food plots/baiting

[Buckshot]

Ethics only apply when there is an agreement as to what is ethical e.g.. A code of ethics. I think it is a slippery slope you are on to try and apply your personal opinion as to what is ethical and what is not. I plant a boat load of food plots but very rarely hunt over them.

I killed an eight point while I was sitting in a field this year, was that "unethical"? Why not? I wasn't 20 feet up a tree in a hard wood thicket. In Alabama they hunt with dogs in some counties, now some would say that is unethical but there it is legal how could it be legal and unethical?

Ethics seems to be a word used a lot but still doesn't apply until a group has agreed as to what the ethics are they will abide to. Example would be a hunting club that agreed to not shoot small bucks. The gut who knowingly shoots a spike is unethical. Anything other than that is just one persons opinion about anothers actions.

Agreed! Oh and If I've said anything out of line please let me know. Here or in a pm. Here is good with me cause I don't believe I have said anything to be ashamed of. Sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings.

[Hunting Man]

Wait a minute, edison/insanity = genius/lunlatic isn't that a oxy-more-ronn? gotta admit thats funny. Simmer down its open discussion. Raising questions is not taking a position, its seeking imput from others and weighing the differences. Now I'll take that insanity plea and get off early on good behavoir with some community service. To all: If in anyway I have offended anyone please consider this an apoligy! My origional intent was to raise questions and discuss things, see where we differ. I guess I failed! Sorry!

I'm good and you far from failed. Like I said at least different angles are being looked at.

I know the point you were trying to make about the difference between hunting and harvesting, but it really hasn't got anything to do with the gadgets. If a hunter, like myself, thinks they are ethical and uses them that doesn't make them less of a hunter than one that won't use these gadgets, like yourself. This would be presumptuous and was the implication that was being made. Its hard to follow what you are against cause it roll or morphs into something else.

Was it Edison or Einstein? It was one of those guys. They were both enigmas. People ask themselves, why can't I get a deer and this is a reasonable answer. If you continue to do the same thing time after time and expect a different outcome that's a sign of insanity. That's paraphrasing.

[Southern Man]

Actually it was Roger Raglin, " We can't continue to do the same things and expect different results". And I think that's what all those that have gone before were trying to do, something different. A short cut to get better results. I guarrantee a cave man would have used a short cut in hunting if he knew of one and been hailed as a master hunter. Truth is there's not one. To consistantly score takes hard work and woodsman skills no matter where you are, unless you're buying all your hunts which most of us don't. Anyone can kill a big buck once, but can they do it consistantly? Most of the time it's not the tools they use but pure luck. Wether or not the tools you use are ethical is for each to decide, to a point. I link ethical very close to integrity.

[Southern Man]

Also, the tools are most of the time a money game. Just watch the outdoor channel. If a man used all that crap why aren't we killing the biggest and oldest bucks all the time?

Thats where Roger got it. Makes sense either way. When I went to Va in Feb sportsman show I got to have dinner with him, him and the guys from light field slugs. Everyone is always looking for bigger better faster and the manufacturers know this. There was a few of us from his forum that met up down there. IN, KY, OH, TN, MD, NH, VA were represented. It was a good time and Roger is a good speaker. He encourages one to think outside the box.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by Buckshot

Ethics only apply when there is an agreement as to what is ethical e.g.. A code of ethics. I think it is a slippery slope you are on to try and apply your personal opinion as to what is ethical and what is not. I plant a boat load of food plots but very rarely hunt over them.

I killed an eight point while I was sitting in a field this year, was that "unethical"? Why not? I wasn't 20 feet up a tree in a hard wood thicket. In Alabama they hunt with dogs in some counties, now some would say that is unethical but there it is legal how could it be legal and unethical?

Ethics seems to be a word used a lot but still doesn't apply until a group has agreed as to what the ethics are they will abide to. Example would be a hunting club that agreed to not shoot small bucks. The gut who knowingly shoots a spike is unethical. Anything other than that is just one persons opinion about anothers actions.

I agree the word unethical gets thrown around way too much. If you don't agree with me you may want to examine your ethics. Same as PETA tries to push their views on others.

Unethical- contrary to conscience , morality or law.


I believe the average person does not think of hunting year round like the one's in this forum do. They work in factories six or seven days a week , they travel, have family obligations, what ever. They may join clubs plant food plots and never actually find the time to hunt. Know some of the nicest people in the world that have there own club and have food plots planted. The only time he actually makes it there is a few weekends a year with wife and two sons. They all enjoy the break and spend hours watching deer most of the time without a shot fired. While seeing countless deer time and time again the man and his two son's harvested 1 buck a piece this past season, 2 were 8 points the other a 9 pt. He's the most caring person I ever met, had an employee have a heart attack at home 8 years ago and could no longer drive a truck. To this day he still sends checks to the family and wants to know how their doing.
I see nothing here that is immoral, illegal or should bother his conscience one bit. It's people like this I would hate to see lose out by having the little time they have enjoying the outdoors scrutinized and subjected to someone else's code of ethics.


Of course I could be biased because he's my boss and has me go down and harvest a few of the does for him each year

sounds like a great guy. As for the rest of it, Well stated.