DEER BAITING

[Gary Crichton]

I saw this in the Strib this AM and they say the fines are not steep enough for persons caught baiting deer, they will be visiting a few people in the woods, How many Rifles do you all think will be taken away this weekend. It sounds like there is quite a few bait set ups have been found.

Also how many will not go out knowing they have broken the law and are afraid of being caught.

Just curious, as I am not a deer hunter.

G.C.

[2thepointsetters]

I was grouse hunting Monday and I found apples and corn near a couple of the stands I walked by. I cant believe how many people bait deer. It is a lot more common than one would think.

I dont hunt deer, but I wonder why they dont make it legal to bait .I think hunters would be taking closer/better shots if they were over bait near a stand. Its legal for bear.

[mrklean]

It pretty much said they were going onto peoples land to see if they had bait. Is that tresspassing? Or is it ok for them because they are a CO?

[Gary Crichton]

Yes they do it for Bear and in some states it is legal. I don't hunt bear or deer, but IMO this is wrong. It would seem to take away some of the challenge of the hunt, and isn't that part of it.

G.C.

[mrklean]

The reason they do it for bear is because bear are nocturnal and the only way to get them out during the day is baiting.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

CO's have right to enter land/woods even if it is private. I wouldn't be able to even think of a number for the original question for how many will get caught, but I bet it will be a lot!

[Sandmannd]

I'm fine with them coming up to check. Don't break the law and you will have no worries. Not all that hard folks.

[hhguide]

I agree im glad the CO can go anywhere they can come check me anytime. Their doing there job!

[pinkfloyd4ever]

Yep know the laws and you have no trouble, those cuffs and collar reports in Outdoor news are always fun to read, the stupid things people try and come up with for excuses "gosh, I didn't see that pile of apples covered with molasses under my stand"

[UdeLakeTom]

With TIP and the eye in the sky, they can spot anything. The reports have been that they can even spot black sunflower seeds hidden in leaf piles.....I agree. Don't do it and you don't have to worry.

[Gary Crichton]

I would venture to guess that who ever set up that stand that is in the paper will NOT be out this weekend.

Anybody want to venture how many rifles will be taken as I assume since the article came out there are quite a few out there.

G.C

[Tipup101]

Im on the band wagon to legalize baiting to a point. I want to feed my deer, but I dont want to hunt over the bait. I wish you could feed the deer but not shoot one within so many yards of said bait. It still sounds kind of cheap but I'm just thinking of ways to keep the herd health up all year while not totally taking all the work out of the hunt. If you get what i'm saying. For the guys who get caught baiting is say this. You are an one-who-thinks-I-am-silly!

[rcook72]

Are food plots baiting? I bow hunted over one in WI and man it seemed the deer from everywhere were on this spot. Watched 6 does and two bucks for about 45min until it started getting dark and a 10pt buck moved it.. awesome to watch. Guess they could be borderlined because there is alot of natural vegitation but my opinion is that it would draw the deer in more consistent than just throwing out what ever bait you wanted just before opener.

[kkahmann]

Baiting is legal in Wisconsin--several other places as well. I don't know what the big deal is--I haven't found it very effective except for does and fawns.

[jkcmj]

I hunt bear over bait, and would be in favor of deer hunting over bait as well. Certainly a food plot placed near good deer cover is no different than a pile of apples. Not everyone has the ability to put in food plots if they have an all timber piece of ground or hunt public land. This puts them at a disadvantage over someone with open areas for food plots. Easy to talk smart about not hunting over bait when you are baiting them in with an acre or two of beans, corn or Clover like we are able to do on my Dad's farrm.

I enjoy the hunt even more if I can be very selective, have time to pick the deer I really want to shoot, and be certain of a clean kill. Also if you sit day after day and see no deer you are more likely to shoot the 1st one that comes along. All good reasons to hunt over bait. It allows you more chances to take a deer, and therefore the opprotunity to pass on young bucks and be more selective.

To me personally, I prefer the up close encounters, and steady success I have hunting our food plots(baited deer). It is challenge enough with the changing winds, pressure from neighboring farms, weather, etc. I will take success over increased challenge any day!

[Eskimoman]

Baiting increases diseases in the deer herd. When you concentrate feeding to one pile the deer are swapping spit and if one has a disease, guess what, now the others do to. I also feel it takes away from the sport. I beleive Wisconsin will be weened off baiting in the next several years. Thats what I have heard from some game wardens I have talked to over there.

[walleyeking19]

Is using C'mere deer considered baiting?

[Tipup101]

Is using C'mere deer considered baiting?

If it is the powder only you are o.k.. If its the [PoorWordUsage] with the pellets you are baiting.

[Tipup101]

Baiting increases diseases in the deer herd. When you concentrate feeding to one pile the deer are swapping spit and if one has a disease, guess what, now the others do to.

Good point! But don't you get the same thing from mineral blocks?

[BKB]

Baiting deer IMO is not deer "hunting" it is deer killing. Waiting over a bait pile for a deer to show up to eat is not my idea of a hunt. I say make the penalty the same as shooting them at night with the spotlight, just makes no sense to me.

[jkcmj]

Deer naturally concentrate at feeding sources like apple trees, cherry trees, natural mineral deposits, etc. I have seen dirt eaten away in a 6 foot diameter area where deer have come for years to feed on some sort of deposit. Tit for Tat. I think the bigger issue is the year round feeding of deer, especially during the warm summer months when bacteria and disease organisms live longer outside the host. I have never seen any studies that positively link the short term fall baiting to increase disease rates over naturally occuring disease outbreaks. I have also seen year after year how the deer concentrate on our small been plots eating the plants down to stubs and leaving the ground littered like a sheep winter yard pen with their droppings. Plenty of concentrated saliva in these plots as well.

[jkcmj]

Baiting deer IMO is not deer "hunting" it is deer killing. Waiting over a bait pile for a deer to show up to eat is not my idea of a hunt. I say make the penalty the same as shooting them at night with the spotlight, just makes no sense to me.

I actually enjoy killing deer. Bait or no bait. I just like efficiency

If you want to go run one down and strangle it with your hands, then you can come talk to me about how much better hunter you are.

[BKB]

I really don't need to talk to you about being a better hunter or not, I have killed many, many deer and have enjoyed them all, I simply stated my opinion on baiting. Maybe the word should be simplicity and not efficiency.

[jlm]

I am on the bandwagon to make it legal as well. Its a very safe way to hunt and it will free up the CO's so they can concentrate on bigger issues. Regarding the disease comment, this could be the case. However, you could legalize baiting but make it illegal to dunp it in a pile. Spread it out, its that simple. Also, by legalizing baiting, it levels the playing field for those of us that actually follow the law. Making it legal will no longer give the illegal baiters the upper hand. Of couse this is just my opinion, thats all. Not trying to ruffle an feathers!

[Neighbor_guy]

The reason they do it for bear is because bear are nocturnal .....

So are deer.

Anyone who thinks otherwise, is not a bowhunter. Deer seem to target thier feeding to occurr at darkness and later.

Now, if they allowed hunting over bait with lights or night sights... then I would be on board.

(please note a sarcastic tone in the above statement)