare an amendment that allows hunter with disabilities to bait during all deer seasons, not just the liberty hunt. 
• Proposed three options pertaining to the CWD study areas and mandatory APRs
  • Remove all APRs
  • Remove APRs from just Montcalm county 
  • Flip the counties that do not have APRs and act as the control group (Kent, Newaygo) with the counties that do (Montcalm, Ionia, Mecosta). So Kent and Newaygo counties will have the APR and Montcalm, Ionia and Mecosta will not. 
• Amend the ban on baiting in the U.P. to allow single bait bites
• Remove APRs from the CWD control area in the U.P. 
• Remove APRs on first tags for the entire Upper Peninsula

Changes made by the Department of Natural Resources: 

• Prohibiting the possession and transportation of roadkill deer carcasses outside of the county where the deer was killed except for deboned meat, quarters or other parts of the deer that do not contain any part of the spinal column or head, antlers, antlers attached to skull cleaned of all brain and muscle tissue, hides, upper canine teeth or a finished taxidermist mount.