RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

If it's legal to duct tape an arrow to the front of your ATV and chase 'em down....

Have at it.

I respect everyone's views.....but respect the man hunting legally, Equally. To each his own.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

[[/quote]

. I can't see how setting up 25yds from a feeder and waiting for deer YOU KNOW will be coming to eat from itamounts to fair chase.

Maybe someone can enlighten me....

PerhapsI'm too old fashion or out of touch with how hunting is done these days.:eek: Lets face it, it's an "instant gratification" world we are living in today and I fear that mentality has spilled over into hunting.
[/quote] Is that different than setting up 25yds from a soybean field and waiting for a deer YOU KNOW will be coming to eat?

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Sir,
For 22 years old and reading your post, I believe you are quite "mature" for your age. Keep it up, you will be rewarded.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

gr8, let me make clear that I wasn't implying or meaning "morals" as you said... just that some people (obviously me, in this case) don't get the pleasure out of shooting a deer with a gun that others do. It was an attempt to show John that just as he doesn't see any joy being derived from hunting over a feeder, that others may not see any joy in one of the ways he chooses to hunt, either.

People will very unfortunately lose animals irrespective of their weapon of choice; that's just a simple fact. Truthfully, yeah, I could have put meat in the freezer ifI'd shot that elk with a gun... but there would have been no enjoyment or sense of accomplishment in it for me. I might as well have went to a butcher store and picked it out of a window. But that's just me... and I'm not trying to impose my values or thoughts on anyone else... I will fight until I die for the rights of any gun hunters. I still use a gun for other game (i.e., rabbits, doves, etc.)

Again, just showing the other side of the coin that we all have things we don't necessarily think was that challenging to accomplish. For John, it's shooting a deer over a feeder. For me, it's shooting one with a gun. But I don't question the morals of anyone who chooses to do so, nor their right. It just brings no accomplishment with it for me; it simply puts meat in the freezer. And if I collected every single animal which I pursued with my bow? I'd probably start losing some of the sense of accomplishment in that arena as well... though that's certainly the goal, isn't it? :)

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Thanks Greg for that post. I read the original over and over and thought I must be missing something. I appreciate your setting the record straight. I'm a hunter first and foremost, and yes my favorite weapon is the Bow. It's hard for us not to let our personal preferences show..but it is what's best for the sport as a whole.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

I guess I'll be odd man out here. My question is this, who cares? I just read a report recently showing the alarming decline of hunters, all types of hunters, over the past five years. We all need to understand that in order for this sport to continue, we must do many things. One of those things is to stop this bickering among our ranks. As it has been stated throughout this thread, if it is a legal way to hunt, then go for it. There are many different ways to hunt accross the U.S. and worldwide. Just because a certain method is popular and accepted in one area, doesn't mean it will be somewhere else. If it's not your cup of tea, so be it, but don't try to stir the pot or cheapen the experience for someone else. We are all in pursuit of a common goal, enjoying our time afield. This constant finger pointing, self rightous banter will only accomplish two things, increase the number of those walking away from hunting and decrease the number of those who wish to start.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Now THAT would be a challenge!!

Unless we went into the woods naked and chased a deer trying to kill it with our bare hands we all try to use our human, god given, intelligence to kill deer.
What we choose to do to gain advantage is up tous as individuals.whether it be that same naked guygaining a slight advantage by climbing up a tree to jump on the deer to the guy up high in a tree, decked in perfect camo, perfectly sighted in gun,totally scent free 15 yardsover the only available food andwater for miles in an area overpopulated with deer.
Either would be legal, and either would be an individuals choice. Most of us are somewhere inbetween those two scenarios but no ones situation is exactly the same.

Whatever it is you choose as your method of hunting by all means do it. BUT most importantly, Get out there with friends and family. spend quality time with them hunting, talking, being together and have fun and be safe.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

I am not going to say that hunting over bait is "wrong", since it is legal in some places, but I dosee the "elitists" as theyve been called point of view. I personally just consider it more on the harvest side than hunting side. Being a big-woods hunterthe picslook likehe is hunting in a feed-lot to me, but kellys in a whole different area than me and its legal so more power to him. Live and let live is right, I look atit like...you hunt how you want to hunt and I will hunt how I want to hunt (both legally of course) and Everybodys happy.:D Some of these pics are shocking to people who have never hunted over bait and has always had legislation against it. In Minnesota here ive heard of the DNR doing flyovers looking for bait or feeding biles to prevent it. In other areas its probably no big deal.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

I'm sorry guys, but I guess I will never understand why people have such disdain for the thought of baiting, and I don't see the difference in baiting and hunting over a field, whatever that field may be: Corn, Beets, whatever else could be there. The deer come to them fields to eat, because they know the foods there, just like a feeder or bait pile. I hunt legally and I feel ethically. To me its like arguing about fishing with no bait, I just don't get it:eek:

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Bunting... Or Bait hunting is no more than shooting at animals that have been some what domesticated. That said I sure do like my hamburgers, steaks, fried chicken and bacon. If it's meat hunting there is no better way to fatten one up than put a little bait down and wait until the come by to scarf it up. Deer, bear, turkey, elk and pretty much any animal are opportunistic foragers. They will gladly come to the bait piles for food. In my state (NC) it became legal to hunt deer with the aid of bait about the late 80's early 90's. I believe it was in an effort to curtail the rapidly growing deer population and they gave in to the portion of hunters who were in favor of it. I use to tag out before baiting was legal. I learned how to hunt. HHunting requires one to learn the characteristics of the quarry they are after. Food choices, bedding locations, signs of movement to and from these sitesare all hunting tools we can utilize toput the odds in our favor.

When allowed to use bait I found it a lot easier to take an animal, I had made it a lot easier to become successful. I hunted with the use of bait spread out for several years. It has only been recently that I have found a complete distaste for the practice, for myself. I remember how it "use to be". I would put my time in the woods scouting, reading the signs and devising strategies that might make me successful. I have made a conscious effort to avoid bunting. That is my personal stance.

I have decided for myself that if I put food out that is designed to attract them in and hunt over it, it's bunting. If it's naturally planted or crop land that it's intended purpose is to provide a harvest of a crop its not bunting.

I have also found I hold no wow factor for anyonewho shoots a deer over bait. Meaning, "Hey man I shot a nice (8, 10 you fill in the blank) buck as he came into my bait setup". You know the way someone who hunts the traditional ways, the long bow, no sights, no bait, from the ground. The ones who can pull that off and be successful against a mature animal, my respect is indeed granted to their efforts.

I as many hunters do watch numerous hunting videos. I note the ones who use bait and either turn away when they are on, or won't watch their stuff. It's easy to spot them, the deer just stand there eating in the same place for a pretty long time. No more than shooting a cow in a pasture in my opinion. Cows are good eating as we all could agree so are corn fed deer.

The original poster dude (forgot your screen name) mentioned what do the non hunters think about it? Some one else may say who cares. Well, we live in a democratic society and if those 80% (the numbers are not exact but, 10% of the pop are antihunters, 10% are hunters that leaves 80% as nonhunters) of the people decide you shouldn't hunt, then it can be outlawed. We should care what the non hunters think, note this is different than the anti hunters opinion, they want it stopped anyway. I have heard many times as a person walks out of Walmart with 1/2 a dozen bags of 50# bags of corn, you mean you put that stuff down and wait for them to come by and eat it? That's hunting to you?

Our sport of hunting and it's future is indeed something we had better be mindful of what others think.