Big Country

As I stated in my previous post...I have now hunted in states where baiting is not only perfectly legal, but a commonly accepted practice.

The bait, which was lightly spread corn where I hunted over bait in Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Texas did seem to draw in some does, and a couple of young bucks, was for sure NOT a guarantee for killing a mature deer. I spent a total of 5 full weeks sitting over bait between those 3 states now, and I have yet to fill a tag in any of them.

While baiting is not my cup of tea, I realize that it is a commonly used tactic in certain regions of our country.

It is legal in many states....

My fellow hunters have hunted in this way for much of their lives......


For us to say that the LEGAL use of bait is unsportsmenlike, or cheating, is no less than attacking our brother hunters.

Many hunters from the far west consider treestand hunting to be like a vulture, merely waiting for a deer to walk by.

Many of us consider deer hunting with dogs to be bad......

The same with deer drives.......

Roughly 5% of the US population participates in sport hunting.......do we really need to divide our small ranks by condemning hunting heritages that date back farther than ANY of us have been alive?

IMO.......no.

gunnermhr

I guess you first need to determine what is bait! I think it should be described as any thing aa personuses to lure in an animal. If you are hunting overa food plot, it's intended purpose is to lure in an animal, same goes for a decoy, scent, apples, pears, whatever one might use. Heck If you take acorns from a natural area and put them into the middle of a stand of Hemlock trees I would certainly consider that baiting.

I for one like to use scent in the prime rut so I think hunting over bait should be legal. Like Big Country mentioned it will be a rare occasion that you will see a mature buck headed to a feed pile. Maybe before season and after season but for the most part during season they are either eating acorns or chasing does. Sit over a pile of corn and eventually a mature buck will stumble onto it and present you with a shot. I think if you spend your time scouting and get into a good tavel area you'll increase you chances more so than hunting a bait pile unless you are looking to kill does and inmature deer.Hey if a guy wantsto hunt over a pile of corn or food plot more power to him I certainly am not going to condemanyone for it if it's legalized. Legalize it and I'll continue scouting, using scent and probably drop a few apples in the area.

Howa bout we legalize Sunday hunting before we legalize hunting over bait!

Buck Hunter 1

gunnerhmr, I am all over that idea of Sunday hunting. I have a 100 acres and I travel far to get there. I hunt one day then drive home. In Ohio here I can hunt 7 days. If not a state mandate for 7 days, a private owner should have the right to make that choice! I laugh when I here the deer need a rest or the Wardens are overworked!! You want to kill deer, 7 days. More time in the woods equal more opportunitites.

Pawildman

I've been mulling this Sunday hunting thing over for some time, now. I can see both sides of the issue. I kind of think what I believe is that it could and should be regulated by the private landowner who currently permits hunting on his/her property. On the other hand, most if not all State lands open to hunting would be open to Sunday hunting for sure.
I believe it becomes a personal issue of what a person believes should or should not be done on Sundays.

bowhunter2117

If baiting specifically mineralized salt blocks were legalized and became more common place in an area what would be the draw to any particular salt station. For those that oppose baiting what’s the difference between a corn pile/salt block and doe in heat? In the fall what will be more likely to draw that buck in a corn pile in woods loaded with mast and farm crops or the smell of a hot doe? Why is salt illegal and doe in heat legal which will do more to draw in a buck in the fall of the year? As I see it you cant support one and oppose the other they are both artificial stimulants added to an area to attract deer. That being said if you wish to bait do it legally in the spring the PGC offers seedlings at a very fair price. Buy some chestnut tree and plant them they will start to produce in 8 to 10 years. You will be legal in the eyes of the PGC secondly you will give something to those that follow you. Have you ever hunted an old apple orchard and said to yourself after a successful hunt I don’t know who planted those trees but man I’m glad they did.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=480&q=167303

Browningfan369

I think it's a wonderful idea, I just have no idea what type of bait box to carry. [8D]

PABuck_HNTR

NO