Georgia bait debate
11-04-2005, 09:27 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 33
Georgia bait debate
The Georgia DNR is conducting meetings to discuss the pros and cons of hunting deer over bait. The Georgia sitution is this the amount of huntersare decreasing ever year, and the bag limit is crazy high 10 does, 2 bucks with 1 buck being 4points on one side. The herd is growing for the last several years not to the point of being unhealthy yet, but it is not being controled to the point the state DNR is wanting. Take in the theory that 20% of the hunters kill 80% of the deer, the 20% of the hunters just don't need 12 deer . So in theory it would help the 80% kill deer and thus control the populations. The down sides I see are problems with sicknesses being spead at the feeders (like CWD) but food plots are the rage now so aren't sicknesses being spread there (potentely) There are many sides to this debate and I myself have mixed feelings. What are your feelings Pro and Con
11-04-2005, 09:50 AM
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
RE: Georgia bait debate
Must be nice to live in a state that's brimming with deer. The question I always ask about baiting is at what point is it no longer hunting and more akin to harvesting free range livestock. I've seen some hunting shows where people are shooting deer over bait from comfortable fort-like tripod blinds. I've also heard that in some places the deer are so conditioned by baiting that they come running when they hear the feed hit the feeder. this is just what I've heard, of course.
I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with this, after all meat is meat and it doesn't matter how you get it. I'm just saying that in my opinion there's something to be said for learning an animal's habits, tracking it, and killing it without bait.
I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with this, after all meat is meat and it doesn't matter how you get it. I'm just saying that in my opinion there's something to be said for learning an animal's habits, tracking it, and killing it without bait.
11-04-2005, 10:21 AM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Georgetown, Texas
Posts: 528
RE: Georgia bait debate
Boy I wish. . .I hunt in Texas. . .lots of feeders in use. . . .I have seen many a day when you sit for 4 hours looking at a feeder 100yards or so out and lots of other country as well and don't see Deer one. This is in counties with some of the countries highest population decities too. So just because a little bit of corn is offered does not mean the Deer come to them every day. To date I don't think I have ever even shot a big buck at a feeder. They tend to hang a bit further out. Yep i have had bucks chase doespast or from a feeder but, I won't shoot one on the run, I don't think that is the right thing to do, sorry guys.
To your point too though I have seen days when the feeder go off and a young doppy button buck or a doe could not get to that corn fast enough. But I pass on young does and button buck, let's fatten them up for another day.
So let's stir things up, if you sit near a farmers corp of corn, is this baiting, are you now shooting fish in a barrel or just a smart hunter. When the Indians waited for deer near Oak trees that had dropped acorns are they hunting over bait, yepper, was this cheating, I don't think so, it was smart to know your prey.
To your point too though I have seen days when the feeder go off and a young doppy button buck or a doe could not get to that corn fast enough. But I pass on young does and button buck, let's fatten them up for another day.
So let's stir things up, if you sit near a farmers corp of corn, is this baiting, are you now shooting fish in a barrel or just a smart hunter. When the Indians waited for deer near Oak trees that had dropped acorns are they hunting over bait, yepper, was this cheating, I don't think so, it was smart to know your prey.
11-04-2005, 10:53 AM
#4
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 74
RE: Georgia bait debate
You know I am not sure how I feel about this. I also hunt in ga. I hunt in Monoroe county. The deer are plentiful and we are seeing more deer kils on the hwys than in the woods it seems. You are right. I do not need nore have the room for 12 deer and then my husband hunts and my dad, who gives us his deer. If we met the quoata, that would be alot of deer. I usually only kill 4.
My dad got ticketed last year for hunting over corn. Well it was in line of sight and only about 100 yards away. 300.00 ticket. I for one, do nto want to hunt over bait, to me that takes all the fun out of it. Sure youget down when you have been out 4 or 5 days with out seeing anything, but what fun is it, if you know that they are gonna come cause of bait.
One of the thrills for me is sitting in the woods and no sounds at all, then all of sudden I look up and there is a deer there. Great feeling.
But DNR will do what they want.
Kim
My dad got ticketed last year for hunting over corn. Well it was in line of sight and only about 100 yards away. 300.00 ticket. I for one, do nto want to hunt over bait, to me that takes all the fun out of it. Sure youget down when you have been out 4 or 5 days with out seeing anything, but what fun is it, if you know that they are gonna come cause of bait.
One of the thrills for me is sitting in the woods and no sounds at all, then all of sudden I look up and there is a deer there. Great feeling.
But DNR will do what they want.
Kim
11-04-2005, 11:02 AM
#5
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
RE: Georgia bait debate
ORIGINAL: Georgetownboys
Boy I wish. . .I hunt in Texas. . .lots of feeders in use. . . .I have seen many a day when you sit for 4 hours looking at a feeder 100yards or so out and lots of other country as well and don't see Deer one. This is in counties with some of the countries highest population decities too. So just because a little bit of corn is offered does not mean the Deer come to them every day. To date I don't think I have ever even shot a big buck at a feeder. They tend to hang a bit further out. Yep i have had bucks chase doespast or from a feeder but, I won't shoot one on the run, I don't think that is the right thing to do, sorry guys.
To your point too though I have seen days when the feeder go off and a young doppy button buck or a doe could not get to that corn fast enough. But I pass on young does and button buck, let's fatten them up for another day.
So let's stir things up, if you sit near a farmers corp of corn, is this baiting, are you now shooting fish in a barrel or just a smart hunter. When the Indians waited for deer near Oak trees that had dropped acorns are they hunting over bait, yepper, was this cheating, I don't think so, it was smart to know your prey.
Boy I wish. . .I hunt in Texas. . .lots of feeders in use. . . .I have seen many a day when you sit for 4 hours looking at a feeder 100yards or so out and lots of other country as well and don't see Deer one. This is in counties with some of the countries highest population decities too. So just because a little bit of corn is offered does not mean the Deer come to them every day. To date I don't think I have ever even shot a big buck at a feeder. They tend to hang a bit further out. Yep i have had bucks chase doespast or from a feeder but, I won't shoot one on the run, I don't think that is the right thing to do, sorry guys.
To your point too though I have seen days when the feeder go off and a young doppy button buck or a doe could not get to that corn fast enough. But I pass on young does and button buck, let's fatten them up for another day.
So let's stir things up, if you sit near a farmers corp of corn, is this baiting, are you now shooting fish in a barrel or just a smart hunter. When the Indians waited for deer near Oak trees that had dropped acorns are they hunting over bait, yepper, was this cheating, I don't think so, it was smart to know your prey.
11-04-2005, 11:11 AM
#6
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Vermont
Posts: 22,605
RE: Georgia bait debate
I too am from Vermont and am glad they decided to eliminate baiting. I don't like baiting but realize that different areas of the country have their own practices, such as dog deer hunting and baiting. It is all in the way you were taught and what is legal and socially acceptible for your area.
11-04-2005, 11:28 AM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
RE: Georgia bait debate
We sometimes forget that as hunters our primary responsibility is to replace the predators that we don't wish to live with . It's like that "add a penny , take a penny" dish at the minimart , you have to have a balance . Obviously , Georgia has a population problem with their herd , and if allowing baiting can help reduce the herd numbers then it should be tried . It can always be rescinded later . The alternative is sharpshooters , does anyone support that ?
11-04-2005, 11:32 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
RE: Georgia bait debate
ORIGINAL: kevin1
We sometimes forget that as hunters our primary responsibility is to replace the predators that we don't wish to live with . It's like that "add a penny , take a penny" dish at the minimart , you have to have a balance . Obviously , Georgia has a population problem with their herd , and if allowing baiting can help reduce the herd numbers then it should be tried . It can always be rescinded later . The alternative is sharpshooters , does anyone support that ?
We sometimes forget that as hunters our primary responsibility is to replace the predators that we don't wish to live with . It's like that "add a penny , take a penny" dish at the minimart , you have to have a balance . Obviously , Georgia has a population problem with their herd , and if allowing baiting can help reduce the herd numbers then it should be tried . It can always be rescinded later . The alternative is sharpshooters , does anyone support that ?
A solution that I'm suggesting is for them to send me a few free tags and a plane ticket to Georgia. I'll be more than happy to take some of those excess deer off their hands.
11-04-2005, 11:35 AM
#9
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
RE: Georgia bait debate
Also, I'd like to add that the idea of there being to many deer is so alien to me that I can't comprehend it. That's why I can't really sympathize when I hear about the PA deer arguments. I have friends in PA, and every time I visit I see more deer in a day than I see in VT in a year.
11-04-2005, 05:11 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,233
RE: Georgia bait debate
food plots are the rage now so aren't sicknesses being spread there
"Do foodplots greatly increase the likely hood of spreading disease in wild deer the same way baitpiles do"
The clear answer is no....
Here is great article outlining the biological reasons why the use of foodplotsisnot comparable to baiting..
http://www.whitetailinstitute.com/info/news/aug05/3.html