I would rather see it contained here Gimpy. He gets booted from here and who knows where he will turn up next. I think he does the crossbow cause great harm with his personality. Bowhunters need him.

Great idea Mark! Lets send his resume to Horton, Barnett and all the other xbow mfr's! I bet they'd like to have a trophybowhunter/lawyer/bird colonel/wildlife biology expert/hog farmer/land tycoon with 80+ years of experience as their spokesperson! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

So, I would like to know, for or against baiting in special regulations areas only now. Lets assume that they will use professional snipers to harvest the excessive deer if hunters don't do it. Just like Phila and some other areas are already. Considering all of the pros and cons, would you be for or against hunters using bait to try to draw deer from these no hunting areas. Just a for or against please.

Loc...Isn't that a slap in the face to disabled hunters that harvest deer now without bait??? Just to allow it for them???

BTW...still pro baiting, anti-crossgun. From a state that allows crossbows.

Yes, baiting allowed in any situation. Crossguns in gun season. Bows in bow season.

Loc, I do realize that many disabled archers use compounds. However, many disabled hunters CANNOT. There's no option for some...they need a crossbow. It's a crossbow or no bowhunting. The absence of bait isn't keeping them from hunting, though. They can hunt an oak lot as well as an apple pile.

That said...I think baiting should be legal for handicapped people. As I stated before...I feel baiting should be legal for everybody. I don't do it...Hell, I don't even condone it. I'm just experienced enough with baiting to know that 99% of folks are too lazy to put in the time it takes for baiting to really pay off.

You cannot put a pile of apples in the woods and go hunt it the next day and have deer come to it. Sure, some does may come in...some small bucks may even come. But isn't that a good management tool?

Killing does and small bucks only helps the herd. I'm willing to bet that the number of big bucks killed over bait each year in the US is small. Really small. (Excluding ranches)

To answer your question Mark, I'm not crazy about the idea of baiting anywhere, but if it's baiting or sharpshooters, I would choose baiting.

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew indeed.

Me too BTB. I would prefer they let treestand only archery hunting first in those areas. How much safer could you be than that?

Pope and Young rules on fair chase:

Hunting deer with dogs = fair chase

Hunting deer by pushing them during a drive = fair chase

Hunting deer over bait = fair chase

Hunting deer with a crossbow during bow season = NO WAY