Northern Lower Peninsula Deer Private Land Assistance Network (NLP Deer PLAN)

Grants of up to $15,000 to Michigan conservation districts and organizations, landowners, and sportsmen groups in eligible counties to improve the quality of deer territory and hunting access on privately owned lands. Funding is intended to reduce agricultural damage caused by deer and to reduce the transmission of deer-borne diseases. All 2021 project areas must fall within the following focus area counties: Alcona, Alpena, Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Presque Isle.

All projects must attempt to address these objectives in order to be considered for approved funding:

1. To produce and/or improve tangible on-the-ground deer habitat (summer and/or winter range) in the project focus area.
2. To increase partnerships between the DNR, sportsmen's organizations, private landowners, agricultural producers, and other partners.
   
3. To increase deer availability to hunters on both public and private land.
   
4. To reduce transmission of Bovine Tuberculosis and agricultural damage caused by deer.
   
5. To encourage the harvest of deer, especially antlerless deer, and the testing of deer for Bovine Tuberculosis.

In 2021, the focus of the NLP Deer PLAN is to improve deer habitat on privately owned rural lands. While public access is not required, public access to projects is highly desired and projects with provisions that allow legal public access (e.g. the Hunting Access Program) for hunting of deer will be reflected in the project scoring process. Proximity to active agricultural lands will also be highly desirable in order to assist in reducing negative impacts to agricultural operations and will be reflected in the project scoring process. In addition, the formation of cooperatives or partnerships that include multiple property owners and at least 150 acres between at least two properties will be awarded additional scoring points. Finally, implementing deer management in the form of harvesting and testing of deer for Bovine Tuberculosis will gain additional scoring points. 

Examples of desired habitat improvement projects include but are not limited to:

• Wildlife opening creation, rehabilitation, or existing opening maintenance;
• Increasing hard or soft mast by planting mast bearing shrubs or trees;
• Non-commercial timber stand improvement activities;
• Direct mechanical habitat manipulation (e.g. regeneration of aspen or alder habitat).

While public access is not required, public access to projects is highly desired and projects with provisions that allow legal public access (e.g. the Hunting Access Program) for hunting of deer will be reflected in the project scoring process. Proximity to active agricultural lands will also be highly desirable in order to assist in reducing negative impacts to agricultural operations and will be reflected in the project scoring process.