I consider wildlife food plots NEITHER "baiting" nor "feeding".

I look at wildlife food plots to be along the lines of habitat improvement.

"Feeding" is pouring or scattering something out on the ground.
"Baiting" is hunting over that feed.

"Baiting" is hunting over a food plot that has been made or poured out on the ground,either way,it is put out to lure deer in..

What if the deer are "already there"?
No "luring in".

My food plots are year-round plots, and do little to "lure" any deer beyond what deer are already in the area and would otherwise be lured to any other change in habitat, such as a clear-cut, a select-cut, or a field.

I have some hay fields that are a half mile from the nearest cultivated/fertilized food plots ---- yet I often see more deer in these hay fields. Some of these deer are identifable and have never been photographed in the nearby "food" plots. Why? All I can figure is relative location to a myriad of diverse habitat. For my purposes, the food plots are just another alternative habitat that SOME deer will SOMETIMES utilize. And like most forest openings and fields, usage tends to be more at night, particularly by the older deer.

If you do something to "lure deer" then its baiting. Unless something just grows up out of the ground on its own then you are trying to "bait" deer onto your property.

What if the deer are "not there"?
Would that be "luring in"?
Because I dont think all "your" deer will stay in the same area year after year without some new ones moving in.

And as far as hunting goes, I suspect more older deer are saved from hunters' bullets by food plots, baiting, and feeding than are killed because of food plots, baiting, and feeding.

Okay with all that has been said so far... why is it where I can drive and see food plots I see treestands or blinds beside them or overlooking them.
IF you are hunting over an all NON NATURAL setting that is providing food as an attractant, then you are baiting the deer to your location. Regardless is TWRA says it is legal to do so, fact of the matter is you altered the deer foods to your hunting site.

If you alter the deers habitat with food (attractant) and dont want it to be called baiting, then you shouldnt hunt over it.

TWRA REGS states you cant go into the woods and pick up a couple 50 lb bags of white oak acorns, and dump them on the ground near your tree stand. THE acorns are all natural, you simply altered the location of the food to use as an attractant.

TO be perfectly honest, I have several food plot locations! If I dont have a stand hanging in sight of them, then I have a stand intercepting the travel routes to and from them.
To be perfectly honest, I have corn on the ground during the legal times of the year, for camera purposes.

I can tell you from my experience, the corn attracts the deer until the acorns drop. The food plots are more attractant when natural food sources hard becoming scarce.

I do enjoy planting and watching the fruits of my labor grow and deer eat them.
BUT I will not try and mask what food plots are truely intended for and be a hypocrite to those that would rather buy the bag and pour it out.
NO DIFFERNCE BAITING IS BAITING!

I couldnt agree more. Older deer that has food sources easily accessibly such as piles or plants, generally are more nocturnal!

Again,TWRA says they are legal,so they must think they are good idea overall.I do.Call it what you want to.

So what would a mineral lick be considered?

So what would a mineral lick be considered?

TWRA also banned shooting of any albino deer. Do you also think they also think that was a good idea?

Not trying to argue, because I read and agree with alot of your post. But simply because it is legal, doesnt mean TWRA agrees with or thiks they are a good idea to have.

Just like food plots,pouring bait on ground,mineral licks,hunting around acorn trees,hunting around persimmon trees,hunting around a corn field,hunting over a pond, its all baiting

JMO

Hunting around a 75 or 80 year old White Oak is baiting?WOW,I guess I should hunt in the middle of a 200 acre broom staw field,they dont like broom straw do they?

Well lets beat another topic to death. What are your opinions and thoughts?

Pro's and Con's of them?
Do you consider them baiting, or feeding.

JMO

[quote=buckmaster 320]JMO

I read back through this thing,you call basically any food source baiting,JYO,white oaks,corn,persimmons,salt lick.My question is,how do you hunt then,assuming you are against baiting?

Never said I was against baiting