Landowners in Kent County who are interested in managing deer on their property are invited to learn about a new fall pilot program that may be able to help.
Many Kent County landowners are familiar with deer damage to crops and native plants, and Kent County has led the state in car-deer collisions for the last decade.
Deer Connections – part of a broader effort to address deer-related challenges in Kent County and increase opportunities for responsible deer management on private land – is an online platform designed to connect eligible landowners with hunters looking for places to hunt. Landowners can review hunter profiles, choose who they would like to connect with and use guided tools to establish expectations for hunting on their property.
The platform also offers a customizable hunting access agreement, and hunting liability insurance is provided at no cost to the landowners through a partnership with the National Deer Association.
The Deer Connections pilot program is funded and supported by the Kent County Deer Management Coalition, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and National Deer Association.
Learn more at September open houses
Landowners interested in learning how Deer Connections works, asking questions or finding out whether their property is eligible are invited to attend one of two public open houses:
Thursday, Sept. 17, 5-7 p.m. Kent County Road Commission North Complex, 11777 White Creek Ave. NE, Cedar Springs, MI 49319
Friday, Sept. 18, 8-10 a.m. Kent County Road Commission South Complex, 4949 Tim Dougherty Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
Can't attend an open house?
Visit deerconnections.com to learn more about eligibility, participation and how the program works.
Deer Connections provides a platform for landowners and hunters to connect but does not vet, screen, approve or endorse individual participants. Landowners and hunters are responsible for communicating expectations and determining whether a connection is appropriate before making arrangements.