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The Upper Peninsula Sportsmen’s Alliance (UPSA) held their quarterly meeting last Saturday and it was, for me, one of their best effort to date in bringing information about conservation and wildlife management to the membership.

The session, held at Bay deNoc Community College, began with a timely award presentation to Al Heidenreich of Dickinson County. Al served an immeasurable time as an officer of UPSA, combining the strengths of those affiliate membership clubs to aggressively attack the anti-hunter factions on a Michigan ballot issue in 1996.

I’ll be providing more on the history and well deserved recognition of

Heidenreich in a later column.

After completing regular business, the second half of the UPSA meeting was set aside for presentations by two established veterinarians in the state.

Dr. Steve Schmitt is most recognized for years of service in his position as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Lead Veterinarian and a pioneering participant in the two part translocation of moose from Ontario, Canada to the UP.

Schmitt has been at the forefront of critical issues before the MDNR in

Michigan, specifically the increased prevalence and eradication of bovine

tuberculosis among free ranging wildlife in the Lower Peninsula, and help in creating the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Reaction Plan after the discovery of the disease in Wisconsin, and adopted by the MDNR in 2002.

The other presenter, Dr. Jeff Powers of Beaver Island has a varied

background in veterinarian medicine. Some of his accomplishments

include:

*Founder and President of South Sanilac Veterinary Hospital Inc.

*A multi-doctor Food Animal, Equine and Companion Animal Practice. Focused on dairy herd health, preventive heath care solutions for large and small animals.

*Founder and owner of Beaver Island Veterinary Services providing mixed animal veterinary services to the islands of Beaver Island and South Fox Island in Lake Michigan.

Both vets presented their views on the appropriate approach in dealing with CWD with Schmidt providing the rationale for the MDNR

Reaction Plan.

He also gave the physiological background on the disease in noting that it is caused through a mutation of a certain protein (or prion) in deer, unlike a vector of viral or bacteria content.

Powers presented information he obtained through research that argues against the state plan, not in concept but in depth which includes the banning of the winter feeding of wildlife.

It was his position that the MDNR needs to re-visit the CWD Reaction Plan. He believes that winter feeding programs, when done appropriately, do

not exacerbate disease where none is present.

Both presentations were highly credible and perhaps confusing to those attending such a session for the first time. There wasn’t any real debate, it was just a compilation of facts with different perspectives.

Dr. Schmitt has stated that he appreciates the view of those who closely monitor the health of local deer populations in the stressful situations often found during the grueling UP winters. He equally expressed that he could not in good conscience endorse any type of artificial feeding of wildlife due to the potential for contamination among infected species (primarily deer).

UPSA secretary Rory Mattson remarked that he “appreciated how Dr, Schmidt had to look at the issue with blinders on”. His charge is to provide data to the MDNR that clearly follows a biological perspective.

What Powers brought to the discussion was how his research indicates other states that do have a CWD history continue some feeding programs and do so without complicating their disease issues.

At the conclusion of the CWD segment of the meeting, McNamee suggested those in attendance make up their minds on how they feel on the issue. “It will be the intent of UPSA to seek the MDNR now re-address their CWD Reaction Plan to restore some winter feeding in the Lower Peninsula (outside of the ten county surveillance zone) and extend the allowance in the UP which is due to expire this year.”

The UPSA has also committed to support public education as to what and when deer should be fed. There are some who feed deer inappropriate food products that could have as much a negative affect on their health as any disease. Others are getting themselves into programs that are not appropriate for the area causing habitat, financial and/or neighbor problems for some.

The UPSA will consider re-introduction of a trigger formula (with more of an emergency need connotation) that was once suggested to the MDNR and Natural Resources Commission. MDNR Wildlife Chief Russ Mason, and Director Becky Humphries have both indicated discussions in this regard should resume as we all work towards resolve.