HELP WITH ETHICS
 

ok guys you saw my pics of the shed with the droptine and the other one with mass that i found on the edge of the neibor hood. well i decided to throw on my jobn suit and infultratre the neighbor hood with my cholate lab. In the middle of the neighbor hood(which is only about 5 acres)i FOUND 2 CORN feeders and one salt block in peoples back yards that are watching the "deer family". Would this be consided baiting if i shot the deer off the neighbor hood property. Would this be a good place to maybee be near during the rut bc of the does(if this isnt baiting). WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

If you shoot a deer eating AT THE FEEDER, it is baiting. If you hunt a trail going to or from the feeder, it is smart hunting. I personally don't have a problem shooting someone's "pet" deer, but that is just me.

I am at a loss where ethics comes into play in this scenario.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

i would have to agree with retrieverman

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

I would consider it baiting since you are hunting with the knowledge of the feeder, and thus relying on it. Whether that is legally baiting, well that's up to the regulations of your state.

However, you might want to check your states wildlife regulations, to determine if such a feeder is not illegal. Habituating wild animals to humans is generally frowned upon, and often feeding is an illegal practice. Your neighbours may be breaking the law,

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

I agree completely. Couple of things to keep in mind;
1. try not to shoot the deer in plain sight of the houses especially if kids may be around, that would guarantee they would grow up as anti's.
2. Send a thank you card with a picture of you and the deer you shoot to the family whose feeder the deer was headed to.
3. Rut or nut, bucks and does alike gotta eat, so a trail to a feeder is a good place to find 'em. And as we all know, bucks in rut will go where the does are.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Well in FL you can not keep Wild Animals as pet's especially Deer. WE are allowed to set a Feeder 6 months before the Season and while hunting we have to stay 100 yds form them and we are not allowed to shoot anything less than 300ft from any maintained road.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

As I see it you have two questions.

The legal one should be easy. My state, for example,doesnt allow baiting and they define baiting ashunting over the bait or taking advantage ofany pattern that could be construed as being affected by the bait and extends to 30 days after all bait is gone even if you don't know the bait is or was there. Check your local laws first. Also consider that many folks feed through the winter and the feeder may be empty well before hunting season in which case you're OK anyway with the legal issue.

Laws are easy, they're usually a yes or no or black and white issue. Morally, what's right is a little tougher. You didnt put out the corn and salt but now you know about it. You had already found the sheds and were already scouting the area. So far you're on the moral high ground. You have to survey the situation and askyourself honestly if you're taking an unfair advantage. Only you know the true answer and the fact that you're asking for advice on the issue means that you want to do and likely will do the right thing. Continue watching and learning and hopefully, the bait goes away in the summer and you have no issue. If not, pay attention to the lay of the land and the obstacles in the area andask yourself if the trail you're watching is there because purely of the bait or would it have been there anyway.

good luck! I hope your discovery of the feeder doesnt ruin your chance at finding a nice set of horns while they're still attached to the deer!

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Also, sounds like to me you would be shooting across property lines which also would mean you would have to trespass.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

That was my question. Who owns the 5 acres of "neighbor hood" you are talking about?

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

5 acres is a small area to consider hunting in my opinion, especially if there are houses/kids around. Unless you get the perfect hit that puts a deer down on the spot you might have further problems. If a deer piles up in someones rose bed it can be another black mark against hunting. If you are shooting a bow there is a good chance of that. If you are shooting a rifle or shotgun the problems continue to mount....... You have more than an ethics problem here.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

i personally wouldn't be shooting ANY firearm that close to a residential area. now i see no problem bow hunting in those area's if the hunter is aware of his/her surroundings and is a responsible person (being able to recognize a shoot/no shoot situation).

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Sounds likeyour neighbors are doing all the work for you. Set up a few decoys in your back yard and get ready to hunt!!! I hunt in my fathers housing development and it is perfectly legal as long as I am so far from a dwelling. You might just have yourself a "honey hole". The only "Ethical" thing to do is not to leave the gut pile in your neighbors yard...

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Ethics? My ethics are a bit different. If your jogging and you got deer eating salt blocks, Then that is not in a hunting area. Drop the bucks to bring the population down then. The does will turn lesbians or move out of the area. Ethical. There is no ethics involved on private resorts. Drop them. But don't brag about doing it.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

thanks guys for all the advice i will def keep you all posted!!!! i kind of wnat to ask for the other side of MY antlers LOL:D

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Its up to the EPO really, but if your hunting around the area of these feeders itmight be considered baiting. I understand that in MA, feeding deer is OK, huting off it is baiting. Salt licks may fall under a different catagory. Off course all other weapons discharge rules woudl apply.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

egulations regardingbaiting vary from state to state.

Where you live is a critical element of this equation.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

I live in a small patch with deer through out and I have a feeder in my back yard.To me it would be criminal to shoot a deer over ,near or around the feeder.Its just not fair to the deer.And if any of my neighbors shot a deer at my feeder they would be lucky if all I did was turn them in.To me the satisfaction is in earning the deer putting in the time.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Nothing to figure out here, hunting over bait is not fair chase, even where it's legal. Your neighbors who are setting out this bounty may even be breaking the law, some areas prohibit feeding wildlife out of concern for disease transmission, so you'd be best served not hunting there at all. If it is, in fact, illegal to feed game where you live then you're duty and honor bound to report them. Ethics can be a hard act to follow, but they're usually right.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Oh Puhleeease !
Whats the difference between hunting over a feeder or a watering hole ?
Before you stick your foot in your mouth, dont say the watering hole is natural, because a fresh cut corn field or a food plot or any crop is not natural either.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

LMAO!!! I won't touch this one!!!LOL!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Use a 243 and aim for the neck.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

243's to big, I use a .22 Hornet for populated areas, I hit them in the neck and they drop instantly. But here in Texas the law says 10 acres minimum for hunting, and not in the city limits.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

If it's legal in your state, do it.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Since when is hunting with an expensive gun or bow and fancy clothing and boots and tree stands fair chase?

I hunt naked wearing only a hunter orange cap with my permit under it. (The law says you have to wear at least a hunter orange cap)

When I catch my prey I kill it using only my hands and teeth. That, my friend, is fair chase.

By the way, in order to be completely fair, I only shower once a year, after hunting season is over. However, if I get caught in the rain, I figure that's natural.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

exactly ! fair chase would be giving the deer a gun and letting them shoot back.

RE: HELP WITH ETHICS
 

Dont worey guys im gonna hammer these deer this year!! i hunted there for years past without knowledge of the feeder and now that i know about it dosnt really change my stand selction point it just explaines alot of ?s i ahd about this area!