I stand about 25 yards off to the side of the feeder.[&:]

I feel that baiting will help you shoot a deer. I don' t think anyone will shoot a " good" deer over bait, but getting a deer is what most want to do.

All hunters fall into three types:

1 I want to fill my tag.

2 Let the small one go, I won' t shoot a doe, or less than a six point.

3 If it ain' t a trophy, I won' t shoot it.

In Wisconsin, we need to kill more deer. If baiting helps, with out spreading C.W.D. I' m all for it.

I dont really have a problem with it. I did it last year, and, it didnt help me at all. Soooo.....its kinda a non issue because i dont do it anymore. I did however try the peanut oil trick, and that im going to hunt over. I dont know if thats baiting or not, its more like a salt like, so yea i guess. But, i doubt it really helps any either. But, if somoene feels its going to help them, more power to them.

I think baiting or hunting over feeders should be banned. If its legal in your state and you want venison, hunt over bait. I hope Minnesota stays no baiting. I really think they will, theres been a strong push to stop feeding deer all together especially with Wisconsins recent problem.

Good Luck!

While I can but don' t bait, I say whatever floats your boat and is legal fine by me. I will have to disagree that you won' t shoot a good deer over bait, having worked in the outfitting industry and have many buddies who either still do or own their own camps, I know for a fact good deer are harvested annually over bait in my neck of the woods. In Saskatchewan 95% of outfitting employs baiting techniques and most of you know what kind of deer our outfitters take down on an annual basis...proof in itself baiting will produce good quality bucks. However or a big but is solid homework, scouting and planning play a key role to hauling in brutes on a yearly basis. While plopping a bait in a general travel area will attract deer, placing a bait in a safety zone that large bucks frequent will attract not only small deer, does and fawns but them same bucks to check baits under broad daylight. To be successful at baiting and harvest top notch deer it takes the same amount time, patience, knowledge and scouting as other techniques. As one who knows it certainly isn' t the easiest way to hunt and I really don' t think guys who take animals over baits are that much less of hunters (in general..meaning the ones who truly take the time and effort to do it properly). Again I don' t guide anymore or hunt over bait but have a versed knowledge of the practice and work ethic it requires in my area to be successful on trophy class whitetails and as such it ain' t as easy as one thinks.

I mentioned it once before but if you want to hunt employing bait fine by me, everybody has their opinion and techniques that elude to success...far be it for me to point my finger or look down my nose at a fellow hunter doing it legally, enjoying success & time spent outdoors.

PS: When baiting is employed in high deer density areas where the chance of disease spread (CWD, etc) is high than I would have to agree that baiting should be banned. Any practice hunters use can lead to herd health issues or damage than it is in the best interest to remove or ban that technique. Here in our province CWD has reared its ugly head in areas where deer have become over populated and see limited hunting pressure (mostly farmland in the south west) and in this case I would frown upon any individual who would bait with the knowledge that this could further promote such spread or cases. As a sportsman I think part of our responsibilty is to respect and protect the resource that we so dearly love to chase..part and parcel a sportsman must be a conservationist & educator to ensure our resource will be their for generations to come.

Good luck and have a safe season

To me hunting over bait pile isn' t hunting. there' s enough natural food sources out there that you can hunt by or the trails leading to them that they don' t need piles dumped out there for them.

Same here. Hunting over a pile of food isn' t hunting to me. I prefer to hike around still hunting very slowly. Sometimes I sit over trails or near orcherds but I usually walk around spot and stalk style for pigs and goats. Tho I sometimes will pour a can of corn out and leave but I don' t watch it. I just make my way back towards it after a while to see if the pigs have found it and are eating. Got a nice young boar one time by doing that but I hardly ever do it.

I also could not afford a feeder and feed.

I will be the first to admit that I am no expert when it comes to baiting.
The area that I live in alows it but it is a practice that I have not employed.
The first thing that comes to mind is what is the definition of baiting? One of webster' s definitions of bait is " any device of allurement" . Now according to this definition wouldnt rattling,scent trails, or hanging a stand over a natural food source be considered baiting? As a hunter I spend my scouting time either looking for where the game feeds, waters, or sleeps. This is what all predators do.

I personally have never hunted deer over a man made bait station but I have hunted bears that way and I will attest to the fact that baits for bears are advantageous. It will give you the opportunity to better judge an animal in a more relaxed atmosphere,i.e. is it a sow with cubs or an immature boar.

Wether or not you personally choose to us baits is as individual as hunters themselves, I just ask that it not divide us as sportsmen. When we are divided over debates such as this it makes for an easy target for the anti' s to step in.

Be safe and good hunting

Downsides
1. CWD and baiting are linked
2. Mostely see young deer at the bait
3. Very seldom see bucks at a bait much less a big buck
4. Changes the natual movement of the heard.
5. Too many deer at close range at one time ie too many eyes chances are you will be spoted when you go to make a shot.

Upsides
1. Encreases your chance of seeing deer, squirels, racoons etc.
2. Good tool for up close picture takeing


Might have missed some in either bracket but I think the downside will always outweigh the upside.
IMO the best way to hunt over bait is to hunt a corn, bean or other kind if crop field. The deer will be moveing natually and could appear anywhere on the field makeing it a little more like hunting.

I think it' s a matter of personel preference, some do and some don' t. If it' s legal where a person hunts and it helps a person fill their tags then i have no problem with it at all, same as scents and calls. Imo i see no difference in hunting over a corn field, beanfield,acorn ridge,bait pile or using lures and calls. It' s all a way of harvesting game. As for me i have some stands i bait and some i don' t. I have to disagree that a big buck can' t be taken on a bait pile because i have some on my wall that were and i know others that have killed some big bucks on bait. I do agree that most of the time does and young bucks will come to bait but what better bait is there for a big buck than a hot doe. If bait draws in the does then the buck won' t be far behind especially when the rut kicks in. I' ve seen some really big bucks killed trailing behind does. I do whatever it takes to fill the freezer