Deer Baiters

[DaveS]

Well, my daughter and myself went to Rural King today to get some much needed farm supplies and observed the following:

A Man, Woman and teenage Boy, all wearing camo, orange hats, vests and carrying hunting knives was standing in Rural King. The boy was holding a box of Muzzleloader bullets and what appeared to be a box of 209 primers. They all appeared as if they was getting ready for an afternoon deer hunt. As the boy and Woman stood there, the Man loaded 3 bags of "Deer Corn" onto a feed cart. So I think OK, they have chickens? But the Deer Corn was priced about 8 dollars more a bag than the feed corn which was just a few feet away. I feel a little baiting coming up! I'm sure the guy is teaching his son well. I'm a really good judge of charactor, and this guy was smell'n bad in my book!

Dave S

[Garufa]

Have you ever been to Texas?

Those ol'e boys down there fill up massive hoppers with corn, sit in a "camouflaged" shed", and wait. That's hunting alright.

[DaveS]

[quote name='Garufa' timestamp='1351981937' post='838502']
Have you ever been to Texas?

Those ol'e boys down there fill up massive hoppers with corn, sit in a "camouflaged" shed", and wait. That's hunting alright.
[/quote]

I hear ya buddy!

Dave S

[Raoul]

Well they have to do something to level the playing field. Them deer are smart.

[Pat]

That's not... hunting, really... that's sitting and waiting. ^^; I mean, more power to them, but I see that actually seeking out and tracking your prey is much more rewarding and, and... prestigous, really. Another thing that irritates me is road hunting... drive around and look for deer, then hop out and blast one when you see it. Ehh. I mean, if all you care about is getting the meat, then everything goes... for the [i]sport[/i] of [i]hunting[/i], I don't think so.

[jtmaze]

[quote name='Garufa' timestamp='1351981937' post='838502']
Have you ever been to Texas?

Those ol'e boys down there fill up massive hoppers with corn, sit in a "camouflaged" shed", and wait. That's hunting alright.
[/quote]

I spent five years hunting in SW Texas and due to the vast land area, I determined that you would never see deer without baiting. In reality, the feeders usually attracted small meat deer but trophy deer where almost never seen on the corn during daylight. If you wanted to get big deer you had to hunt scout and everything that you do here. And the feeders we used were 400 lbs each.

And most blinds weren't camo'ed onced the deer became acclimated to them they paid them no attention.

Edited November 3, 2012 by jtmaze

[DaveS]

[quote name='Pat' timestamp='1351984836' post='838521']
That's not... hunting, really... that's sitting and waiting. ^^; I mean, more power to them, but I see that actually seeking out and tracking your prey is much more rewarding and, and... prestigous, really. Another thing that irritates me is road hunting... drive around and look for deer, then hop out and blast one when you see it. Ehh. I mean, if all you care about is getting the meat, then everything goes... for the [i]sport[/i] of [i]hunting[/i], I don't think so.
[/quote]

Most folks don't bother to "hop out", they shoot from right inside the vehicle!

Dave S

[TLRMADE]

Shooting over a baited area is illegal in TN. I laugh everytime I see them still selling corn at Academy.

[roverboy]

A lot of people buy corn this time of year. Some do it just because they're neighbors are doing it. I'm not saying that makes it right. Thats just the way it is for some people.

[Jonnin]

I won't break the law but I was looking into hunting for the food aspect -- one animal, for food only. Dead is dead and I see no difference between an efficent kill via bait vs trekking thru the woods for a month. It would not be a "sport" or "fun" for me, it would be a chore (and a brutal one at that) of gathering food. I can respect that others see it differently, and I have a very low opinion of lawbreaking, but the actual act does not seem "unethical" to me, it seems like a better method that has been banned to make a chore even more difficult. But you know me, always trying to apply logic.

[DaveS]

[quote name='Jonnin' timestamp='1351991996' post='838587']
I won't break the law but I was looking into hunting for the food aspect -- one animal, for food only. Dead is dead and I see no difference between an efficent kill via bait vs trekking thru the woods for a month. It would not be a "sport" or "fun" for me, it would be a chore (and a brutal one at that) of gathering food. I can respect that others see it differently, and I have a very low opinion of lawbreaking, but the actual act does not seem "unethical" to me, it seems like a better method that has been banned to make a chore even more difficult. But you know me, always trying to apply logic.
[/quote]

I see your point, BUT....fair chase is LEGAL and BAITING is NOT! Decisions, decisions....

Dave S

[Jonnin]

[quote name='DaveS' timestamp='1351992253' post='838592']
I see your point, BUT....fair chase is LEGAL and BAITING is NOT! Decisions, decisions....

Dave S
[/quote]

And, as I said, you won't see me breaking the laws. Even the stupid ones. No decision at all there!

[DaveS]

I don't know why it's illegal...hell, you can plant a food plot with "deer goodies from hell" and be legal. Drop one handful of corn on the ground..it's jail time! makes no sense to me!!!

Dave S

[Dolomite_supafly]

Good thing they weren't hunting a "master" otherwise this whole thread would have a totally different feel.

Dolomite

[DaveS]

[quote name='Dolomite_supafly' timestamp='1351994372' post='838611']
Good thing they weren't hunting a "master" otherwise this whole thread would have a totally different feel.

Dolomite
[/quote]

Ooopppssss....ya lost me Dol!!

Dave S

[DaveS]

Oh he**...I get it Dol!! HA! Funny one!
You got me Buddy! LOL

Dave S Edited November 4, 2012 by DaveS

[Lumber_Jack]

Feeding deer corn is still legal, you just can't hunt within a 250yd circle zone around the feeder or shoot into that zone. It is legal to use feeders and hunt trails leading to the feeders.

Now is that what was happening here, who knows, but that's why stores still sell deer feed.

[~48_South~]

My place has had bait on it for the past several years,that being said I have not allowed anyone to hunt my property nor have I hunted it while baited. When I want to hunt I typically go to one of my family members places(More Land),this however is the first year I have strongly considered hunting my own place due to it appearing to be over run with bucks 2:1 buck to doe ratio atleast from what Im gathering on my cameras. Anyways I looked up the legalities of hunting over bait and to no surprise its illegal,however it is my understanding if I do decide to hunt I have to remove ALL bait a minimum of 10 days before hunting and that is no problem for me. I was in academy the other night wearing my camo overalls and camo jacket and noticed they had corn cheaper than what I had been paying and as I was checking out I actually stopped and thought how bad this probably looks to others.

[DaveS]

I wish they would change the law myself. If a deer is dumb enough to come to an apple in a corn field...he might just need to be shot! His genes may be messed up! But, that's not my decision to make....I only abide by it.

Dave S

[whiskey]

I have lived in states that allowed baiting and I have hunted over bait in those states. However, I never killed a deer over that bait. I did kill a lot of hogs that way. I don't call it hunting though, I call it "going to the grocery store for pork."

I am going to buy a bag of deer corn later today. I have a feeder in my backyard. I don't hunt over it, but the Wife and I enjoy watching the deer, squirrels and other wildlife that come to the feeder.

I have never seen a buck I would shoot at a feeder in the daylight. It's always does and 1.5 year old bucks.

Planted food plots are WAY more productive at drawing deer than a corn feeder. Also, in my experience, deer will walk past corn to feed on acorns.

[R_Bert]

[quote name='Lumber_Jack' timestamp='1351997436' post='838653']
Feeding deer corn is still legal, [color=#ff0000]you just can't hunt within a 250yd circle zone around the feeder or shoot into that zone. [/color]It is legal to use feeders and hunt trails leading to the feeders.

Now is that what was happening here, who knows, but that's why stores still sell deer feed.
[/quote]

knowingly, or unknowingly. There is [u]zero[/u] room for ignorance or mistakes.....

[DaveS]

[quote name='Lumber_Jack' timestamp='1351997436' post='838653']
Feeding deer corn is still legal, you just can't hunt within a 250yd circle zone around the feeder or shoot into that zone. It is legal to use feeders and hunt trails leading to the feeders.

Now is that what was happening here, who knows, but that's why stores still sell deer feed.
[/quote]

Ten days after it's been removed....

Dave S

[Lumber_Jack]

[quote name='DaveS' timestamp='1352036656' post='838787']

Ten days after it's been removed....

Dave S[/quote]

No, I thought you can hunt an active feeder as long as you stay outside the 250yd zone. You can hunt inside that zone 10 days after all feed is removed.

[Lumber_Jack]

If I'm wrong please correct me. I don't use feed or feeders just what I read in the regs.

[Wingshooter]

[quote name='Lumber_Jack' timestamp='1352036791' post='838789']

No, I thought you can hunt an active feeder as long as you stay outside the 250yd zone. You can hunt inside that zone 10 days after all feed is removed.[/quote]

That is correct. They clarified the definition of baiting last year (within 250yds).
https://news.tn.gov/node/7647