At least they have good taste in rifles.
Yea I was starting to wonder if Tikka was giving away two bags of corn with every rifle lol
Only reason it may never be legalized is because of the spread of CWD. Also the money they make from fines might come into play.To answer your question. I think it is subjective to the offense, the offender, and the judge. Could be a fine, loss of hunting privileges, or both. I think a lot of people put it out. Now for our annual baiting debate
This question comes up every year. I have said it before, but will say it again. Every year Academy, Walmart, and store that sells sporting goods, gets pallets of corn. It starts to trickle out when bow opens, but DISAPPEARS when ML opens. It stays in low supply all the way through gun. So a lot of people are using it. I have had non hunting friends from Giles county tell me that their hunting friends have told them, that you will not see deer if you don't put out corn... In GILES CO!?!?!
IMO this will become another issue like marijuana. All our lives we were taught it was bad, but now the younger generations feel it is just fine to use it. Eventually it will become legal to some extent.
I have also said, this before, but will also say it again. From my perspective, I see no difference in a guy planting a 1-2 acre green field up against a thicket and sitting in a shooting house waiting on deer to come out to feed. Sure he worked harder, but the intent is the same. Create food source that wasn't there, shoot deer when they come to it. I do this too. You cannot convince me that there is a difference. The aflatoxin argument is moot on deer (low probability), although it may wipe out your turkeys (I care about that, but some don't).
The only difference is we were taught that pouring out corn is cheating and illegal and that planting is just good land management. They are the same IMO.
what about the money and taxes raised from the sale...
I'm specifically talking gun ML. Bow is a whole different animal. I know it is tough to hunt a field with a bow and it is easier to hunt a corn pile with a bow in the woods, but with a gun or ML if your field is the preferred food source at the time a small plot is nothing more than a " living green bait pile".
Like I said, the only real comparison I can see to bait is a micro plot. But if you plant a legit food plot, one that will last through the winter, you gotta have equipment to work the soil, get a soil test, lime if needed, fertilize and plant seeds. And the end result is much more beneficial to deer than just corn which is mostly calories. Sure you can shoot a deer over it like a bait pile, but you can also spend an hour in the woods in October and find a hot white oak and shoot a deer over it like a bait pile. It's just not the same as pouring out corn in a pile and waiting. And for the record, I'm not against baiting where it's legal.
When CWD hit our area, I actually called the game warden on my neighbor. The gravity corn feeder was easily visible across the fence with corn piled up on the ground. I actually pretty much witnessed him hunting at night. Called the game warden twice (game warden lives about 5 miles away) but was pretty much ignored both times. Strange side to this, I saw him dragging a deer, but I never heard the gun shot. Still don't know what weapon he was using, but it wasn't a bow.
Maybe an air rifle with suppressor?
Yep, will definitely change where the deer are hanging out. If it was legal, everyone could do it, then the person with the best pile might get the best deer or at least have a better chance. With it not being legal, those baiting are cheating.
