Deet baiting?

[Dahitman44]

I know I ask this question every year, but I don't want to do anything that is against the law or unfair.

There are a lot of products out there and I am wondering if they are all "legal" to use? Like the sport stores and "fleet" stores sell a lot of this -- is it all ok to use or is it like fireworks.

Ok to buy in MN but not ok to shoot off?

[Powerstroke]

You are allowed to have "bait" out until 10 days before the season. Then it must be removed. Bait is anything containing a food type product. Fleet, Gander etc are allowed to sell anything they want. It is up to you to follow the regs.

SO, the point is, you can feed deer all summer. If you bowhunt it must be gone 10 days before bow season.. If you rifle hunt you can leave it out until Oct. but same rules apply.

Things that are mineral only are legal to leave out year round. Most people will tell you that deer lose interest in mineral products early in the fall when the focus becomes food so having those out during the season rarely helps anyway.

Natural food sources such as fruit trees, crops and food plots are legal however you can't gather any of the crops or fruit in one place to hunt over.

[Dahitman44]

Great explanation -- What about block toppers and the fruit gel that has no fruit? That is the way they get around it -- so I have heard.

??

[Powerstroke]

Block toppers generally have mollassas in them and a "fruit gel" is a food product by ingredient. The main thing to look for is anything that mentions a food flavor or ingredient.

They can be used pre season of course, but as far as hunting over them, it has to be mineral only.

[Dahitman44]

Power --

So the block toppers can only be used before the season, eh?

[Mark Christianson]

Correct a moondo

[chucker34]

It gets even more confusing. I was told last year by the DNR during a similar post I followed like this that liquid minerals with articifial food flavors in them are legal but not those that actually contain food. Regardless, I doubt a liquid mineral with apple flavor is going to bring deer in from all over for an easy shot. I'll stick with my cheap busted up salt and mineral block mix mashed into the ground. Doesn't bring them in either for hunting but for some nice spring/summer trail cam pics.

[Mark Christianson]

And the other thing is that if you walk the line with these products, one CO may have a different idea than another one.

Stick to minerals and salts and its 100% clear.

[chucker34]

Agreed. That's why I love e-mailing questions to the general DNR contact address and printing out the responses and sticking them in my hunting gear closet. That way I can say I checked. I am one who follows the rules to the point of paranoia.

[Dahitman44]

Chuckie, my Brother --

That is the same post the I remember I think I was the one that heard that or I checked it out as well. I can never get a clear answer from those folks and I would hate to get fined because one guy over the phone said it was ok.

I also had a Capt. from the DNR tell me over the phone that it would be ok to use walkie talkie just to tell your buddy that you are walking over to him so he doesn;t try to shoot you in think brush.

Yeah right -- I am sure I would be in trouble with a walkie talkie, but everyone I know have their cell phones -- what is the difference?

[colonel42]

I set my camera out about three weeks ago and cleared an area about 30 feet in diameter. Bought a deer mineral block, one five gallon bucket of "The biglakeba$$" mixture and topped that with a 50 lb bag of deer blend (corn and malasses. My 30 foot area looks like a football team has been playing 24/7. The camera had 88 pictures in one week.

[Dahitman44]

I might try something like that. (for a guy that works at a paper I can't type worth ...)

Thanks

Hit

[colonel42]

I will be going out in the morning and checking my camera. I will let you know how it goes. This camera thing is worse then the first day of hunting season. Way to much excitement and antisipation. I got a new stealth last Christmas from Santa (wife) and can't believe the nice pictures it takes. Way to early in the year to be this excited about hunting. Just makes the wait that much longer. Fun to see what is moving about in the woods though. I had a friend of mine that hunts north of Hibbing and is off the main trail about 1 1/2 miles and showed me a picture of two guys at 2:00 am each holding a can of beer. He has no clue who they were or why or how they got back there. You just never know whats going to walk by. I'm hoping to see a moose! Last Saturday when I was out I seen some fresh tracks that crossed my trail going in.

[Dahitman44]

Question -- In that low spot should I just throw out some corn and a salt block or will I get too many other critters?

[chucker34]

I have tried the corn deal early in the spring/summer with my camera to increase the number of photos/visits for a short time and I'll tell you what - it's like a dang woodland jamboree with racoons, squirels, crows, skunks AND some deer. a 5 gallon buckets worth could be done overnight.

[BLACKJACK]

I like the corn thing in front of my cameras, it really draws the critters in - pheasants, crows, coons, and of course deer. But I just limit the amount, maybe two inches in a five gallon bucket every time I check my camera, usually once a week. Just stop with the corn two weeks before the season.

Another tip, as you get later into fall, watch for road killed deer, grab it up and put it in front of your camera. Or if you butcher your own deer, put the leftovers in front of your camera. Then you get hawks, crows, coyotes, cats, the neighbors dogs.

[Dahitman44]

BJ --

Um ... Yeah ... that is kinda gross ... but sounds like fun!