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