End Deer Baiting in AZ

[mdunc8]

Thomas, they way I see it, you can argue the legality, the ethics or the biology of the situation. I think we've established it's legal (for now). Not much to argue there. Some will claim it's ethical as long as it's legal. I'm not going to get in an ethics argument because there's no point. You're going to hunt how you want to hunt and I'm going to hunt how I want to hunt. As long as your hunting doesn't affect my hunting, I don't give a rip what you do.

You can't, and haven't, argued the biology and ecology of baiting or supplemental feeding. Please provide one datum that indicates those activities doen't threaten the spread and persistence of diseases. You claim that no data exists for deer in South Carolina, which must mean it's not a problem. Using that reasoning, Jerry Sandusky was actually a fine fellow for the last two decades right up to the point when someone finally mustered up the courage to speak up.

Unfortunately, I doubt we'll see any actual facts from you due to your belief that "scientific studies are conducted to establish and prove their point, are just as dubious as polls". Ignorance is bliss my friend.

 

[DBear]

Nothing will turn deer fully nocturnal than a continuous pile of corn. Grew up hunting funnels and corn fields in Indiana, totally different than hunting corn piles here in NC.....since there has been a 40-60% kill in my hunting area here in NC from hemorrhagic fever.....heading back to good ol' Indiana for most of my hunting this year....all public land just like when I was a kid.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

Nothing will turn deer fully nocturnal than a continuous pile of corn. Grew up hunting funnels and corn fields in Indiana, totally different than hunting corn piles here in NC.....since there has been a 40-60% kill in my hunting area here in NC from hemorrhagic fever.....heading back to good ol' Indiana for most of my hunting this year....all public land just like when I was a kid.

DBear, where in Hooiserland are you from? The hunting should start heating up within a week or two. . .most of the crops are out now too.

 

[rhomas]

mdunc, I guess you aren't aware of just who Joe Hamilton is and what the QDMA is, since I've used him as my source, and their studies as the reference. Since I also hunt with a former DNR officer, and he currently has two brothers, a nephew, a son in law, and a brother in law all employed by the SC DNR........two of which are involved in the whitetail regulations and environmental studies......all of which have been instrumental in studying the deer population, sex ratios, and effects of dog hunting, baiting, and cull hunting studies and impacts of disease influencing factors on the deer population here in SC; and all of them are in 100% agreement that there are no reports of diseased deer in this state, and no data that would point to any danger associated with baiting as it's done here in the state. What one has to remember is that our deer herds don't number in the hundreds on most land areas. For example, my herd is probably comprised of less than 40 deer on my 78 acres. My trail cam pictures don't show more than 3 or 4 deer at the most at any given time on any of my 14 food plots, and 6 corn piles. Maybe it's possible that since our deer populations are used to having the bait piles, they don't congregate in large numbers, thus cutting down on prospective disease transmission............also, maybe we don't have the same parasites that cause the diseases in the first place.

Once again, I'll point out that I originally stated my lack of knowledge about the particular state of Arizona, and that my knowledge is limited to SC, Ga, and Fl. My entire point has been that simply because something might not be perfect in one area, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it somewhere else. Couple that with the perceived in fighting between the various hunting styles, and the anti-hunting crowd will use the disagreement as ammunition against all of us..........something that it appears many of you fail to recognize. As a great man once said 'Surely we will all hang separately or we may hang together", I believe that applies to our hunting traditions and our continued future in pursuing the sport we all love.

 

[RUT JUNKEY]

Im betting the chance for disease is there, its everywhere. Baiting makes it worse, especially a bait pile that multiple animals visit. If you dont have CHD or "Blue tongue" yet you will have. . .and you don't want it. I agree that you have a greater chance with a bigger population, but dont be fooled into thinking it can't happen. (Around here we call it shooting. . .not hunting). Its a personal choice. . .good or bad, we have to support the hunting community. . .nobody else will.

 

[Bambistew]

Baiting aside... I love when sportsman call for any all help they can get to include NRs, when somethign important comes up, yet when its time to help out those same NRs all they offer is a kick to the groin, and an open hand to catch thier cash as it falls out of thier pocket. Just say'n.

I'd really like to help, but I could really care less, its a state issue, let the residents of the state decide what's best for them.

 

[schmalts]

It is all a matter of where lines are drawn and then keeping them from being crossed. The biggest problem with baiting is it creates competition that wouldn't happen if baiting was banned. If it legal to use a gallon of bait, too many will dump 100 pounds out. Wisconsin banned baiting only one year and i swear to you it was the best year for seeing deer i ever had. I think it is because the giant bait piles turn the deer nocturnal.

 

[rhomas]

Maybe that is the key difference, Schmaltz. I can spread a bushel bag of corn out over 6 bait piles, and most of the folks I know will use 1/2 bushel on a pile at the most.

 

[schmalts]

Maybe that is the key difference, Schmaltz. I can spread a bushel bag of corn out over 6 bait piles, and most of the folks I know will use 1/2 bushel on a pile at the most.

If it was up to me baiting would be banned, or a rule that there is only a small amount allowed and that amount cannot be in any "pile" but instead thrown around to similate as if it was a mast crop.

 

[SDHNTR]

The last thing we need is more regulations. IMO, what we really need is to ban banning stuff.

 

[rhomas]

SDHUNTR, that's the best damn answer I've heard and probably the single most intelligent comment ever posted on this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations and thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Khunter]

If it was up to me baiting would be banned, or a rule that there is only a small amount allowed and that amount cannot be in any "pile" but instead thrown around to similate as if it was a mast crop.

Kinda like Texas. That corn flies out of the automatic feeder at 20 mph and hits the ground as as mast crop. .

To each his own and we have enough rules already, but awhile back on "another site" a guy posted a semi live coues archery hunt as he sat 20 yards from a pile of bait. Makes you want to puke (me anyway) to see that portrayed as a serious hunting endeavor with "drama and excitement worth sharing".

Out to harvest venison meat? Sure, sit on a bait pile. Want to hunt deer? Bait may be more hinderance than help. And cause you to burn brain cells at an artificially higher rate.

 

[emrah1028]

Personally, I see big differences in 100 acre alfalafa fields in areas of agriculture than I do six-foot cones of bait. Fifty deer spread out over a huge alfalfa field have miniscule chance of disease spread when compared to the same number of deer at a bait pile. Others may disagree, but the research shows such to be the case.

Bingo.

Emrah