# MDNRE Ends Effort to Control TB in Deer.



## twodogsphil (Apr 16, 2002)

DNRE Decision Sounds Foolish
BY ERIC SHARP
FREE PRESS OUTDOORS WRITER

Following the discovery of bovine tuberculosis in another cattle herd, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment said it will end efforts to control the disease in deer. Instead, Michigan's estimated 1.7 million wild whitetails will be rounded up on state-run preserves.

"This way we can sell people deer licenses, then let them hunt the state deer ranches," said Dr. I.M. Lyon, who heads the state's deer research operations. "Hunters could drive to any of the eight or 10 state deer ranches after breakfast -- no more need to get up before dawn -- and be in a stand by noon. It shouldn't take more than an hour to shoot the deer and get home in time to watch the football game."

As for controlling the herd size by culling antlerless deer, Dr. Eetza Hoaks, an economist with the state budget office, said that a fee of about $400"would be well within the capabilities of most hunters."

"And if there aren't enough hunters interested in shooting does, we can sell the excess to restaurants. They have a lot of restaurants in Europe that offer game dishes, and they get big money for them. "Think about it -- 200,000 does at $400 each would bring the DNRE $80 million a year. Toss in another 250,000 bucks at an average of $3,000 and it would solve all the financial problems."

The DNRE has been trying to eliminate the bovine tuberculosis that was first found in deer in the northeastern Lower Peninsula 15 years ago. The prevalence of the disease has been lowered, but it still occasionally spreads to cattle herds like the one found to be infected in Emmett County this month.

"It was while we were rounding up the cattle on the farm that one of the guys said, 'Gee, too bad we can't round the deer up like this.' And somebody else asked, 'Well, why can't we?' And there didn't seem to be a good answer," said U.R. Gullabel, a biologist who handles deer issues in northwestern Michigan."

"So we quietly brought in some cowboys from Montana to see if it would work, and it did. We were able to herd almost all of the deer in one of the smaller counties into a 1,000-acre pen," he said. The Great State Deer Roundup will begin in the spring of 2011, which is a propitious time according to the Mayan calendar, said Dr. R.U. Nutz, chief of operations for the state road department.

As for any deer left outside the fences, the DNRE plans to establish a year-round license that would allow people who own ORVs and snowmobiles to chase and shoot deer they find running free. Doan B. Leevit, chief of the DNRE's special planning office, said, "We might even put a $5 bounty on deer by 2012. We'd start April Fools' Day."

Contact ERIC SHARP: 313-222-2511 or [email protected]. Read more in his outdoors blog at freep.com/outdoorsblog.


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## xraps (Feb 11, 2009)

It wouldn't surprise me if they did do this with the intellence they have had the past few years. Never say never.


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## reese440 (Feb 11, 2008)

notice the "start April Fool's Day" at the end. Or Dr. I.M. Lyon--"i'm a lying", or Dr. Eetza Hoaks--"its a hoax", U.R. Gullabel--"you are gullible". Do I need to to keep going? Somebody will read that article and start freaking out, I can see the calls coming into the offices tommorow, or asking me while I'm working.


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## GVDocHoliday (Sep 5, 2003)

xraps said:


> It wouldn't surprise me if they did do this with the intellence they have had the past few years. Never say never.


And they still know more than you...surprise.


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## bigwillys454 (Apr 12, 2009)

LMAO the entire time.... Awesome..


twodogsphil said:


> DNRE Decision Sounds Foolish
> BY ERIC SHARP
> FREE PRESS OUTDOORS WRITER
> 
> ...


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