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Baiting

19K views 81 replies 22 participants last post by  joel the signman 
#1 ·
Things are a bit slow here so lets open for debate the issue of baiting game animals for the sole purpose of harvesting them. First, let me say I've baited many years ago so I do know what its all about. Secondly, I've chosen not to bait as I now do not care to hunt that way. Here's the question: What do the members here feel with regards to legal baiting. Please keep the debate civil and your goal is to convince me that baiting is and should remain an accepted method of legal hunting, or why baiting should be banned. I do not consider food plots baiting if animals are not shot over the plots. Remember this is just a questioniare. Fire away!:nerd:
 
#31 ·
On the bating issue. I did bait alot when I was younger. I never had much land to hunt so I needed an edge. Apples brought in alot of deer. I have shot numerous 6-8pts. and a ton of does over a nice apple pile. I also had all the time in the world to haul out the bait. But as I got older I think I have gotten wiser and I don't have much time to hunt. When I have a morning or afternoon to hunt I turn into a freak. Everything has to to scent proof, weather and wind just right . I now try to set up on heavier used game trails where I have game cameras, and play the wind. I might have a hot stand with alot of pix but if I don't think I have the right conditions I will try to stay away until I do. I liked what wmi said about the challenge. Tyrying to outsmart "OLD MOSSY HORNS" in his home turf is the greatest challenge. Patience is one of the keys to hunting. Learning a buck's tendencies and then using that knowledge to score on him is a great accomplishment. Of course I am still learning and that is what make's me look forward to next fall.
Also, Michigan has found 1 doe in a private farm with CWD so the DNR has banned all baiting in the state. I personally have heard of people still baiting and realize that they will continue to do so. I have no control over that.
I would wish that people in Michigan would hold off on baitng for awhile until the DNR gets this resolved. If it is resolved, I have no problem with people baiting if that is the way they choose to hunt. To one's own preference.
 
#36 ·
I've been baiting this year around trail cameras trying to get a deer count and just to see what's out there. I've had one of the piles going since mid december. As far as concentrating the deer thing, I don't know if I buy it. I have never had more deer at my piles than I've seen feeding in the fields around the area. Also, they don't stay there and gorge themselves like some would believe making them dependant on the food. I do have regulars that stop by everyday for a bit then move on. As far as hunting over bait, I've yet to catch a good buck with his head in the cornpile. And I know there are some in the area. I don't think baiting is a good way to kill one. I do plan on making some food plots(nature willing) and using a feeder at certian times of the year but won't hunt those either. Not coz I think it's wrong, I just won't hunt that part of the farm for other reasons. Some people think baiting makes it an easy kill, I don't. Unless you're after does. And really, you shouldn't need bait for does, grins.
 
#37 ·
Im going to have to go with joel on this.Even though Ronn makes a good point about the doe in heat.I like to find natural feeding and watering areas in order to pattern deer and put a stand.I do plant food plots sometimes in order to keep deer on my particular piece of property.I have hunted over food plots but typically only keep them up until the beginning of season.BUT.If I knew a kid that wanted to go hunting Id have no problem throwing some corn out and after it was gone Id hunt there.It takes alot to keep youth interested and Id do whatever it takes.
 
G
#38 ·
kyle85 not being a wise guy but you prove my point by picking and choosing when to hunt "over" bait. If bait is changing the deers patteren how is that different than a food plot or crop that does the same thing. what if its been, say, cotton and now its corn? WE ALL hunt "over" bait whether we choose to admit it to ourselves or not. the problem is trying to force the land to carry more deer than it can without human intervention, kinda joel's point I believe, which again could be a food pile or plot. Great disscussion all.
 
#39 ·
Pardon me Ronn but I do not hunt bait (Man placed food source purposely placed for attracting deer). I may hunt food sources but mostly only travel corridors leading to and from. The reason I only hunt travel routes is hunting the food source itself here in my areas only screws up the deer patterns that I have busted my butt locating. Hunting the food source is the best way on most hunting properties of making deer go nocturnal. How can you ever become a proficient hunter if all you know is corn and how much to put out. I don't care what others may think of this but baiting is lazy hunting. There is so much more to learn than staring at a bait pile. To me it is like going to work not being there to be productive but to just punch a clock.
 
G
#40 · (Edited)
crop or oak stand same thing. keying on food, food and its relationship to bedding. bait = food placed by man, planted by man or naturally occurring. the difference is you are after a particular animal which adds a whole series of facets. they call shiners bait fish don't they, whether its on a hook or not?
 
#41 ·
Minnows and worms are one thing and a spinner bait is another. Bait is illegal in most bass tourneys but crank baits are not. Crop fields and oak trees will be there even if deer are not. Apples and oranges or to me in this case coconuts and raisins. Sorry my friend but on this one you are in far left field. There is a difference.
 
#43 ·
sorry guys but on this one i'm leaning towards WMI, There is a skill issue involved also. I can create a hunting situation by adding a lure or I can hunt by learning how to hunt naturally. I think there is a difference, whether it is a worthwhile difference each hunter can decide that. The picture becomes more grey when food plots are included as some are for nutrition others are for harvesting. To teach a youngster that you need to put out a bait pile and shoot deer is not teaching hunting skills. I like the debate but there won't be any winners/loosers when all is said and done just differences.
 
#44 ·
the thread isn't about natural Food sources or food plots, it's about Baiting and baiting in it's simplest definition means; "A Luring substance, intentionally deposited for the sole use of attracting wild game, fish or other."

and no matter how you look at it or try to interpret it, baiting in NO way even comes close to being "Natural".

HM is right when he says "there won't be any winners/loosers when all is said and done" "just differences"

The bottom line will be determined by whether a person fully understands what baiting means and how they want their hunting style to be perceived by other Hunters which is, are they hunting or are they baiting? it's that simple.
 
#45 ·
So wmi, if I put out a bait pile but only hunted the travel corridors leading to it, would that make it ok? Grins...had to ask ya know. I agree with you that baiting is an atempt to make a short cut. I'm still not convinced that it's a real short cut or not, depends on what you're after. I've had a bait pile going since mid december and still can't draw in all the deer around, much less one that would like to shoot. I also agree with Ron that crop fields and such is bait also. We have been trying to enhance one of the properties we hunt using what I call bait, i.e. food plots, browse, green briar, and security cover etc. It's just not a corn pile.
 
#46 ·
It falls in the deep well of subjects like potatoes and tomatoes. Food plots can help the deer herd but I do not like to hunt them because in my eye they are just killing fields. Like Ron and I both agreed when you go on a guided hunt it makes you a shooter not really a hunter in our sense and meaning of the word. I feel the same way about baiting. On a guided hunt you go where they tell you but at home I have a choice. Since I hunt for the challenge my CHOICE is not to hunt over bait.
All of this being said the most important thing STILL is that we are all hunters. Even though we have differences in opinions we as a whole need to stick together because of the big picture we (ALL) are faced with today of other groups trying to take our privileges away. This is the most important subject in my eyes.
 
#49 ·
it falls in the deep well of subjects like potatoes and tomatoes. Food plots can help the deer herd but i do not like to hunt them because in my eye they are just killing fields. Like ron and i both agreed when you go on a guided hunt it makes you a shooter not really a hunter in our sense and meaning of the word. I feel the same way about baiting. On a guided hunt you go where they tell you but at home i have a choice. Since i hunt for the challenge my choice is not to hunt over bait.
all of this being said the most important thing still is that we are all hunters. Even though we have differences in opinions we as a whole need to stick together because of the big picture we (all) are faced with today of other groups trying to take our privileges away. This is the most important subject in my eyes.
wmi,i'm with you!!!awsome reply!!!my hats off to you.now can we put this tread to rest because you just said it all!!!we are all hunters with some very different ways of hunting.very interesting.
 
#47 ·
I have to say the responces have been really great on this subject. Its an emotional subject when you add tradition, trophy hunters, genuine habitat improvers and pure harvesters to the mix. What it boils down to is decisions/personal choises and the law. I think many of us go through a hunting evolution where-by we change our priorities which changes our choises and ultimately our decisions regarding our hunting style. This is only one subject in that arena. When I travel to Canada for trophy pike it will be under their natural enviroment using a man-made lure to mimick a bait fish, oh no!!!!!!!:bag:
 
#56 ·
I would not consider it baiting if you found a natural food source and a route or trail to this and put a stand there. If you planted a food plot . What is it for? Are you just trying to attract deer to hunt? Or are you trying to possibly create a trophy to hunt? Maybe not hunt over the food plot but have possibly figured out a pattern of natural food and hunted him/Her.Depends on your ethics. Do you hunt him on your terms(over bait you placed)Or do you hunt him in his or her natural enviroment. ( natural food) I would say it depends on the hunter.Does it matter if you shoot an animal every year? Everybody is diffrent. I believe you should find where they live and find a way to take one on there terms. No artificial help at all. This is a hunter.
 
#58 ·
It is important to follow state laws regarding baiting...

I kinda switch back and forth on this baiting thing. I know that in my area there is such an abundance of deer that we need all the hunters that we can get...and for those hunters to be successful. I also know that probably somewhere around 3/4 of the hunters I have talked to around here do admit to baiting deer. I guess this probably helps to increase the odds and keeps more deer out of vehicle headlights. It is not my personal choice for hunting style, but without baiting the deer population (at least around here) would probably grow to an unhealthy number.

The one thing about baiting that really gets me aggrivated is seeing these huge trophy deer killed over bait piles on "hunting shows". I guess they must be pen raised deer, but still great bucks with their heads stuck in the feeder during the middle of the day...what the heck?? I know that trophy deer around here are rarely seen at the feeders, and certainly would not be there during daylight hours, but I guess shooting pen raised deer eating corn out of a feeder is becoming the new standard in "hunting". It seems like that's most of what I saw on hunting shows before I just stopped watching them.
 
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