WE can bait here in Maryland, but I don't like it. As someone mentioned, they get on edge and are easily spooked around bait if you hunt it. Not only that, to me it limits your possibilities if you hunt it. If you don't pile food up they have to forage and move around more. Much more natural patterns and more deer movement. I just don't really like it. I'd rather find the food, the beds, the trails and lay a plan... I call it hunting. With bait you carry it in and lure them and shoot.... I call it lots of things but not real hunting.
The reason many states are against it are varied. I suspect some of the reasons have to do with recent deer diseases that are said to be spread by nose to nose feeding. I also suspect that people in charge see it as an unfair advantage. I also suspect they see it as a strike against hunting when the practice of baiting is observed or heard by the non-hunting community. Some are probably against it as the food/bait is not always in the best interest of sound nutritional needs of the animals... like heavy in corn. Also, it luresanimals from other nearby areas into confined areas causing problems with over population and carrying capacity. You make a herd dependant on bait from a young age and then stop putting it out I suspect the animals suffer a temporary set back. Add to this the new found population increase and the local flora suffers a big hit. I just don't like it. I'd like to see the practice of baiting outlawed everywhere.
The problem with the area I hunt is......NOT ENOUGH PREDATORS. By this....I mean.....NOT ENOUGH HUNTERS. I have sole permission to hunt the areas I hunt....and we need to take more deer. The deer have a safe haven in the form of a county park that doesn't allow hunting. So.....they congregate in there. I'm betting some deer grow up and die of old age in there....only coming out at night to feed on the mast crops that are likely sucked up pretty quickly in their core area.
I just cringe to think they're starving.....but I guess some do. They'r enot in MY yard a lot (though they do come into my yard, some), but I know people who can't have garens due to their browsing habits.
I might change my mind, next year, and do 2 food plots. My guess is they'd become dependent upon them for food, too. I'm at a loss as to what to do to help....other than kill more of them. I take NO pleasure in killing. None. I know I need to take my limit, though. I wish I could take more (take more people in with me).
WEll which is it. In one thread you talk about the low life neighbors shooting all the deer and you can't get one. Then in this thread you say you want more hunters. There aren't enough and there are too many deer. It may be you're part of the problem on your land. Forget the bucks and shoot some does. Tell your landlord you'd like to bring in some friends to help thin the herd... just as long as they don't shoot Your bucks.