Baiting and feeding ban in Oneida, Forest and Vilas counties will begin Jan. 11

For Antigo Times

RHINELANDER, Wis. -- A ban on baiting for hunting and feeding deer for recreational viewing or other purposes in Oneida, Forest and Vilas counties will take effect Jan. 11, 2016 due to the detection of chronic wasting disease in captive white-tailed deer on private land in Oneida County reported in December.

Forest and Vilas counties are within a 10-mile radius of the Oneida County property on which a CWD-positive deer was found. State law requires that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources enact a ban on feeding and baiting of deer in counties or portions of counties within a 10-mile radius of a captive or free-roaming domestic or wild animal that tests positive for CWD or tuberculosis. As of Jan. 11, baiting and feeding of deer will be prohibited in 41 Wisconsin counties.

Individuals may still feed birds and small mammals, provided the feeding devices are within 50 yards of a human dwelling and at a sufficient height or design to prevent access by deer.

For more information regarding baiting and feeding regulations and CWD in Wisconsin, visit the department’s website,dnr.wi.gov, and search keywords “bait” and "CWD" respectively.