Why is baiting illegal here?

[Musky Buck]

Food plots benefit all creatures year round and a pile of corn is placed for the quick, lazy slaughter of a once fair-chase animal. So if you want baiting, clear some land and plant a crop and you'll help all wildlife that could use it. Watch a baited hunting show and try to convince me they had to work hard to take that shot and that it's hunting. It's slaughtering and that is why we can't bait waterfowl. Sweat a little and hunt, don't set up a rifle rest on a corn pile and get ready.

[Bear55]

I think some people watch too much tv, all they see are food plots loaded with deer. Just like you can't compare deer hunting on tv to our hunting you can't compare food plots you see on tv to a food plot on someone's hunting land. I have hunted over food plots and clear cuts, it doesn't matter the size I see on average the same amount of deer on each. To even compare food plots to baiting is rediculous. I suggest to some people to get a little more educated on food plots because I can tell you without a doubt there are no magical hormones growing in the biologic clover. Food plots are natual food and are no different than any other food source in the state from farmland to clear cuts.

[Bear55]

OK Bear! Read this it clearly states where I draw the line

Originally Posted By: BRULEDRIFTER

An old alfalfa field that has been there and was planted for the purpose of growing alfalfa for humans I do not consider a food plot or baiting. It was put there not for the purpose of hunting over, as is a clear cut, farm field, ect.

However, once a PERSON goes to a spot and proceeds to plant a food source there for the sole intent of hunting over it, then I percieve that as baiting. I'm not sure I can be any more clear on my stance on this.

If a food source is present that was not put there for the purpose of luring an animal there to feed, in other words it occurs naturally or is there for purposes beyond our control ( like farm fields, clear cuts, apple orchards) then by all mean, it's fair game and should be used to our advantage.

I draw the line as soon as something is MANipulated by a person for the sole purpose of taking advantage of an animals need to eat in order to kill the animal.

This is no longer "hunting" to me, this is merely a lazy approach at target practice with live critters.

Hunting is about the fair chase and outsmarting an animal in its natural environment. Once a natural environment is manipulated for the sole purpose of attracting an animal, the hunt is no longer there.

I can't believe people don't see this to be honest, but it doesn't suprise me. It is quite sad though....

In the end, as long as people are with in the laws, then whatever! Too each their own! But I truely hope that our natural resource managers will stand behind the true, real approach to harvesting game and not let the lazy way take hold.

This is my opinion, and I don't care what you think of it! Take it or leave it, it's how I roll!

Your above scenario about the bean field I have no problem with because it was not put there solely for the sake of hunting over it!!!!!

If you planted it under the intention of specifically hunting over it. YES I have a problem with that and would like to see that outlawed!

Brule

Just this fall I planted several hunred acorns on some land we own. In 20-25 years I plan to hunt over them, so by your logic am I baiting?

Maybe is jealously or something else but its kind of sad that someone who is trying to improve their habitat is labled a baiter by some.

[bigsandynorth1]

Leech says.. "UPnorth, your a little south to be using that handle aren't ya." Well leech, it depends on where you come from, if I live south of BSL it's very appropriate I would think, don't you? Maybe you don't know the difference between north and south? It may not be up north to you but to someone it is. Leech, you sure like to argue, who do you argue with when you are hunting, the tree? Hey Leech, at least you always win when arguing with the tree!

[Musky Buck]

No doubt the TV hunting shows these food plots are generally surrounded by hundreds or even thousands of private acres, they rarely have a show starting out on my 80 acres, I planted 5 acres of biologic.............These are private ranches, leases, etc. with hundreds of locked up acres and these guys and there sponsors are paying thousands of dollars to film them. Some I am sure are high fenced, some the animals are purchased and released, the one guy the other night passed on a huge non-typical, then took an average 8 pointer because he said that non-typical would've cost too much. of course the ranch owner guy clanged the metal feeder and the deer came to it like my grandma when the wine bottle is uncorked. Leave the deer's stomach out of it, don't dump fleetgo corn piles to harvest our deer, thanks, M. B.

[Bear55]

Well said Musky Buck, some of these guys think food plots are like crack and every deer(crack head) within 5 miles is going to come running in. How many times in this thread alone have I heard shooting gallery and food plots in the same sentence. Its pretty funny.

[james_walleye]

Originally Posted By: james_walleye

There is a definate difference between a 100 lb pile of corn and a 20 acre foodplot.

I'd like to hear the BIG DIFFERENCE between the two. What, the trails to it are a little farther apart?? And it's harder to grow and maintain a foodplot rather than just go the "easy route" and dump out a pile of corn, or whatever. I think that's where most of the animosity comes from, everyone that has the means to grow food plots are on the high horse because they can, and everyone that can't grow them (myself included) are kind of pi$$ed off and jealous??

Are you serious, you need someone to point out the difference?? Lets see, a 4 foot diameter pile of corn.....20 acre footplot....4 feet...20 acres. I dont anything should need to be explained any further.....

[deerminator]

"Some I am sure are high fenced,"

Ha. That's for sure. I was watching the Matthews show on Outdoors Channel last night and they plugged the "refuge" they were hunting an the HSOforum said it all with the price list.

[UdeLakeTom]

We have planted two different types of food plots the last two years. All spring and summer they are eating away. Come fall hunting season, the deer disappear. My old neighbors who farmed the area in the '60s and early '70s said that the deer would eat their alfalfa all summer and then would not be around come hunting season. These were the old timers, that trapped and hunted for a reason, not just to go out for a weekend with the boys. Their alfalfa was for feeding cows, not to entice deer to the area. So food plots though helpful, are not a guarantee.

[james_walleye]

Not a surprise when you consider the food sources that become available in the fall. Acorns, soybeans, corn, they all become attractive at different times. I agree with your assessment of a foodplot. That is why after putting cameras out over piles of corn and seeing the results it is clearly obvious the difference in a foodplot and a 4 foot diameter pile of corn. Also let me add i've never hunted over or planted a foodplot so i have no personal reasons to defend them.

[james_walleye]

Here let me show you guys a few of the pictures i had over a cornpile set on the edge of a picked cornfield.

[james_walleye]

A few more...

This on a farm where i used to have permission to bowhunt and now the last 4 years only to slughunt. In 10 years bowhunting i never had a single 2 1/2 year old buck or older within 50 yards of me. A farm where i still have not harvested even a 2 1/2 year old to this day much less a trophy. Now you people tell me that if i had a stand here that this wouldnt have been an unfair advantage and until someone here has this many daylight photos of this many bucks in a 2 week span within 5 feet of a spot in a 20 acre foodplot i don't want to here how the two are the same in reguards to "baiting". I didnt post the other hundreds of pictures i had all the does that were at the cornpile. I also didnt post the pictures i had of alot of these deer coming all the way across this picked cornfield from the river bottom to this cornpile. They bypassed the picked corn and traveled all the way across this field to this cornpile.

[vister]

we can't keep debating on whether or not standing or harvested crops give an unfair advantage people! Deer have to eat. period. so people are going to hunt deer where there is a food source. always have and always will. now where would a deer hunt for us if we didn't have to work, or anything like that. they'd sit in stands next to fast food joints, grocery stores, and other restaurants.

[Surface Tension]

Its apparent if you read the topics in the Hunting threads, hunting season means different things to different people.

If you look at it as "taking game" then you can see that your way can be different then the next guys. Some are there for no other reason then the challenge. Some do it strictly for the meat. Then there are those in between. You'll have to accept the fact your way or reason to take a deer is no better then the next guys.

Food plots, baiting where legal, QDM, fair chase, ethics, archery vs rifle, the rut, or meat hunter. Do it for your reasons and stop with the my way is better stuff.

I could repeat this post in a lot of the hunting topics.

IMO the bickering, bragging, and everything else popping up in these threads is nothing but selfishness. Lets make EVERYONE's deer season my way.

[inspec_brad]

Its apparent if you read the topics in the Hunting threads, hunting season means different things to different people.

If you look at it as "taking game" then you can see that your way can be different then the next guys. Some are there for no other reason then the challenge. Some do it strictly for the meat. Then there are those in between. You'll have to accept the fact your way or reason to take a deer is no better then the next guys.

Food plots, baiting where legal, QDM, fair chase, ethics, archery vs rifle, the rut, or meat hunter. Do it for your reasons and stop with the my way is better stuff.

I could repeat this post in a lot of the hunting topics.

IMO the bickering, bragging, and everything else popping up in these threads is nothing but selfishness. Lets make EVERYONE's deer season my way.

No, I don't want it your way, I want it my way!

[vister]

Should be my way and everyone should also drive like me!

[james_walleye]

I dont have a problem with people doing what is legal. It was brought up that what is the difference between a cornpile and a 20 acre foodplot. I pointed out what i believe the difference is and posted pics to show it and its why i believe hunting over a cornpile is illegal in MN. I hunt like any other regular joe does and im certainly not saying my way is better. Im just pointing out the obvious difference to someone that says a cornpile is the same as a 20 acre foodplot. If a person wants to say neither should be legal because they both are manmade and draw deer that is fine. But lets not pretend that the advantages created are the same. And again i dont hunt over a foodplot, just pointing out the difference. I hunt like anyone else does, finding a foodsource, finding scrapes and rubs, finding pinch points and funnels. The title of the thread is "why is baiting illegal here?", just stating why i think it is.....

[vister]

I'm not disagreeing with your post. your pics prove deer will come to a corn pile even when corn is scattered all over the ground. deer don't like being out in the open for long, so they will go eat as much as they can as fast as they can. that is why they have multi-chambered stomachs, like cattle, then they can eat quick, go bed down, and chew their cud in safety.

Much why pheasant hunting can't be done until after 9 am. they are scavenging road sides just after sunrise to pick up loose grains and gravel which helps the gizzard break down their food.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Brule

Just this fall I planted several hunred acorns on some land we own. In 20-25 years I plan to hunt over them, so by your logic am I baiting?

Maybe is jealously or something else but its kind of sad that someone who is trying to improve their habitat is labled a baiter by some.

Ok, Bear, you're getting pretty nit-picky here in interpreting what I said. In the long term, yes you are baiting, however, there is a HUGE difference in throwing out a pile of apples, or planting a food plot vs. planting some oak trees. I see little wrong with planting some trees, because a tree is not an immediate food source that will habituate and re-pattern the local herd in a short period of time. I mean, give me a break, you may not even be around in 25 years to hunt those, or they may not take, ect... You're getting a little too offended with MY OPINION!

Do what you like, as long as you are w/in the law. I don't agree w/ it, but who cares, right?

I guess where I draw the line is the "quick fixes" intended to hunt over. This is what I perceive to be the immediate problem and what I consider lazy.

It's obvious you don't and can't see things in my perspective. I'm not by any means trying to change you, all I'm doing is trying to show another perspective and make you all think a little.

Frank said it all in his post. I am officially done with this thread!

[jltimm]

Here's a sample: A guy grows a 2 acre food plot to hunt over. The neighbor decides to put out 100lbs. of corn a week before the season by his stand. Who would you bet on shooting a deer between the 2?

[Big Dave2]

I would say they both have a good chance unless they live in downtown Minneapolis.

Now, lets compare those 2 guys and a guy who hunts on public land and has no way of using any food source. Now who has the better chance of shooting a deer?

[BobT]

Actually there are plenty of good food sources in the wild on public land.

Locate them and you have a natural food plot.

Bob

[lichen fox]

No matter where deer live they have a food source...otherwise they'd all starve to death...if you're hunting public land the deer are eating something somewhere...go and find it! James nice pics of the deer on the corn pile...proves my earlier point exactly...you see smaller bucks & does before dark on a bait pile, but rarely a mature "shooter" buck.

[c&amagn]

Like I stated before, the question should be (Why do you need to bait deer?) You should be hunting them (within the laws).

[blackdog1101]

by hanging out a saturated wick with golden estrous, you are luring a buck to you. Isn't that the same as a pile of grain and apples, illegal, or a food plot, which is legal?

No, it is not the same. You can "train" a deer to come looking for the corn if you put it out every day for a week or two. Put out your trail cam, and see "yup, he's coming in every morning at 6:00am." Go out on opening morning at 5:00am, sweep up the corn, and when he comes walking in for his breakfast at 6:00am.... "BANG." That's not hunting, that's just shooting. Completely unsportsmanlike.