Retail Stores Promoting deer baiting?

[ccarlson]

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that about a month prior to deer season each year, the retail stores (like fleet stores, sporting goods stores etc.) start prominantly displaying bags of corn and deer feed?

As we know, baiting has become a serious issue in Minnesota. These stores should be doing their part and not even selling the products in my opinion. Isn't it also a proven fact that feeding deer recreationally is a poor practice as well since deer could spread disease through the saliva on shared feeder locations?

I'm not referring to food plots here either. I'm only concerned with the stores obvious attempt to cash in on the illegal practice of baiting deer and making it way too easy for the unethical poacher to access the feed necessary to screw up the natural deer movement for the rest of us.

What do others think about the stores doing this?

I'd like to see a push to limit the sale of such products or if nothing else, maybe sportsmen and women who are concerned should be voicing their opinions to the store owners/managers.

ccarlson

[BigWadeS]

I know you can't hunt over them, but I thought you could use them up until 10 days prior to hunting in that area, I might have read the reg's wrong...

[David Frank]

I agree with what you are saying, and in an ideal world it wouldn't matter what the stores sold because everyone would follow the laws anyways, but the fact remains that there are hunters out there who break the laws year in and year out. Until this changes, those responsible for making the business decisions will continue to capitalize on a profitable market. It's too bad, but that's the way business goes.

[Powerstroke]

Its only illegal to hunt over. You can't bait for doves or ducks either, so should it be illegal to sell corn and bird feed during the fall months.

This is on no way some sort of ethical or moral question.

Selling corn before hunting season in no way encourages baiting or even implys it. I'm a little annoyed at this discussion because when I buy corn for my deer feeders I go to a co-op to buy feed anyway. Just cause it won't be in Fleet Farm doesn't mean its not available anywhere else.

I'm not trying to be rude, but cmon, this is like banning guns to prevent gun violence.

PS, Big wade is correct. "bait" type items are legal as long as they are removed within 10 days before the hunting season.

[Gissert]

I agree, Powerstroke.

Selling feed at a retail store does not imply that laws will be broken. Kinds like a liquor store selling alcohol - use the product inside the law.

One thing that may be a bit grey are those mineral blocks that have apples, seed, and corn in them. While they look like regular mineral blocks for the most part, those are considered to be bait if you are hunting over or around them.

[harvey lee]

It is very hard to try and control other peoples actions.

[jltimm]

It is awfully good timing to see all the adds for deer "bait".And they wonder why the DNR has so many people baiting deer more and more every year! The way I figure it is, if a hunter has to bait deer to shoot deer he isn't much of a hunter!

[ccarlson]

Powerstroke,

The discussion is certainly not intended to offend those of you that may feed deer legally so don't take it personal. I just find it too "coincident" that the bags of feed go out right in the prime shopping time when people are purchasing their deer hunting items. Have you noticed how the feed bags are put back in the back of the store after deer season is done?

Perhaps I'm wrong in putting any blame or ethical responsibility on the retail store but I just cringe knowing that there are people purchasing these bags of feed for the purpose of illegal baiting with the intent of shooting a deer over the bait. In the end, the person purchasing and placing the illegal bait is responsible. I just think the stores are helping to make it easy for an un-ethical hunter to take the bait so to speak.

Does it send a message to more hunters each year that "based on all these deer feed bags out right before season, everyone else must be baiting so in order to see deer, I need to bait too?" Speeding is illegal too, but if I feel everyone else is doing it, I may not feel it is as wrong for me to do it. I just don't like the message it sends in regard to their timing of the prominent displays.

In other words, your discussion has made me realize that perhaps the stores should not be limited from selling the products but I would hope that the practice of pushing the products right before hunting season would end.

Thanks for the insight and thoughts on the subject.

What do others think?

ccarlson

[jbtwins24]

its kinda sad that people have to use something to get the deer into your area by baiting, i would not call you a true hunter. its a lazy method of deer hunting and i will not respect anybody that does this.

[fivebucks]

Just to play the devil's advocate, they could be targeting people that live in the area but have land in WI or MI, although we probably know that's not the case.

[BuckRuttinFool]

So what if they push the sell....It doesn't mean you have to but break the law and buy and use it......it's just like sayin it's the gun sellers fault that people are killed.....just because it's now in the store front doesn't force you to buy it....Use your heads!!!!

[xedge2002]

One other thought I had is maybe they are already putting it out for people who have deer/pheasant feeders for the winter. Kinda like how it seems that right after the 4th of July they start putting out the christmas stuff. Just a thought.