RE: baiting response
 

No offence to those who bait but i would rather find and hunt the sign and natural food source more of a challenge to me (mo) and more rewarding but thats just me if you wanna bait thats up to you if its legalgood luck to all

RE: baiting response
 

Just out of curiosity, hasn't CWD been found in some states that it is illegal to bait????

RE: baiting response
 

Im not sure, I'm sure somebody will. In MN baiting is illegal, and that fact does very little to stop baiting. It seems like nearly the majority of hunters in northern MN bait. Down here it's not so prevelant, but it still does happen. That doesn't mean that it should be legalized, though.

RE: baiting response
 

its only illgeal if you get caught ;)
If it makes you feel any better over here in NY, there absoulutley murdering the fishing, a fluke needs to be 20.5"!!! and can only keep 4, while your state its like 18" and 8... all i can do is laugh at NY... there are clearly PETA members runing the show.

RE: baiting response
 

I found alot of this interesting, especially the transmitting of disease. I am planting food plots for the first time this year on a piece of land that I lease. My plots are less than 1/2 acre and hold clover, turnips, and corn. Less than 1/2 mile are farms with soybeen, corn, alfalfa, etc. that cover hundreds of acres.The persimmon trees in my yard attract more deer than throwing corn,should I cut them down?Hunting with baitis illegal in VA where I hunt within a certain distance from bait. I will not be setting up stands on the plots themselves but ambushing corridors where the deer travel.

Is my 1/2 acre plots contributing to the spread when Im that close to agriculture? I never thought it would, but I guess having a pile of corn in a feeder where many eat from would. I have never hunted managed property before, until this year. I cant stand to watch a TV show where they are picking these deer off while feeding. I would rather stop one in its track with a grunt, but thats just MHO.

Interesting debate!

RE: baiting response
 

Wheather you place bait or God grows an oak or apple tree, maybe your a farmer grows crops to sell, get my point?

RE: baiting response
 

I am a Michigan hunter and not too fond of baiting. The state limits hunters to a small amount (I believe no more than 2 gal. at any site) however this doesn't seem to stop some people from throwing tons of bait out. It does make it a bit tougher when all your deer are drawn across property lines. I have been working on better bedding so I can at least ambush the deer when they are on the way to the feed bag! Some of the camps claim they "have to bait just to keep up with the neighbors." I say to each his own as long as they are abiding by the law!

RE: baiting response
 

Personally, I think there’s a big difference …

Most of the time, if your hunting in an area with crops, there are crops everywhere. Field after field, mile after mile of corn, soybeans, alfalfa, etc. That’s not the case with someone baiting… Sure there may be some other bait stations, but not on the same scale…

If someone is hunting a 320 acre cornfield, take 320 feeders and spread them out over 320 acres of pasture etc.… Try and pattern those deer now… That would be closer comparing apples to apples – so to speak….

RE: baiting response
 

Hoyt...We have 3 farms, 850 acres and it's not unusual to see 50 deer feeding on soybeans, wheat, peanuts or corn, all in the same field and often several in the area the size of a living room...Plant your food plots and don't worry about it...It's amazing the "experts" that sound off on hear and don't even realize that you just can't sit in one state looking at your conditions and make a blanket statement for every hunter in the US...

The deer were here before we got here and will be here when we are gone...

For the record....If you do want to "bait", don't pile it up, use a seeder....;)
It takes them a little longer to brouse through the area that way...

I'll give you guys a good reason for baiting...Since I farm, I can kill deer any time I have a crop in the field that is being damaged, I can even use a light if I so choose...

So, here comes hunting season and I'm getting the crops out of the field....I've got hunters coming in, wanting to see deer....Isn't it better to "seed" a little corn back into that cut corn field and harvest and use the resource we have (that have been getting nice and fat off MY crop all summer), then to go out there in the middle of August and kill them and leave them laying to rot....

We have so many deer in NC that this year we had an unlimited doe season, all season long, tags were free...

RE: baiting response
 

Thanks. Its interesting to hear that you farmers can kill anytime, all the time.I live in a rural area, and have several acres on my home, and the law is that on your private property you can do what you want. Ive heard gunshots on the farms all year long. I certainly understand the pressure that feeding deer herds can do to crops.

My purpose for the food plots is simple. The hunt clubs run dogs all gun season, and for several months before and after training the dogs. They frequently run onto my property. I catch them and call the owners and bitch them out for running my deer around, making them walk on eggshells all year long. I want to create an environment where they have all the staples of a comfortable living environment. I leave their bedding areas alone, and provide them food so that they will "settle down" on my property. I never considered the food plots as "baiting" but rather feeding them so they dont have to be run by dogs 24/7.

On the other hand, I do take offense to people that will take 50lb bags of molasses corn and pile up two days before sitting in their stand 25 yrds away. I understand your point of how its different for every state and person. Just like I read a thread on how many years, and how many deer killed. Its pathetic that someone hunts for 5 years and has killed hundreds of deer...as a hunter, not a farmer.

Anyway, as I said, this debate is interesting.