Michigan lawmakers are shaking up the hunting world with a bold move to dismantle the state’s deer baiting ban in the Lower Peninsula, a restriction that’s chafed sportsmen for years. House Bill 4445, championed by Republican Rep. Jennifer Wortz, sailed through the House on a 66-38 party-line vote (plus a handful of defectors), now heading to the Senate where it could become law. This isn’t just about piling corn in the woods to lure whitetails—it’s a direct strike against heavy-handed wildlife regs imposed after chronic wasting disease (CWD) scares, which banned baiting since 2018. Proponents argue the science has evolved, with targeted surveillance proving baiting doesn’t meaningfully spread CWD, and hunters are itching to reclaim traditional tactics that boost success rates without gutting herd health.
For the 2A community, this is a masterclass in grassroots pushback against nanny-state overreach, mirroring the fights we wage on gun rights. Think about it: just as anti-gunners hype public safety to justify bans on ARs or suppressors, wildlife bureaucrats weaponized CWD fears to strip hunters of tools passed down generations. Rolling back this ban empowers law-abiding sportsmen—many of whom are our core 2A allies—to exercise their rights without Big Brother’s micromanagement. It’s no coincidence that hunting culture overlaps heavily with Second Amendment strongholds; states like Michigan, with robust gun ownership, see these wins as dominoes. If HB 4445 passes, expect a surge in participation, bolstering conservation funding via licenses and proving that freedom-driven management outperforms prohibition every time.
The implications ripple wider: success here could inspire challenges to similar bans in Wisconsin, Illinois, and beyond, fortifying the hunter-gun owner nexus against urban elites who view rural traditions as relics. 2A advocates should cheer this as a template—mobilize, vote, and remind lawmakers that shall not be infringed extends to the pursuits that built America. Keep an eye on the Senate; if they fumble, it’s a call to arms for the next election cycle. This is how we win: one pile of bait at a time.
