Baiting wildlife

[fisheye]

This is not a troll ....I clarify because it may seem very elemental and obvious to some.

My question is, why is it ok (legal) to bait for some wildlife and not others?

[swamp snorkler]

Why is it okay to shoot a fish at night but not a rabbit?

[eman]

If you put bait out for deer or bears, you may get one or two (maybe more with deer ) to come to the bait at a time and you probably won't pull them from very far away . When you put out bait for birds (ducks and doves ) with enough bait and time you can pull in every bird in the area. Even if you're not an outlaw and you only shoot your limit. You have baited in all the birds in an area .no one else is really going to get to shoot much. Unless you hammer on a baited field or pond every day ,as long as there's food the birds will keep coming back.

[Feesherman]

Because of the ease of disease spread, baiting shouldn't be ok for anything.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by Feesherman

Because of the ease of disease spread, baiting shouldn't be ok for anything.

I believe this is one reason some states have banned the practice, although I don't think you would find that explicitly stated. As far as OP's question though, I do not believe there is a logical reason to explain it across the board. Is it ethics? Is it for ecological reasons such as disease transmission and increased predation caused by the concentration of animals?

It also depends on what you consider baiting. Is a sunflower field planted for doves the same as a corn feeder on a shooting lane for deer?

I believe it comes down to--in most cases--a question of what is viewed as ethical and what isn't. Some states have banned baiting anything. Federally, you cannot bait migratory birds, but for almost anything, you can plant food plots or manipulate vegetation to increase availability of food. Deer hunters talk about honing in on particular food sources. What makes a deer feeder any worse than a white oak tree that every deer within a quarter mile is going to key in on?

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[Feesherman]

Originally Posted by Smalls

I believe it comes down to--in most cases--a question of what is viewed as ethical and what isn't.

And whose ethics are we to use?

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by Feesherman

And whose ethics are we to use?

The matter probably comes down to who is most vocal on the issue of baiting.

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[duckman1911]

Originally Posted by Smalls

I believe this is one reason some states have banned the practice, although I don't think you would find that explicitly stated. As far as OP's question though, I do not believe there is a logical reason to explain it across the board. Is it ethics? Is it for ecological reasons such as disease transmission and increased predation caused by the concentration of animals?

It also depends on what you consider baiting. Is a sunflower field planted for doves the same as a corn feeder on a shooting lane for deer?

I believe it comes down to--in most cases--a question of what is viewed as ethical and what isn't. Some states have banned baiting anything. Federally, you cannot bait migratory birds, but for almost anything, you can plant food plots or manipulate vegetation to increase availability of food. Deer hunters talk about honing in on particular food sources. What makes a deer feeder any worse than a white oak tree that every deer within a quarter mile is going to key in on?

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You have a good point. It is a lot of grey area regarding that. You can feed deer but not ducks,doves or turkeys. I can see why the bird hunters may get pissed about that. As you brought up what is the difference between a corn feeder and a food plot. Both are there to get deer in shooting range. Lets not forget the purpose of us being there is to kill something. It can be sugar coated for arguement sake but we go there to kill. Bait or no bait the end result is the same. Unless your deer season is going as crappy as mine lol.

[Feesherman]

Originally Posted by duckman1911

Bait or no bait the end result is the same.

I think, with very little effort, that can be argued. I don't feel like making very little effort though.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by Feesherman

I think, with very little effort, that can be argued. I don't feel like making very little effort though.

I could see from a moral/philosophical standpoint, or from a fair chase standpoint making an argument, but at the bare bones of it, I would agree with him. At the end of the day, you're killing an animal. The difficulty and morality of it can be argued, but the reality is the same.

However, I would make those very arguments myself. I personally don't believe in baiting, or even food plots as we know them commercially. I feel from the fair chase standpoint, hunting over native food sources is more challenging and "fair" to the wildlife, fair being a largely subjective modifier.

I won't fault a guy for using bait or food plots, though, simply because the argument could be made that hunting a hot oak flat or honey locust trees is no different. There is likely a higher degree of difficulty, because food sources can change quickly, but the premise is the same. You are targetting a preferred food source, and in some years, the deer may choose that oak tree over the corn feeder.

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[duckman1911]

Feesherman talking about fair chase. 20 bucks says he has never chased a deer. Sitting in a deer stand is what is happening

[elebouef]

Is water melons still against the law to use as bait?

[Feesherman]

Originally Posted by duckman1911

Feesherman talking about fair chase. 20 bucks says he has never chased a deer. Sitting in a deer stand is what is happening

I'm your huckleberry. Pay up

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[duckman1911]

Originally Posted by Feesherman

I'm your huckleberry. Pay up

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I'll tell you what. If you have a video to prove you chased a deer on foot just post it and pm me your adress. I will pay you. No bs video you found on youtube or such. If you can be honest and post a video of you chasing down a deer i'll pay up.

[Feesherman]

Originally Posted by duckman1911

I'll tell you what. If you have a video to prove you chased a deer on foot just post it and pm me your adress. I will pay you. No bs video you found on youtube or such. If you can be honest and post a video of you chasing down a deer i'll pay up.

Well I can't do that. I only hunt on public land so less is more when it comes to hiking in and out. I also hunt for meat so I see no need in filmin me shootin does and fork horns. Let's just say ur assumption is off the mark. And I hunt public for everything, deer, skirls, ducks and turkey

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[DaPointIsDaBomb]

Corn and rice farmers are in bed with LDWF brass. Rice farmers can sell their waist rice and make bran and corn farmers make much more per lb of corn selling it in 50 lb bags

And you can not kill a deer in a pine plantation without a feeder. Deer would overrun and cause a bunch of accidents if we couldnt kill them over corn feeders

[MathGeek]

Is catching hardheads at the cleaning stations baiting?

Why are deer different?

[fisheye]

Thanks for all of the replies....the discussion pretty much mirrors the conversation every time I have asked this question. There doesn't seem to be much science behind the rules.

[Smalls]

Originally Posted by fisheye

Thanks for all of the replies....the discussion pretty much mirrors the conversation every time I have asked this question. There doesn't seem to be much science behind the rules.

This may help:

State Department of Natural Resources rules prohibit baiting and feeding for the purpose of hunting or training dogs in counties where CWD is present and their neighboring counties. The rule is designed to slow the disease's spread by keeping deer from congregating over bait and feed piles.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-sta...ot-for-hunting


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[MathGeek]

In some species, disease transmission can be a legitimate issue.

In other species, it comes down to whether the population can bear the increased harvest levels that might result from baiting. In much of Europe, fishing with bait is illegal because restricting to artificial lures is one way they keep populations at sustainable levels.

Sure, there are other ways to protect populations (shorter seasons, reduced limits, etc.), but restrictions on methods of taking has always been a part of managing populations - and restrictions on baiting are just a subset on restrictions on methods of taking.