Supplemental feeding of deer is prohibited in Michigan, except a person may engage in the supplemental feeding of deer in Ontonagon, Houghton, Keweenaw, Baraga, Alger, Luce, and those portions of Marquette and Chippewa counties north of the T43N-T44N boundary line if all of the following conditions are met:

1) Prior to placing any feed, the person first acquires permission of the respective public land administrator and private property owner and a supplemental deer     feeding permit issued by a Department wildlife biologist. A person engaged in supplemental deer feeding shall possess a copy of the supplemental deer feeding permit and shall produce the permit upon the request of a conservation officer.

2) The supplemental deer feeding is conducted in compliance with all of the following criteria:

(a) The placement of feed shall not begin prior to the Monday following January 1 and shall not extend beyond May 15 unless otherwise specified in the supplemental deer feeding permit.

(b) All feed shall be placed ¼ mile or more from the nearest paved public highway unless otherwise specified in the supplemental deer feeding permit.

(c) All feed shall be placed at least 1 mile from cattle, goats, sheep, new world camelids, bison, swine, horses, or captive cervidae unless otherwise specified in the supplemental deer feeding permit.

(d) All feed shall be placed at least 1 mile from wheat fields, potato fields, commercial fruit orchards, commercial plantings of nursery stock or Christmas trees, unless otherwise specified in the supplemental deer feeding permit.

(e) The feed shall consist solely of grains and pelletized food materials containing no animal protein which is scattered or dispersed directly upon the ground to a depth which shall not exceed 3 inches.

3) A person issued a supplemental deer feeding permit shall agree to assist the department in the collection of deer tissue samples for disease surveillance.

4) A person issued a supplemental deer feeding permit shall report by May 30 the quantity and type of feed used, dates and duration of feeding, and other information as may be specified in the supplemental feeding permit. The department shall report to the commission the number of permits issued, quantity of feed used, and other relevant supplemental deer feeding information.

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