What is wrong with baiting deer on public land?

[TheLBLman]

Im surprised it's not all hunting, because guns are bad.

I suspect killing over bait will ultimately be fodder to push for the wholesale elimination of "sport" hunting, whether we're talking public or private lands.

That "push" has been going on for many years, using the "guns are dangerous" line. In many places, even entire states, centerfire rifles have been made illegal for deer hunting. Next, it's "archery only". Next, it's only "trained professional government sharpshooters" should be "allowed" to control the deer herds.

We can debate among ourselves all we want about whether killing animals over bait is ethical or not, but what ultimately matters most is what do the non-hunters think about it. It is they who will most determine the future of our hunting.

In the minds of non-hunters, there is no comparison between "feeding" to attract wildlife for watching vs "baiting" to attract wildlife for killing. They are the majority, and are not going to outlaw feeding for wildlife watching. Baiting for killing is viewed differently.

At the moment, this TN baiting bill is under the radar of most non-hunters, until the "TN 3" or other non-hunting democrats decide to use it as their latest wedge issue to divide & conquer for their personal power gains.

 

[Bone Collector]

The other thread was about private land.

So why exclude public/WMA land from baiting?

For the same reason it's illegal everywhere else that allows baiting on private. It stops fights between people who are armed.

Say for instance you pay money for corn and put it out and I come along, find it and decide I'm hunting your pile, because it's public land.

In reality I wouldn't do that because, even though it's in public land I know that doesn't make it public property. Unfortunately to many people don't see it that way and inevitably there will be fights.

 

[Bone Collector]

There is a Difference between actually hunting deer vs Shooting Deer over a pile of corn.

There is also a difference between hunting deer and just shooting deer on food plots, or in some instances, depending on size cut AG fields.

I've posted on here before about whether we really deer hunt anymore or just manage habitat and shoot deer. Many in here agreed it's more the latter. When I hunt private land it's pretty much deer shooting. When I hunt public I feel like I'm actually hunting.

 

[Lost Lake]

There is also a difference between hunting deer and just shooting deer on food plots, or in some instances, depending on size cut AG fields.

I've posted on here before about whether we really deer hunt anymore or just manage habitat and shoot deer. Many in here agreed it's more the latter. When I hunt private land it's pretty much deer shooting. When I hunt public I feel like I'm actually hunting.

I mean this in all seriousness. Anymore, I'm wondering if we are really sportsman who believe in the ethics of fair chase. I thought this was hunting.

I'd honestly just as soon pay a farmer for a steer and shoot it with its head in a feed trough than kill a deer in a corn pile.

 

[TboneD]

I mean this in all seriousness. Anymore, I'm wondering if we are really sportsman who believe in the ethics of fair chase. I thought this was hunting.

I'd honestly just as soon pay a farmer for a steer and shoot it with its head in a feed trough than kill a deer in a corn pile.

I was tempted to quote Leopold and Theodore Roosevelt on fair chase but figured it would probably fall on deaf ears.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

There is also a difference between hunting deer and just shooting deer on food plots, or in some instances, depending on size cut AG fields.

I've posted on here before about whether we really deer hunt anymore or just manage habitat and shoot deer. Many in here agreed it's more the latter. When I hunt private land it's pretty much deer shooting. When I hunt public I feel like I'm actually hunting.

I learned to Hunt and still hunt..I like using my God Given skills . Wouldn't bait if it was allowed.

 

[MickThompson]

Glue factory is gonna sue y'all for stealing all the dead horses

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

Looks public to me.

 

[fishman731]

Could you really imagine baiting on public ? Deer would weigh 500 lbs all the turkeys would be dead and a bait pile every 50 ft .

A little over dramatic

 

[fishman731]

A little over dramatic

 

[Snake]

A little over dramatic

Yep sure is but it would be a mess .

 

[Jcalder]

Only thing wrong with it is how far you'd have to carry it to get away from everyone else's bait pile!

 

[MidTennFisher]

The other thread was about private land.

So why exclude public/WMA land from baiting?

I'd probably run out of allowed characters before I could list all the things wrong with allowing bait on public land.

 

[rifle02]

Only thing wrong with it is how far you'd have to carry it to get away from everyone else's bait pile!

Then they would have to allow side by sides to carry several 50 lb bags of corn 2 mi back into the woods.

 

[Jcalder]

Then they would have to allow side by sides to carry several 50 lb bags of corn 2 mi back into the woods.

The park ranger families already have that covered