LANSING, Mich. – Last year Michigan hunters failed to meet a deer head check quota. If the state fails to meet that quota it could have consequences for the state’s cattle industry. 

Deer heads are checked for Bovine tuberculosis (TB), a problem in Michigan for many years, especially in the northeast Lower Peninsula, where officials say Bovine TB is considered endemic. Michigan currently enjoys so-called split-state status, which allows for a vast majority of the state to be treated as TB free, while a zone of four counties – Montmorency, Alpena, Oscoda and Alcona – as well as the seven counties surrounding those are subject to additional testing for Bovine TB in deer.

The USDA is responsible for regulating how Bovine TB is dealt with in the states and the agency is able to impose different statuses on the states, which can affect how cattle, too, are regulated. This is because cattle, not just free roaming deer can become infected with Bovine TB and deer are known to interact with cattle herds, especially when deer are able to access feed that cattle also use. The USDA and state officials have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding Bovine TB in Michigan.

Last year Michigan did not meet the requirement for deer head checks under the MOU. This was attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic. If the state fails to meet its obligations under the MOU with the USDA; it could lose its split-state status which could increase regulation on cattle herds. 

The loss of split-state status would “lead to additional testing requirements, movement restrictions on farm as well as outside of state,” said Andrew Vermeesch of the Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB). Vermeesch works with state officials, including those at the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) and Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Development, on issues that include Bovine TB. “It would become harder to sell Michigan cattle outside of the state. Additional testing for Bovine TB would be costly and time consuming. It’s hard to determine what would happen if that quota for deer head checks isn’t met. The USDA would have a number of options, but the loss of split-state status would be one of those options.

“Currently the state of Michigan is reviewing the MOU with the USDA, Vermeesch said. “The last time it did this was 2019; within the MOU certain things are outlined, including the deer head checks. Testing requirements outside the core areas is something new.”

The requirement for deer head checks in the four-county area is 2,800 deer heads to be checked for Bovine TB in a season. In addition, 300 deer heads in each of the surrounding counties must also be checked, including Cheboygan, Otsego, Crawford, Roscommon, Ogemaw and Iosco counties. Some 500 deer heads must be checked in Presque Isle County. 

The regular firearms deer hunting season goes from Nov. 15-Nov. 30. More information is available about protocols for checking deer heads in Michigan at www.michigan.gov/deercheck. The state’s DNR website also has information on the location of its 14 staffed check stations. Most are open from 9am to 4pm during the regular hunting season.