well i would not have a problum watching a clover feild but it just wouldn't feel right to sit over a corn pile to me. i don't mind that other people do it, i just wouldn't myself. however i do throw corn out every night by my house to watch the deer and i can walk out and shake the pale and have 5-12 deer their in just a couple of seconds. but like it was said. if i shot one of those they would most likely stop running in for the corn it is neat to watch when the deer are at that corn you would think they where pets or something but as soon as they get 5 yards into the woods they turn wild again they know whats going on

As long as its legal within the state you are hunting in then I will find no fault in anyone. Take elk and elk hunting for instance, I believe elk calls can be very deadly, and a very effective way to harvest an elk, be it cow or bull. Elk can be called into a hunter or photographer/wildelife watcher year around. As long as you know what to say and when to say it, speaking their language. My point and question is this. What makes a skilled elk hunter caller/bugler that can speak the language and can call in a elk at his will so to speak. More or less ethical than a hunter waiting over bait for deer or even bear? The bottome line is, the calls and bait are both used to attract an animal into bow range or maybe rifle range. Now I agree that with calling it is a learned skill that takes time and with baiting all you do is dump food on the ground and wait. But I will not fault anyone who baits for deer and fear that as soon as I and others do that. The same argument could be made for us hunters using calls. Its true some states judge bating to be illeagal for deer like my home state of Idaho. But is it realy different? You tell me what do you think!

As I live in Texas where baiting is legal, I can say with some knowledge that baiting makes it eaiser to kill A deer (any deer) eaiser. Very seldom does it make killing a mature whitetail buck eaiser. I do hunt does for meat over a bait station, but haven't killed a mature buck (even when I very occasionally see one) over a bait station since I was a teenager. I can't bring myself to kill a "big-un" unless I have earned him.

I too am surprised that on MM, more people would be for baiting than against.

Here is another "truth" about baiting: In states where deer are plentiful (my area of Texas has a whitetail every 8-10 acres), and the Parks and wildlife has trouble getting people to shoot enough does to keep the herd healthy, they will continue to allow baiting to keep the herd numbers (especially does) in check. I also believe it will never be (nor should it be) legal to hunt mulies in any state.

well NC hunter..thats where you and I can agree to disagree..You couldnt tie me to a treestand and keep me there..Bait or no bait. My feeling are anyone can sit in a treestand and sooner or later something is going to walk by. I admire the fact you do it for your daughters. But for me,I'm a spot and stalk hunter,and a still hunter.. Meaning I either get on a ridge and spot some elk or deer and depending on the terrain I either go after them or I watch for them to bed and then put the stalk on them. Or I move through the woods super slow and watch for game. This is by no means an easy way to hunt. To me it is way more fun though than sitting in a tree. You should try it sometime. My only advice is be aggressive and constantly check the wind.. I will go through 2 windicator bottles in one day of hunting. I just refill them with flour. Good luck

It's legal to bait here. The problem I have with baiting has been stated by Leverdude, it throws the deer out of their feeding patterns. It's either a whole herd at once or nothing. I'd rather the deer have to scrounge around more for a meal. They disperse more and feed in natural patterns when no bait is available. They get out of their beds earlier, stay out longer and cover much more ground in search of a meal. If it's all in a pile somewhere they just end up waiting until dark thirty and then gallop in. To me a bait pile is a once or twice deal and then you might as well forget it. If you go in in the AM they're on it and you run them off or they're bedded near it and you run them off.

elkcrazedfrk,not really disagreeing with you but 95% if the places I hunt are too thick to spot and stalk,most places around here if you fall down you won't hit the ground the brush will catch you. If I lived in an area where you could creep quietly thru the woods spot and stalk would be another tool for me to use and I think enjoy. All hunters must learn to hunt under the conditions of the area they hunt,around here it's thick,and it's hard to sneek up on a deer in an open field. I have used standing corn to cover my stalk before,but most of that has been picked by hunting season. The invite is still open to come try stalking.but I think you'll be up a tree after a day or two. Not all of my stands are over bait but some are.

Hunting over bait is legal in MD and a surprising number of hunters around here use that method. I never have used bait (unles you count the years I used to use sex attractant scents), but my success rate has been better than those around me who use it. I have heard that big, mature bucks especially avoid bait piles during daylight hours.