"hunting" over bait

[Fish&Fowl]

I agree on what's said about deer hunting changing so much from what it used to be in the "good ol' days," but I don't see where you guys are coming from on the baiting being like using scents or decoys. That's like saying throwing corn out for ducks on shore is the same as setting out decoys and calling them in. Animals HAVE to eat, they don't have to come in to a scent or to the sounds of a grunt or bleat.

I didn't realize this post was going to turn into such a big deal, but it does raise some good points. I've become much more of a waterfowler than a deer hunter anyways in the last few years, but it really is sad to see what a lot of people consider "hunting" nowadays.

[Boar]

I guesse I'm eating my words when i said on the high fence hunting thread, "If it's leagal an done by the law, have fun hunting." Then I said on this thread that I wont bait an dont agree with it, That came across as like I dont respect the hunting rights of others. Thats not the case. Reading these post has educated me interms of how people hunt an have hunted. Certainly we have read an seen on TV, shows that are upsetting, or come across a wrong sittuation that needs to be reported, that sucks too. From the Impression I'm getting on this thread is that were not those people on TV or the ones that need to be turned in. Were hunters an we all know there are alot of people out there with alot of money that dont want us to hunt, that dont care about our heritage, That dont care about the memories we make with family an freinds in the fellowship of hunting. Hunting has diffenatley changed. Even if I dont agree with baiting I'm gonna respect it as another hunters right to hunt as the law allows. I wish everyone a safe an memorable hunt this comeing fall weather you bait or not. Good luck an be safe, Later boar

[BobT]

I beg to differ with you, fish&fowl. A mature buck in rut does "have" to respond to scent. It's in his nature. As far as baiting being their food supply, I would have to believe that they are not responding because it is the only food supply they have. They, like the buck responding to doe-in-heat, are taking advantage of an opportunity. When we use scents, rattling, grunts, food plots, and other natural environmental features, we are using a deer's natural instincts to our advantage. This is how I relate them all to baiting. Doesn't mean I disagree with baiting so long as it is legal. Just pointing out how I question the difference.

Bob

[chucker34]

I guess if the differences between using scents and calling, etc. and dumping corn on the ground were called into question by a majority in the court of public opinion -AND the DNR decided to act one way or the other on it. I'd say do away with it all. Make it all illegal versus letting baiting become legal.

I've used scents. I've rattled and 99.9 percent of the time these tactics have been fruitless. And yes, I've followed all the advice on how to do so properly.

What I'd love to see happen is for the DNR to do a wide-ranging survey on this, asking do you think baiting should be made legal. And make every deer hunter answer when they apply for a license. Then we'd get a true picure - one way or the other - of what people's preferences are.

[KOTTKE]

I was just checking out the trail cam photos on this link and wouldn't you know the first photots that come up have a corn pile in it and the very next photo has a little buck staring at the camara with corn still stuck to his nose. These images make you sick, great white hunters hard at it, in a couple of months you will see a smiling hunter with his buck and the long story of how he patterned it and watched it all summer long. What a joke!!!

[outdoor ran]

Pail of corn and growing a food plot - same thing. Your putting food down for the purpose of killing a deer. I think Mn has better hunting for big deer because they don't allow baiting all though its done alot more then you think. What do you think brings all them deer to the gravel road on them texas hunting shows, corn. Most of the hunting shows you see now days are full of crap anyway.

I just can't believe how some people can say baiters are not real hunters, cheaters, lazy etc. Last year a friend of mine had a 12yr old son that wanted to try deer hunting. They have no land, 2 jobs and a big family to take care of. They only had time to hunt two evenings so they placed a legal amount of corn down. The boy shot a little 5 point, he said it was the most exciting thing that ever happened to him. He put meat in the frezzer for his family and wants to be a hunter for life. Thought of someone ripping on this 12yr old boy and calling him a cheater, lazy and not a real hunter would be sad JMO guys

[jlm]

Baiting sure seems to get a bad rap, however, there certainly are some pros to using it as a management tool. Good clean kills at standing deer with safe back grounds when shooting. That in itself can certainly be seen as a benefit to using bait. We have to remember that we all see "hunting" differently. Some of us enjoy the hunt and want it to be challenged in every aspect of it so placing a pail of corn out would not seem that challanging or maybe even not ethical. While others view hunting as just getting a deer in the freezer and a pail of corn is a good tool to get the job done. Ethical or not, baiting as a great management tool and gives some the opportunity to get meat in the freezer! I have also found that those who REALLY are against baiting are those that hunt public ground or ground that has other hunting pressure. I can certainly see why that would be a problem. Whatever the case, baiting is illegal in MN and should be reported to your CO if you happen to see this activity. I will say however, there is a pretty big movement to make this legal. Time will tell!

[harvey lee]

Great post outdoor ran and I agree 100% with you.