RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Far as I know....they bait turkeys in KS, too. Is that OK?

It's legal. Show me your LEGAL kill and I'll congratulate you and take your photos if you want me to.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Completely agree... 100%.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Great post, and I really shouldnt havent mentioned that its right cause its legal. You are 100% right. I remember when I just started hunting we hunted at my uncles hunting land, he had 200 acres of hardwoods. We stayed in a trailer set up out there and he had a mineral lick by it that would get like 30 deer a day using it. The deer were practically tame while at that lick. I wasnt seeing anything from my stand and id walk backand jump tons of deer off the lick everytime (they would be back in like 2 mins). The next morning I told my dad that I was going to set up a ground blind by the mineral lick. He got pissed, and told me "what kind of hunting would that be." At the time I didnt understand, I said, "who cares, I will get a deer and I will be done". He told me, "well if you want to hunt like that, you can hunt somewhere else". I didnt understand. 10 years of spending alot of time in the wild on a portable deer stand and NOW I understand perfectly.
Thanks for the reality check man.

But in the end, I wont tell someone else how to hunt regardless of my opinion, and I wont hunt according to their opinion.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Wow!

Thanks to everyone who responded and thanks for keeping it civil.

I read the entire post and have learned some things. I have had time to think it over and I've come to some conclusions......

First I will never condemn someone who hunts over a feeder if it's legal for them to do so. Second (and many of you commented on this) I was only talking about a feeder. Food plots and farm fields and water holes are slightly different in my opinion in that they are usually over a pretty spread out area and a deer may not come close enough to you on their way to the pond or food plot. While I feel hunting these areas will make it slightly easier (little better odds to see deer) I have no problem with those situations. I've never hunted a food plot but I did hunt a pond one time......never saw a thing.

A feeder is a very specific area where the deer come to eat, they know winter is coming and they need to eat. If you set up over a feeder then if a deer comes to feed on it, you will have a shot. If a deer comes to a pond or food plot, it may be on the other side from where you are.

My biggest beef is with hunting over a feeder not so much food plots or ponds.

Ok, I'll try to get to some specific posts....

Greg, thanks for the post...

I'm not quite sure it's the same because gun shots can differ, some are easy yes but some are also difficult. If a deer comes under my stand and gives me a 10yd shot I'm not going to think bow hunting is less of a sport because it happened, it just happened that the deer was close....he could have just as easy been60yds away.

With a feeder, you know the range of your shot ahead of time and you know where the deer will be standing (within a few feet) all before you even go into the woods.

I canhonestly tell you that through the years I've had gun kills that looking back on them were pretty easy shots and not one of the more difficult hunts I ever had....but I didn't know that going into the hunt.

Howler...no need to get all upset this is just a discussion, it's all good.;)

I have hunted out west (college days in Utah) and I too took advantage of the natural attractants, I have no problem with that. I even went as far as to say I don't have any issues with food plots per say. Where I draw the line is with feeders.

Motown.....you're really going to like me now........I just picked up a Mathews Switchback LD:)......I'll post details in a new thread shortly

Thanks to everyone who joined in the discussion, I didn't start it to belittle anyone, I am happy for all who hunt as long as it's legal. But as sated before, with some states hunting over a feeder is illegal so I recognize the fine line and just wanted to get some feed back.

Later....

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

YOUR definition of "fair chase" OBVIOUSLY doesn't mean a thing to the laws governing your state (or any state that allows this). Petition to get them changed if it bothers you that much.

Ask 100 hunters to define "fair chase". There's your next 20 page thread. Have at it.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

I've read all the post and like BigJ, I have to commend you for keeping this civil, for the most part and that really shows character.

Hunting deer over a feeder is something I am very torn on. I won't condemn anyone that chooses to do so where legal even if I don't do the same practice because I am not sure I would or would not in states where it's legal or practiced. Take Sask, Canada and those monster black rack B&C whitetails you see taken, mostly over corn in the snow...would I go there and shoot one with my bow? I don't know.

I've taken a Black Bear in Quebec over a bucket of doughnuts so who am I to speak up against someone baiting whitetials. I'm torn because I hold whitetails in a higher light than I do black bears in Canada. PA doesn't allow baiting for ANYTHING, I grew up with this practice and this believe but as I mature I try to open my mid to new and different things. I can see PA's stance on this because the deer herd could be desimated if bait were to be used not to mention the killing of our flerishing bear population...IN PA, I hope baiting is never legalized.

In other states, their governments regulate their animals as they see fit and necessary...thusly the difference in state laws.

I'm heading to Wyo with several fellow HNI members to hunt Pronghorns and the practice is to hunt them out of blinds on water holes...in an arid year I'm betting it's easier to take a pronghorn over a water hole than it is a whitetail over a bait pile...the whitetail doesn't have to come to the corn, the pronghorn MUST come to the water. So where do I draw the line, where do you?

I again, hold whitetails on a higher pedistal then I do other animals so there is a mystic about deer....I don't hunt over bait, it's illegal in PA but would I elsewhere....I say no but I've never hunted a state that allows it. I wouldn't want to but that's kinda an oxymoron from what I've said about the bear and the pronghorn.

Ethics, hmmm that only lies within ones own reasoning and no one can tell someone else about ethics...no one will ever be totally ethical in all aspect of their life, NO ONE....

All we can hope for is that each one of us does do right no matter what they do as far as hunting that not only sheds hunters in the right light to legislators and non hunters but also, what's right for the animals. We are nothing more than a management tool, kill quickly and humanely and enjoy the bounty.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Once again Rob very very good post. You don't agree with it, but you don't look down on people that do it as less of a hunter. Great post!

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

GMMAT -

You are right, I am simply stating my opinion, and I'm certainly not trying to offend anyone or berate their hunting methods.

Again, my point was that discussing the legality of something, is not the same thing as talking about whether something is right or wrong. I interpreted the point of the thread as being a discussion on the merits of baiting. Discussing the legality, is not the same as discussing the merits.
If the thread was started as a discussion of abortion, would our response be "Who cares, its legal?" Nope.

What if thequestion was "In a perfect world, would youteach your children to hunt over afeeder?" There are many things that are legal, that I do not want my children to do.But that is my opinion.

Anway, there is something bigger here. Something bigger than legality. But, clearly, we will just have to agree to disagree.

Again, I'm not calling out hunters that hunt over feeders or trying to get personal. Just my opinions.

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

I LOVE this answer ....

RE: Hunting Over Feeders
 

Here, this was all the way over on page 2, I'd hate to see it get lost because oh my god, we haven't talked about and probably should start another one, then another one and hey, how about we just do it again.:eek: