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Committee hears bill to limit baiting enforcement for small-scale backyard wildlife feeding
Summary
Lawmakers heard testimony on a proposal that would prevent enforcement of baiting rules against household bird and small‑mammal feeding when limited to two gallons a day within 300 feet of a residence; members asked about pests, measuring scattered feed and enforcement discretion.
A committee heard testimony on a bill that would narrow enforcement of state baiting rules for limited backyard wildlife feeding, including bird feeders and small mammals, after a testifier said Department of Natural Resources enforcement had driven them into politics.
The testifier urged lawmakers to "pass my bill and let grandma feed her wildlife in peace," and described repeated encounters with DNR officers and court appeals that ended only when the testifier sought legislative relief.
Provisions and why it matters
The proposal discussed at the hearing would allow limited feeding near homes while retaining DNR enforcement against more substantial baiting. The testifier said the bill would limit feeding to "a minimum of 2 gallons a day" and restrict permitted feeding to within "300 feet of a residence," and that covered wildlife would be "birds and small mammals." He said there would be no height restrictions and that scattering feed on the ground would be allowed so long as the 2-gallon daily limit was observed.
Committee members pressed for details on how the limits would be measured and enforced. Representative Weiss asked whether the bill would affect local nuisance or pest ordinances, saying his district struggles with rats. The testifier replied, "No. I didn't address that. Mine specifically deals with stopping folks from being charged with baiting," and added that attracting rats would likely remain subject to local ordinances.
On measurement and enforcement, Representative Woodin asked how enforcement would work if feed were scattered rather than kept in containers. The testifier said enforcement would largely be left to the discretion of conservation officers: "I think they're pretty adept at looking and can tell the difference between is this something that's spilled out of a feeder?" He added that in his own yard he uses feeders but allows turkeys to eat from a table and acknowledged that some feed will fall to the ground.
Comparisons and local practice
Representative Preston compared the proposal to enforcement practices in the Upper Peninsula, where baiting allowances cited in the hearing limit feeding to two gallons spread over a 10-by-10-foot area. Preston said conservation officers' enforcement methods used in the U.P. could be applied in residential settings if the bill clearly defined limits.
No formal vote or committee action on the bill was recorded in the transcript. Several members thanked the speaker and moved on to other business.
Ending
Committee members asked staff and the bill sponsor follow-up questions about measurement, overlap with local pest controls, and enforcement guidance for conservation officers. The hearing record shows the proposal remains in the discussion stage; no formal enactment or committee vote is recorded in the transcript.
