Should hunting over bait be illegal in your area?

[CamoCop]

Please explain why or why not you chose yes or no.

(Planted food plots do not count as "bait")

[BTBowhunter]

Its helps spread disease, it artificially changes their patterns, and the guys Ive talked to who hunt where it's legal seem to say that it eventually leads to the deer only visiting baits at night.

It also just doesn't seem verysporting

[CamoCop]

I chose yes because, to me, using feeders and such is unnatural and too easy. Someone with no or very little hunting knowledge can set up a feeder and shoot deer. It just seems too easy in my book. Also, it's a quick fix to planting food plots. Atleast food plots help the herd by supplying addition nutrition to the herd.

This is opinion based only, I am not saying you are not a hunter if you do choose to hunt this way...to each his/her own!

[one on one]

my opinon is if its illegal to hunt over the bait, it should also be illegal to bait, if it is planted this doesn't count.the deer are subject to the disease either way, hunting over it will have no effect on wheither or not the deer catch and spread the disease, our state ruled it illegal because they feared the deer would spread the disease if it was legal,but its legal to bait and hunt that spot after the bait has been gone for10 days, to be honest,nearly every hunter or hunting club i know use bait, i do believe it changes their travel pattern in that area to mostly night,and little activity during day light, unless your baiting all year

[gregholland]

I say keep it legal here in Texas. It's so dry here, and the deer don't have many food options at times. Throw a little Purina Deer Chow in the feeder and rock on!! I'll also hand throw some corn everytime I go out.

[Champlain Islander]

I agree with everything BTbowhunter said. This is the first year you can't bait in Vt and I think it is a good thing. Baiting was never popular here and then in the last 5-10 years it has become more common. People who hunt the old fashon way were having a difficult time because the baiters were pulling in all the deer. Many were getting pickup trucks filled with apple mash and the deer just couldn't stay away. A friend of mine leased a 350 acre area for the past 30 years and has always had great success. The adjoining 400 acre piece was leased to a guy who built tree huts and spread the apple mash all fall. The 350 acre piece wouldn't even have tracks in the snow.

[DoctorDeath]

You MEAN its NOT legal ????

dd

[NY Bowhunter]

I just assume keep it illegal in NY.

[kevin1]

It's already illegal here , and very likely to stay that way .

[wholelottagobble]

Where I live, if you could not bait, you wouldn't see many deer, hunting wouldn't be nearly as exciting, and way less people would hunt. While some would appreciate some "elbow room" in the woods, fewer hunters is never a good thing. If you hunt in a baited area, you know that while yes, there are exceptions, BIG BUCKS are generally not killed over bait, at least where I am. Baiting brings in the does and small bucks, and the big boys may visit, but almost always at night. I've taken maybe 6 bucks in the last 4 years and only 2 were in my bait pile feeding. Baiting brings in the does making it easy to harvest them. Also, for bowhunting, it helps present you with easier shots, and I know for me as a beginning archer, saved me having to take longer, more challenging shots on my first few deer. I realize that in a place with a good buck/doe ratio and clear bedding vs. feeding areas, it is much easier to set-up a stand along definite travel routes. Here the terrain is rugged andthere is NO AGRICULTURE for deer to feed on. Tobacco and Christmas Trees. Everything else is what the Good Lord put here. I wouldn't dream of baiting if I lived in Illionois orMissouri or Kansas, but here in the Western NC mountains, if you want afighting chance against the deer, its a necessity.