DNR gives encouragement and warning

By Dan Armstrong Tuesday, NBC 25, September 29, 2009 at 4:54 p.m.

An encouragement, and a warning from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. It's telling you to hunt in Michigan, but also telling you that the game may be poisonous.

It's seems like a mixed message. That's why NBC25 called the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for clarification this hunting season.

The 2009 Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide, put out by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, has a full spread of a Pure Michigan Hunt.

It encourages people to buy hunting licenses and enjoy Michigan's great outdoors.

However, on page 33, it says game taken from the flood plains of the Tittabawassee River and Saginaw River contains high levels of dioxin, and that "eating deer, turkey, squirrel, wood duck or canadian geese that contain dioxin at these levels could result in adverse health effects."

The Michigan DNR says the consumption advisory is for a small area compared to the entire state and should not scare hunters away.

It says, contaminated deer from the area are not likely to travel outside that area.

Dr. Dan O'Brien, a Michigan DNR veterinarian says, "The reality is, most of the deer in southern Michigan don't move long distances because the habitat is so good. They don't have to move in another area. Most female deer have a home space of a square mile or less."

That's not the case for water fowl. So hunters need to be aware.

The DNR says to skin geese or ducks before consuming them.

O'Brien goes on to say, "The purpose of the consumption advisory in the first place is to get people some guidelines about how much game is safe to consume even if it's harvested in the flood plains."

The DNR says it needs hunters to continue to harvest the area to maintain control of the various populations.

One MidMichigan hunter we talked to says he's boycotting hunting in Michigan. He says the state is being irresponsible in addressing the dioxin issue with wildlife.

Speaking of dioxin, federal and state officials say they've reached a tentative deal with Dow Chemical on designing a cleanup of dioxin contamination near a plant in Midland.

The agreement still needs approval by senior managers of both agencies and the company.
 

http://www.connectmidmichigan.com/news/story.aspx?id=356422

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