Baiting Bill HB1618/SB1942

[timberjack86]

Not just that, but they typically provide a more diverse source of deer foods (nutrients often more important to herd health than just the carbohydrates found in corn).

Food plots also add diversity to habitat, often providing fawning cover for deer, nesting/poulting/feeding cover for birds (like quail & turkey).

Speaking of "cover", there is zero cover around a corn feeder, and all wildlife using that "spot" experience a much higher rate of being preyed upon than does wildlife using field or food plot.

Anytime wildlife is more concentrated feeding in a single spot, predators are quick to note that spot. Coyotes, bobcats, and raptors learn to just "camp out" continuously near a wildlife feeder. And guess which deer are the most vulnerable to their predation? Button bucks, the very deer many hunters placing feeders would most want to survive?

We talk much about the disease issue, and especially the aflatoxin poison that's so deadly to birds. But truth is, more turkeys & birds may be lost due to increased predation, as a direct result of feeders.


This is particularly the case with "corn piles", but not always the case with permanent stationary "feeders". Some people do feed protein sources (such as soybeans) in their feeders. Just rarely diverse like what Mother Nature can grow, and still concentrates wildlife to a small "spot", rather than their being spread out "browsing" over a larger area.

Lots of posts of the food plotters defending planting plots to most of us that don't care either way. If it's legal knock yourself out. I get it with the big plots, but a kill plot that is planted to draw deer into the open for a kill is baiting no matter how you spin it.

 

[TheLBLman]

I get it with the big plots, but a kill plot that is planted to draw deer into the open for a kill is baiting no matter how you spin it.

I'm not saying differently, regarding a SMALL "kill" plot,
albeit a small plot has less overall negatives than a SMALL "kill" corn pile spot.
Big difference between a relatively large plot & a relatively small spot.

Typical small "kill" plot, even if only 1/4 acre is 35 yards x 35 yards (1,225 square yards).
Typical corn pile spot is less than 1 square yard?
Especially from predation & disease-spreading standpoints, these are huge differences.

Just saying I and many others have lots of small food plots that we placed primarily to enhance the habitat & food sources, which is NEVER the case with a corn pile. It's easy to assume that all food plots were placed to draw deer to the gun, but that may more often not be the case.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

I'm not saying differently, regarding a SMALL "kill" plot,
albeit a small plot has less overall negatives than a SMALL "kill" corn pile spot.
Big difference between a relatively large plot & a relatively small spot.

Typical small "kill" plot, even if only 1/4 acre is 35 yards x 35 yards (1,225 square yards).
Typical corn pile spot is less than 1 square yard?
Especially from predation & disease-spreading standpoints, these are huge differences.

Just saying I and many others have lots of small food plots that we placed primarily to enhance the habitat & food sources, which is NEVER the case with a corn pile. It's easy to assume that all food plots were placed to draw deer to the gun, but that may more often not be the case.

Don't say more often not be the case when almost every food plot I've seen including on this website has a shooting house, blind, ladder stand, etc. setup adjacent to the food plot. We are on the same team guys. We are hunters. Hunt legally. But don't piss down my back and tell me it is raining.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Most would probably quit hunting. In 2017 I moved to east TN. I grew up hunting in coffee and Franklin counties. Unit L. What a shocker that was. I went from seeing deer everytime I went hunting to hopefully seeing 2 or 3 deer a season. Luckily I've been able to scratch out a decent buck here and there on South Cherokee. I've also had to pass a shooter buck or two because I didn't want or have the time to pack the meat out. There's been times I've found the perfect ambush site. Funnels with rubs scrapes so fresh you can still smell the buck. But then turn around and look towards the truck and say there's no possible way to get a buck out of here without taking a couple days to pack him out.

I did quit hunting Tennessee since I sold my unit L property. I now hunt public land in Pennsylvania with my 2 sons who live there. I've packed deer out before in my past. I have lost the desire. Physically and mentally. Unit L ruined me for life! I could drive my Grizzly 700 either right up to the deer or close enough to wrap a 100 foot rope around its neck and drag it all the way back to my truck. Hoist it with a hitch mounted gambrel and have it deboned and on ice in less than two hours. I had a system down!!

Never needed food plots. Plenty of natural food. Deer seeked my property for safety. I was the only one that hunted it. When the shooting started they headed my way!

 

[timberjack86]

I did quit hunting Tennessee since I sold my unit L property. I now hunt public land in Pennsylvania with my 2 sons who live there. I've packed deer out before in my past. I have lost the desire. Physically and mentally. Unit L ruined me for life! I could drive my Grizzly 700 either right up to the deer or close enough to wrap a 100 foot rope around its neck and drag it all the way back to my truck. Hoist it with a hitch mounted gambrel and have it deboned and on ice in less than two hours. I had a system down!!

Never needed food plots. Plenty of natural food. Deer seeked my property for safety. I was the only one that hunted it. When the shooting started they headed my way!

Sounds like you had it made!

 

[TheLBLman]

Don't say more often not be the case when almost every food plot I've seen including on this website has a shooting house, blind, ladder stand, etc. setup adjacent to the food plot.

Just to be clear, I have no problem with anyone hunting over a field, over a food plot, in the woods, wherever.

Just trying to point out there are many differences between a 1,000-square-foot or larger food plot/field and a 1-square-yard corn pile "spot". And these difference are not relevant to whether or not deer is shot in the field or shot at the corn pile.

There is also a difference between hunting & shooting, although it may often be a gray area as to where the lines are drawn.

We are on the same team guys. We are hunters. Hunt legally.

I believe we are, too.
Doesn't mean we can't debate all the above issues,
including what should or should not be legal, and why or why not.

I would hate to think some day most new hunters were just led to believe hunting was pouring out a bag of corn, then shooting a deer. I'd rather see the next generation learning more in a better balance about woodsmanship, hunting, and shooting.

 

[FLTENNHUNTER1]

Just to be clear, I have no problem with anyone hunting over a field, over a food plot, in the woods, wherever.

Just trying to point out there are many differences between a 1,000-square-foot or larger food plot/field and a 1-square-yard corn pile "spot". And these difference are not relevant to whether or not deer is shot in the field or shot at the corn pile.

There is also a difference between hunting & shooting, although it may often be a gray area as to where the lines are drawn.


I believe we are, too.
Doesn't mean we can't debate all the above issues,
including what should or should not be legal, and why or why not.

I would hate to think some day most new hunters were just led to believe hunting was pouring out a bag of corn, then shooting a deer. I'd rather see the next generation learning more in a better balance about woodsmanship, hunting, and shooting.

Hopefully the new generation of hunters aren't learning from TV hunting shows. Ambushing deer from blinds and stands in food plots is not the way to learn. Wearing out a pair of boots is the way you learn.

 

[Bell3wv]

I hope it doesn't pass...I'd never take part in such chicanery. I know...big word for a hillbilly.

 

[mcbuck58]

I hope it doesn't pass...I'd never take part in such chicanery. I know...big word for a hillbilly.

Yea big word there. What's it mean!!! Doesn't look like you need to bait with all those live decoys around. Is that baiting hunting over live decoys or pets?

 

[Headhunter]

Hopefully the new generation of hunters aren't learning from TV hunting shows. Ambushing deer from blinds and stands in food plots is not the way to learn. Wearing out a pair of boots is the way you learn.

Not much different than cameras, many just put out cameras and observe what they see. I agree wearing out a pair of boots or 2 or 3 or more pairs of boots is how to learn. Spending time in the woods, not just watching cameras, is how you learn about deer.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I'd rather see the next generation learning more in a better balance about woodsmanship, hunting, and shooting.

and...learning to manage the habitat in a way thats healthy and benifical to all wildlife.

 

[Bell3wv]

Yea big word there. What's it mean!!! Doesn't look like you need to bait with all those live decoys around. Is that baiting hunting over live decoys or pets?

My preferred weapon on choice.

 

[hereinaz]

Most would probably quit hunting. In 2017 I moved to east TN. I grew up hunting in coffee and Franklin counties. Unit L. What a shocker that was. I went from seeing deer everytime I went hunting to hopefully seeing 2 or 3 deer a season. Luckily I've been able to scratch out a decent buck here and there on South Cherokee. I've also had to pass a shooter buck or two because I didn't want or have the time to pack the meat out. There's been times I've found the perfect ambush site. Funnels with rubs scrapes so fresh you can still smell the buck. But then turn around and look towards the truck and say there's no possible way to get a buck out of here without taking a couple days to pack him out.

I figure when I come out there from AZ, that I'll have to spend lots of boot leather to fill a tag. I am going to hunt it like I would AZ, but I'll still have it easier than the guys driving to CO and ID packing out elk for miles. If you want to share some of those deep hard to hunt honey holes, I'll trade you some honey holes to hunt in AZ, hahaha.

It is amazing to see the different types of hunts that people are used to doing. I have friends in AZ that won't get too far off their side by side to hunt.

I think all hunting is cool, just different kinds. The idea of growing a food plot is an adventure and challenge in itself. So much of the work is what happens before getting in the stand.

It's ridiculous if they actually ban food plots.

Hopefully the new generation of hunters aren't learning from TV hunting shows. Ambushing deer from blinds and stands in food plots is not the way to learn. Wearing out a pair of boots is the way you learn.

There are a lot of new hunters learning to hunt out here in the west, where food plots are a foreign concept. I hear about the low deer density in the mountains of East TN, and it sounds kinda like a western hunt to me.

 

[mike243]

This thread was about baiting and not about banning food plot, poured out on the ground, the lazy folks want to be able to open a bag and hunt over it, food plots wont ever be banned.

 

[easttennjed]

This thread was about baiting and not about banning food plot, poured out on the ground, the lazy folks want to be able to open a bag and hunt over it, food plots wont ever be banned.

I'm guessing you're young and very physically active so you think only physically younger physically active people should be able to hunt because they can hike long distances. I can't wait until you get older and are not able to walk long distances due to age or physical disabilities.

 

[Mtnfarmer]

If you care about your kid's or grand kids' ability to hu t, you'll stand against it. Nothing erodes nonhunter support for our lifestyle as fast as bait.

Ask Ky Al or TX about that ...

 

[mike243]

I'm guessing you're young and very physically active so you think only physically younger physically active people should be able to hunt because they can hike long distances. I can't wait until you get older and are not able to walk long distances due to age or physical disabilities.

I will be 63 in a month, have diabetes and other related problems, I will not ask for a handicap hunt due to my health, it's called aging out of activity's, I do as much as I can till I can't then I go do something else. nobody's fault or responsibility to provide me with a special hunt.

 

[ljhhunt3]

O great now the deer will be on welfare and get lazy. They will never walk to the top of the mountain where I hunt if this passes. What's next free cell phones for them so they can communicate long distances. WWTD

 

[harv418]

Having hunted in Texas for 8 of the last 12 years, I can say it changes hunting to harvesting. The exception here when the acorns fall. My feeder ran year round, and I would consistently have deer on it until the acorn drop.

What you are effectively doing is localizing your doe herd. That maximizes your chances of seeing bucks during the rut. We scattered corn on our roads, in our shooting lanes; we had feeders running at all of our permanent box stands. We took care of each other's feeders.

that being said, we killed ALOT of feral hogs throughout the year. For me, that alone makes me want to say no. Give those demons a consistent food source and watch their population explode. We had 4 feeders we built a fence around to keep them out. 16 hog panels around. Deer would jump them, but you are basically excluding the fawns and younger deer.

Baiting is not 100% success rate by any stretch of the imagination. But it can help you keep a doe population in your area. I've seen too many Feeder legs shot due to poor marksmanship. Spent way too much keeping corn on the ground, in the feeders, feeder motors, batteries, solar chargers, coon cages, etc. It is a headache.

All that being said, if I still had kids I wanted to introduce to harvesting an animal, Corn does a great job. Roasted Soy beans are fantastic. Cotton Seed will get nailed once the deer are looking for protein. But Give me a well grown, maintained food plot any day of the week. 4 weeks of effort during the year, vs filling operations every 2 weeks.