Deer Baiting

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Can't legally bait deer here in Mass. Even if I could, I would not do so. Shooting a deer that is feeding on row crops or in an orchard is a different thing than setting up a feeder and hunting over it. I don't judge, if its your tradition and legal, do what suits you. Baiting certainly is several levels above high fence killing. I call it killing, cause it aint hunting when animals are fenced.
If legal, hunt over bait if it suits you. As I said, I would not.
I suppose there are some people who live in areas where jobs and money are real tight. If you truly need the animals you shoot to feed the family, I could look the other way on many hunting laws. if its not legal and you are baiting to manage 'your' herd, or for just shooting rackers, I'd say you would be an unethical person who gives all of us a bad name.
 
HH welcome!

HungryHunter, welcome to TFL. Lot of great people here. Glad to have ya. I don't post in the hunting threads often, found your question interesting.
 
It IS called HUNTING, not killing.

Next door in NV where I used to live - if you used ANY kind of bait, parked or camped near a watering spot and were caught - they took your truck, gun, you went to jail, paid a fine and wouldn't be hunting in NV for a loooong time.

"Harvesting" may be your goal, but hunting is where it is at, not just killing. Living here in the East and seeing everyone sitting in trees with bait and food plots, I stopped deer hunting - they call it hunting but it isn't - it's "Deer Waiting"....
You're already using a gun that can reach out past hunting close, so give your quarry a little respect and make yourself have to actually go after them
 
Thanks to all the replies, advice, and welcomes. North East Redneck, thanks. I love it here. I have been a member for a short while, but have never had the guts to post until recently. I admire most of the people on here and value, their advice, and criticisms more than I'm sure they imagine. Anyway,BigDinFL, I see what you're saying and I respect your opinion, you have probably been hunting longer than I've owned a firearm. But as to your comments about me having a adequate rifle I understand fully. I have several and like to believe myself fairly competent with them. I planned on trying my 6.5 swede for deer, instead of my A bolt II stalker. The thing that made me put up a feeder was the fact I am bowhunting. I want to use my matthews, which had extended my ethical shot to 50m. I think Mr. Eatman summed it up perfectly in his first reply about terrain dictating. I am not suggesting anyone doesn't know this terrain or hasn't western desert hunted, but it's tough to get that close out here. I'm also not arguing for or against feeders, and they'll be illegal here soon so it's no matter. What I am saying is that it's a little different in my area. Several people said tree stands..good luck. I haven't seen a tree, much less a bush higher than my ankle yet. With a rifle no problem. With a bow, kinda hard. I realize this isn't a bowhunting forum so I'll shut up about that. I'm just pointing out that Southwest AZ (picture where they shot the movie The Mummy)doesn't offer much in the way of cover/concealment. I am planning on using a wash I found with a deer trail and one big bush in it.I will also say though, that I took peoples advice and began tracking deer trails and harvested my first javelina that way. Anyway sorry for the horrible writing. I know I should have thrown some dividers in there, but I am also working on that. Thanks to everyone for the support and the opinions.
 
I live in Tx and its legal to hunt over baited areas. I hunt in my backyard or some say Kill in my backyard. I could care less, I have two feeders and have plenty of deer. I kill my share ever year. That's what my plan is before I go, to bring home meat for the family (Fast Food) ! I used to not have a screen on living room window and have shot tons from livingroom but last year we got new windows and screens don't come of :( I love hunting but I am efficient too. I plan on killing a deer before 30 minutes and get him cleaned pronto. You don't see me killing a deer every 3-4 years or waiting on a wall hanger. I kill all young bucks or does. Like I said, I'm eating mine. Wall hangers are safe on my property. Some people claim its cheating but me, it feeds me and my family. I hunt to see nature but I'm out there also for free food.
 
HungryHunter, bow-hunting is hunting, so discussions about it are quite welcome, here.

My familiarity with southern AZ comes from driving I-10 and I-8 plus the old US 80 loop down through Douglas and back to I-10. Not a lot different than my home turf in south Brewster County, south of Alpine, Texas.

Most of my hunting, there, has been cross-country walking. I've halfway figured out where a buck is likely to be holed up for the day, so I head toward such an area and try to kick him out of bed to see if he's worth shooting.

A little buck is just as much hassle to get him toward a jeep trail as a big buck, so I figure I might as well make the misery worthwhile.

So, ten or twelve miles in a day. Lotsa days, nada. But, Bucky spends 24/7 being a deer, all year round. Me, not so much. :) Fun, though.

I don't see much difference between setting up near bait from a cougar setting up near a water hole. Same sort of deal, really. What's the difference between sitting on a hillside, five miles from camp and leaned up against a rock or tree, from sitting in a box blind?

Seems to me that folks worry too much about other people's business.
 
Reads to me like it is about disease control, not hunting ethics. Food plots OK, but not feed. Most attractants Ok, but not edibles or ingestibles...


http://www.azgfd.gov/inside_azgfd/rules/rulemaking_baitingProhibit.shtml



Purpose
SNIP......


Proposed Rule Language

R12-4-303. Unlawful Devices and Ammunition
D. The use of edible or ingestible substances to aid in taking big game is unlawful when:
1. An individual places edible or ingestible substances for the purpose of attracting or taking big game.
2. An individual knowingly takes big game with the aid of edible or ingestible substances placed for the purpose of attracting wildlife to a specific location.
3. This subsection does not limit Department employees or Department agents in the performance of their official duties.
4. For the purposes of this subsection, edible or ingestible substances does not include:
a. Water,
b. Salt or salt-based materials produced and manufactured for the livestock industry, or
c. Nutritional supplements produced and manufactured for the livestock industry and placed during the course of livestock or agricultural operations.

What is “bait”?

For the purposes of this rulemaking, the Commission considers bait to include any food-stuff or ingestible material that has been deposited, scattered, piled, or delivered by a passive or active feeder or feed delivery system so as to constitute an attractant, lure or enticement to wildlife and to influence the movement of these animals for the purpose of harvest by hunters.

“Bait” does not include:

Water
Salt or salt-based materials produced and manufactured for the livestock industry
Nutritional supplements produced and manufactured for the livestock industry and placed during the course of livestock or agricultural operations
Decoys
Scent lures provided they do not contain cervid urine
Chemical attractants provided they are not ingestible
Food plots planted within accepted local or regional agricultural guidelines

Wildlife Health

The proposed restrictions on baiting would prohibit the use of edible or ingestible substances, such as placing corn or wildlife feed in the field to attract and take big game. Baiting can create unusually high concentrations of wildlife where disease can spread easily.

.......SNIP
 
There's been a lot of good opines in this thread. As well as some good advice.

Seems to me that folks worry too much about other people's business.
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^^This advice stands out foremost to me.^^

I've heard people criticize hunting over corn/bait thrown on the ground...but these same people will hunt over food plots planted to attract game.

Have heard people criticize hunting over planted food plots planted specifically for attracting a particular quarry but these same people don't have a problem hunting next to a farmers corn or soybean field.

Have heard some criticize hunting a farmers crop field but yet can't wait for the nuts in a nice acorn/beech tree stand to start falling so they can run out and climb up in their stands placed in these tree's.

Hell, far at that goes, have heard deer hunters here in Ohio where rifles are illegal to deer hunt with cut on guys out West saying long distance hunting with rifles is not sporting at all and goes against their hunting ethics. :rolleyes:
If I say anything to them at all I'll usually inquire from them where all they've hunted. When it all shakes out, usually they've not ventured to far from their own backyard let alone hunted outside of Ohio.

Won't even enter in the stand versus stalking crap. Or is hunting deer with dogs ethical or the 'what about head shooting game' saga...the list goes on and on to include is it cheating(if legal) using crossbows during archery season or inline bp rifle's during primitive weapon season?

These debates have went on far longer then the last 45+yrs. I've hunted and will continue as long as hunting exist. Course, if we're not careful, the way things are going with the anti-gun/anti-hunting crowd, we may not be debating these issue's in another 45yrs.
IMO, something our time would be better spent on then criticizing the legal way someone hunts.

Bottom line, IMO, if you hunt legal, respect your quarry and have decent morals to begin with, after you're into hunting awhile you'll know if you're doing right or not. Let your conscience be your guide.
 
For all who says baiting is cheating, please explain your hunting method to include equipment. Unless you're dressed like a caveman and hunt with primitive weapons, please don't shun other hunters and their legal methods.
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Baiting isn't legal here. My favorite rifle is a .54 Hawken shooting a patched round ball. I don't use scents or calls or rattles. I don't use special soap or any kind of scent cover. The only thing I do in that nature is sometimes wear rubber bottomed boots that won't leave a scent trail. Most times I'm wearing sneakers, along with jeans and a t shirt with a light jacket(and the required orange vest). Where I hunt has thick undergrowth and a few small clearings. I do hunt a ground blind or shooting house at the edges of some of those clearings. I'm not physically able now to drag a deer out of the rough so I take them in the clearings. I don't get in the blind before daylight. I wait till after it gets light and then sneak in. I've gotten more deer that way than I ever got by sitting in the blind itself.
 
I choose the fair chase. No bait, no calls, no made blinds, no tree stands, etc. I will take advantage of the lay of the land. Creeks, gullies, rock outcroppings, and such. I feel that I have enough advantage. I carry a rifle. As long as it is legal, hunt the way you wish and I will hunt mine.
 
Hunting deer over a corn feeder is no more cheating than hunting them over a grove of oak trees dropping mast or a agricultural feild. Its a matter of how and where you have to hunt. Those of you in open country that can implement spot and stalk methods essentially set up ambushes on the prey. You cannot do that in my neck of the woods, you sit and wait over a food service area be it natural or from a bag.

I laugh at the people who don't consider it fair chase. Those deer sit back in the woods 200yds off in cover and can spot most hunters, well the bucks that value their hides. It takes more work than some realize to do. Then again, some people get the notion that you can shoot 20-30 a night, back the truck up and stack them like cord-wood.
 
I'm so glad I'm from SC. We have one of the longest seasons I've ever heard of (Aug15 to Jan1). The only sub-season we have is when its legal to harvest does. None of the whole bow, muzzle loader, pistol, or rifle seasons. When the season comes in, its in and open by whatever means you want. Baiting is legal. Dog drives are still very traditional and ran every Saturday. We can even get tags to shoot deer at night out of season if you apply for them lol. Man I'm ready to go huntin!!!
 
If hunting is to be a sport there must be a contest of skills of the hunter vs the game in his habitat, and following his natural instincts.
Hunting over bait or a field destroys those elements.

If you sit in a blind over bait, whether a food dispenser or a field, then the sport hunting element is gone, and it is just a matter of shooting.
Whatever it is it is not hunting or sporting. There is no contest or skill involved. It is more like shooting cows in the pasture.

Jerry
 
If hunting is to be a sport there must be a contest of skills of the hunter vs the game in his habitat, and following his natural instincts.
Hunting over bait or a field destroys those elements.

If you sit in a blind over bait, whether a food dispenser or a field, then the sport hunting element is gone, and it is just a matter of shooting.
Whatever it is it is not hunting or sporting. There is no contest or skill involved. It is more like shooting cows in the pasture.

Jerry
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Jerry..I hear U saying what is not hunting.....But..please explain what hunting is to U?
 
Hunting over food is no different than hunting over a watering hole or a known travel route. Surely you don't hunt where you know there are no deer. I really can't see hunting as a sport anyway. A way of life or a past time, yes. But not really a sporting competition between two equal competitors. JMHO
If hunting over a feeder were really cheating my wall would be covered with trophys. It isn't. I have a few that I am proud of and not one was shot over the feeder. The biguns are smarter than that around here. I don't shoot anything but the occasional hog over my feeder. Does I like to take still hunting. I keep my feeder going year round to keep deer in my area. It is a must here because most hunters use them.
If you don't want to hunt over food or it is illegal, then don't. Just don't look down on the hunters that choose to use legal methods.
 
Hi, Keg.
Hunting means that I learn where the game I want to hunt is found. Then I scout for a long as time permits. I learn the habits of the game, and what type of trophies or individuals are in the area.
Then I prepare my equipment and get into shape so that I can climb or walk to the area, and hunt for some period of time. Also, I know I am going to have to field dress the game and get it to my camp or vehicle. That places limitations on distance and size of game hunted.

Now many drive an ATV to a stand or blind, shoot a deer or whatever, and haul it back on the ATV.
While I realize that not all do that, some do. It is not sporting and not hunting.

I don’t intend to spend time arguing the point, but that is my opinion, and if I could only hunt over bait or a planted field out of a barn or fancy blind I would not hunt. What have you accomplished when you shoot an animal?

Regards,
Jerry
 
Hunting means that I learn where the game I want to hunt is found. Then I scout for a long as time permits. I learn the habits of the game, and what type of trophies or individuals are in the area.
Then I prepare my equipment and get into shape so that I can climb or walk to the area, and hunt for some period of time. Also, I know I am going to have to field dress the game and get it to my camp or vehicle. That places limitations on distance and size of game hunted.
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Jerry..your answer is kinda vague....There is no mention of what type weapon is allowed to be used? Spear..bow..firearm..firearm with scope? How close can your camp be to where U hunt? How close can U drive your auto? U say.."learn the habits of the game"....Just say deer or elk....They like a certain plot of oaks for acorns or a favorite watering hole....If U hunt these areas..is this not any different than a feeder or crops in a field? Also..hunters from the beginning hunted on horseback....But now..we are not allowed to use an atv? Heck..Used to hunters in India rode elephants.... Hunters from ancient times used hounds....Is that OK? It sounds like hunting..to U..is only for the young and physically fit....That leaves a lot of folks out....It does not hurt to be fit..but no-one is exempt from getting older....I could go on and on....
 
JerryM,
I don't see much difference in your style of hunting except you walk a little to get there. I'm glad you enjoy your style of hunting and wish I was still young enough and had access to the amount of land you seem to. But you shouldn't look down on others because they do it a little differently.
We as hunters shouldn't be bickering amongst ourselves about this type of trivia. We need to stand together against the anti-hunters as a whole. They are getting stronger all the time.
 
JerryM,

Believe me I understand your thinking, & I don't know if you have ever really hunted a feeder from a blind. But it is not a give me! I wish I still hunted South Texas & could invite you for a hunt. I have seen many 150+ class bucks killed, but none killed coming to a feeder. Zero, nada. As a matter of fact, most big bucks are invisible even on night cameras until the rut hits! This is all low fence I'm talking about.

There are some quasi-legal hunting ranches where you literally buy a kill, but this is a small percentage of places to hunt. I also have also visited (not hunted) ranches where the does are bred via straws. Although legal, they are no place for a hunter, but great places to visit & wonder at the monster bucks!

I assure you hunting is not competition & it varies from place to place & as sportsman we all need to stay legal & support each other on the collective term "hunting".

FWIW...

...bug :)
 
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