illegal baiting

[EBass]

From the Minnesota DNR:

Conservation officer weekly activity reports confirm what officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) already suspected: Deer baiting was pervasive during the 2011 big game season.

DNR conservation officers issued 144 citations, issued 24 warnings and seized 134 firearms/bows in baiting relation investigations during the 2011 bow, firearms and muzzleloader seasons. It’s the highest number of baiting citations issued during the deer hunting seasons since the DNR began tracking these violations in 1991.

“It seems that every year our officers are spending more and more time responding to complaints about baiting or discovering it while on patrol,” said Lt. Col. Rodmen Smith, DNR Enforcement assistant director. “It’s become a very common violation.”

Deer baiting is strategically placing a pile of food near deer stands or clearings with the intent of luring a deer into close hunting range. It has been illegal to bait deer in Minnesota since 1991.

Conservation Officer Marty Stage of Ely said he spent a lot of the big game season “chasing violators illegally baiting deer. The practice has certainly not gone away or apparently even slowed,” Stage said.

The fine for illegal baiting is $300, plus $80 or so in court costs. Another $500 can be tagged on for restitution if a deer is seized. Guns may be confiscated as well.

“It is pretty sad when the rifle that has been handed down for generations is lost forever due to unethical hunting,” said Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman of Grand Marais. “Grandpa might not be too happy about that either.”

Smith said he is hopeful that by releasing the numbers on illegal baiting activities, it sends a message that Minnesota values it natural resources and there is a price for engaging in this activity

[InTheNorthwoods]

From the Minnesota DNR:

“It is pretty sad when the rifle that has been handed down for generations is lost forever due to unethical hunting,” said Conservation Officer Darin Fagerman of Grand Marais. “Grandpa might not be too happy about that either.”

As someone who follows the law, and doesn't necessarily agree with baiting, I still found this part of the article to be a bit inappropriate. My thoughts are this:

Grandpa might have hunted for decades over bait. We shouldn't confuse ethics for lawfulness. Sometimes they don't necessarily go hand in hand.

[HNTNBUX]

I don't bait or want to either, but taking someones gun is a pretty stiff penalty. I know it is illegal but taking the persons gun is excessive in my opinion, on top of being fined $300-$900 which could be higher than many other crimes. In the mean time I will continue to hunt deer and keep my rifle.

[TRZ II]

Real easy way to avoid getting your gun taken! DON'T BAIT. I just can't understand what you baiters don't get about the fact that it is ILLEGAL......Man you guys are really something. If you drink and drive they will take your car. Your Grandpa probably did that too but that does not make it right! Pure laziness.......

[eyeguy 54]

I bought one of theose mineral rocks at Mills last fall andi was checked one day by a young CO as i was coming out of the woods and had it with me cuz I was going to use it elsewhere. He mentioned that it was the only thing I could actually hunt over since it was a rock. Which is what I figured. All the other stuff sold at the stores cant be hunted over. It can be put out he said but not hunted over. Bait is for bears. But then I wonder, isn't doe in doe in heat pee bait?? Crazy topic that's for sure. I bought the rock out of curiosity more than anything. Plannning on putting it out springtime with a camera for fun to see what happens.

[shortfatguy]

Any mineral block is legal but the ones with apple or corn etc in them are not. Salt blocks like farmers but out for cattle are not concidered bait. I really dont understand how a food plot differs from placed bait.

If hunter number one plants alfalfa he can shoot deer over it all season but hunter number 2 who places a bale of alfalfa is a criminal. Doesnt make sense.

[WalleyeChamp]

IF it hasnt slowed.. Than make a stiffer fine! Pretty simple isnt it? DUH. Make it $3,000 and I bet it will slow down.

[WalleyeChamp]

Shoot,, I'm considering baiting now knowing the fine is only $300. A lot cheaper and less time consuming than planting a food plot. Anyone know where I can get some corn and pumpkins? Hey DNR, get your heads out and increase the fine.. goodness.

[tunrevir]

First and foremost, I'd like to see the stores take all of the bait off the shelves or place a large sign stating,"use of this product in Minnesota is illegal" I think peeps see it and figure everyone is using it and heck if Joe Blow the big game hunter on Outdoors Megabuck TV endorses it to bring in the Big bucks then putting out just a little won't hurt. The biggest problem is that the DNR spends a large amount of their time and resources working baiting cases rather then doing the other aspects of their jobs. I'd much rather spend my time and money enhancing a piece of property then tossing out a bunch of corn or grain. Unfortunately, this issue seems to be getting worse and they may well have to put some teeth into the fine, I like the fact peeps forfiet thier rifle, maybe a 3-5 year break from hunting might stop them.

Tunrevir~

[Hoyt4]

Take the gun ,car what ever to get the point across not to break any laws.

[cavalierowner]

I'm with Tunrevir, why on earth are the stores allowed sell the illegal bait?! Maybe there needs to be a law making it a crime to sell a product intended for an illegal activity. Liquer stores are in BIG trouble if they sell booze to a minor, why not stores that sell bait they know is illegal to use?

I also don't get why people bait. I mean we already have high power rifles with high power scopes capable of easily taking a deer out at 200 yards or more. What more do you want? If it were much easier, it wouldn't be called hunting; let's try to leave at least a little sport in it.

[PEATMOSS]

How about just a little perspective here boys and girls

Before one of you high horse riders gets the idea to form a posse and start hanging baiters, consider:

Baiting is legal in many states and provinces and is considered a "fair chase" method by both P&Y AND B&C.

A person can legally hack out a few acres in the middle of a pine forest with light sandy soil and a high water table, spray the ground and native vegetation with a concoction of herbicides, plant exotic species of food crops and fertilize these crops with copius amounts of nitrates and phosphates, then build himself a nice heated enclosed "deer stand" with sliding glass windows to "hunt" over this banquet. We condone, even laud this activity, but if some sap dumps a bucket of grain in the woods, you "ethical sportsmen" are falling all over yourselves trying to one up each other with harsher and harsher penalties.

Baiting is a petty, nuisance "crime" and as such, the penalty should reflect that. A $300 fine is appropriate. No need to confiscate guns or any of the other silliness being batted around.

[TRZ II]

Like I said, baiters will continue to bait no matter what the fine is so they want to keep it low. Some people will always continue to break the law. They just don't get it. If you live in Itasca county you have 10's of thousands of acres of public land to find a prime spot, do you really need a corn pile??? laziness-plain and simple.

[fivebucks]

Nothing wrong with stores selling bait - it is legal in WI. A person just has to know the laws. Just because it is legal to buy a bottle of wiskey in MN doesn't mean you can drive around after you drank it. I hope MN never allows baiting. I don't want to have to "Out bait" the next guy to see the deer. I see no problem with someone losing their rifle and a stiff fine. The amount the DNR can fine is determined by the courts and legislature so if people want $3000 fines then petition you elected officials. It is too bad there is so much baiting going on that the DNR has to spend so much time policing it.

[Musky Buck]

Lets see a chunk of mineral vs an endless supply of shell corn, what fills the deers stomach ? See people don't even care about grandpa's deer rifle or they wouldn't do it, it's selfishness. I have my grandpa's M1 and .303 British and I'd never ever risk that chance ever of losing either, never. Baiting low deer number areas etc. is real icky. Like the Busted Brainerd guy told the CO after getting busted with a large buck, you should've seen the buck I got last year using bait, way bigger, so it works very very well or no one would do it. Bunch of bums when you knowingly break the law I can't feel sorry for you, you're killing a wild animal people, not going 5 over on the highway.

[NoWiser]

Raise fines, keep taking rifles, and how about a 3 year loss of hunting privileges? It is very, very, very easy to avoid the consequences. Don't commit the crime. I feel absolutely zero sympathy for those caught baiting, and it scares me that it is becoming as common as it has been lately. Just a symptom of our society becoming lazier and lazier...

[PEATMOSS]

I don't bait, and I'm really not going to lose any sleep if it remains illegal. I just find the hysteria over this issue to be way out of proportion.

To me, and a whole lot of others, there isn't a whole lot of difference (ethically)between shooting a deer over a pile of grain or a 2 acre patch of rapeseed and turnips. Yes, I realize foodplots take some work, but one is still just shooting deer over an exotic food source plain and simple.

As long as foodplots, mineral blocks, recreational feeding etc. are all legal and accepted, I am just not gonna get my skibbies in a bind. The baiting law is severely flawed, has more holes than swiss cheese and also is open to all kinds of abuse. Maybe you guys should just go back to telling everyone how big a deers antlers should be before we can shoot it

[archerystud]

I hunted with a couple of guys from Michigan (where baiting was legal then) and they told me that you don't want baiting in MN. The problem they said was that one guy will bring in a pick up load of sugar beets. Pretty soon the neighbor brings in a dump truck load. Pretty soon the deer were nocturnal because they have easy food EVERYWHERE.

I understand ethically why people think food plots are the same but they do take a LOT of work. Thus you will see far fewer food plots which should keep the deer moving. Also, how would you differentiate a food plot from a farmers field.

I agree it's not an easy topic but I understand where others are frustrated. It is a very fine line indeed. I do hope baiting does NOT become legal in MN.

[MattL]

I also hope baiting never becomes legal in MN. I feel no remorse for the guys breaking the law and hope fines are raised.

On a side note, I was at a sporting goods store a couple days before the MN fireams opener picking up last minute supplies for an out of state hunt. I noticed A LOT of guys picking up the illegal baits. I'm sure some of them were picking them up for legal hunts in Wisc, but I would almost bet at least a small percentage of guys were purchasing with the intent to use during the upcoming MN season.

[Musky Buck]

The difference also is I can't do food plots in my 3 tamarac swamps I hunt, no deal, but boy could I draw in deer in that thick cover baiting so close to where they bed. I've had a salt block in there since 1983 and have never seen a deer lick it nor to they even travel by it. Food plots aren't magic, my dad has premium alfalfa clover and we haven't seen a deer during shooting light in the last 3 years and that really is a food plot in a sense. The deer don't want to be out in the open, not here in MN where we're overpressuring the deer, but if I bring the food in way off the road where they feel safest I bet I'd see some. Food plots and fields provide for deer,turkey,grouse,pheasant,rabbit, squirrel,mouse, or whatever and it's a year long thing, not 9 or 16 days then done. Not to mention spreading disease maybe or holding deer in a smaller area for the wolves to also hone in on. I agree with baiting in way overpopulated city limit type areas where there is a need to thin the herd safely. Selfishly I could ruin many a landowners deer hunting if I baited, keep my 4 areas fully baited, hunt only 1, but bait em all and laugh at the guys sitting thin cover or field edges.

[lichen fox]

Just goes to show...when you make a new law, some people are bound to break it! Baiting was legal in Mn up until about 1990. Prior to that there were far fewer people baiting, but as soon as they said you couldn't do it anymore...more started doing it!! I agree with Peatmoss, to much made out of not that big of a deal...it's just one more law, no different than pulling the trigger on a game animal 1 minute before or after legal shooting hours, or still having a weapon with you when you're tracking a wounded animal after legal shooting hours, or swinging your vehicle lights to get a better look at that big buck that just crossed the road in front of you an hour and 1 minute after sunset...or having your magazine loaded in your gun when you drive your atv across the field or swamp to your stand...can we continue??

[monstermoose78]

The land owner behind my dad plants soybeans for one reason and one reason only to feed deer and turkeys. He does not harvest any of them, how is that not baiting. Its normal farming practices most farmers I know need to harvest their crops not leave them for deer. I call the guy in and will do so every year he thinks he can not harvest!

[Musky Buck]

Then hunt your dads deer don't bed to often in beans. So shining lights not bullets at deer is the same as hauling corn and anything else deep into the woods and filling as many tags as you can or taking that trophy buck many are hunting and don't forget 90% aren't breaking laws out there ? Shining lights vs killing deer ? Interesting. I agree those are wrong things to do also of course. My grandparents said it best years and years ago baiting is for lazy bums. Don't get mad at me about what they said when I was 6. Yes lets bait now so we can have a bad winter and lose a season by overharvest and winterkill, sounds good to me, there's those that care about the resource and those that don't. Agree with the DNR and Co's and lets keep the hunt somewhat natural in nature. That is my last shot at it, thankfully baiting is outlawed. Beat the deer at their own game fair and square.

[lichen fox]

Monster...food plots are legal...and farmers are allowed to plant them too! The "result of a normal farming practice" only comes into effect when, lets say there is a pile of sunflowers or beans on the edge of a farmers field...on investigation you may find that they were dumped there from the harvester because the farmer had harvested some to check the moisture content and they were way to wet to store...or perhaps the grain-sunflowers or corn was damaged in someway from prolonged storage or being burnt in a grain dryer, perhaps it was a pile of beets that were frozen when harvested making them unacceptable at the sugar factory...these are all examples of "normal farming practices". The farmer simply dumps the damaged or wet product on his fields and what doesn't get consumed by wildlife or livestock just turns to green manure.

[Musky Buck]

Right on fox and with tens of thousands of acres of this it won't concentrate deer, you are correct and food or not deer don't like to be out in the open during shooting light. If fields/plots were so easy there'd be 0 deer in 1/3 of our state. I just asked an older deer hunter type I said baiting deer what do you think, he said why what for if you can't get a deer in 32 days with a gun or muzzy quit he said we're in zone 1. So why is there no baiting for ducks/geese/pheasants/or turkey ? I live by a food plot dealer, we haven't seen a deer in his plot since August, but boy watch a tv ad or show on some 4,000 acre place and it's gold right. I bet if he hauled corn back into his swamp you'd have a better chance of seeing one there vs. out in the open field. Our rifle seasons are so mild why would a deer even need to enter a field before dark. I thank food plot people for helping feed the deer through the winter months, then many of those deer will disperse by next fall for us to hunt thank you.