Michigan baiting ban lifted

[Onetimeonly x-->]

Michigan lifted their ban on baiting yesterday in lower part
of the state. Limited to 2 gallons spread over a ten foot area.
Just wondering what everyone thinks of hunting over bait?
Does it make you less of a hunter? I don't have a problem with
it. I think it eliminates allot of poor and unethical shots.
What do you think are you for it or against it and why?

[flightattendant100]

My whole lifetime here in Texas it has been legal to hunt over bait. There are hundreds of companies that make feeders or feed or blocks or something related.Everyone hunts over bait in Texas, it is just the way it is done.It will make you a more lazy hunter I assure you. Last year we had the mast crop of all mast crops.Acorns were literaly ankle deep in any low spot.Trail cam pixs at my feeders went from close 300 per week per camera in Sept. to about 100 first of Oct to 5 or 6 pixs a weeks in Nov. Deer,turkeys,even hogs wouldn't have anything to do with corn when there were sweet white oak acorns by the bushel. This means ALL your stands are set up where the deer aren't!!! It looks like all of us would have had at least one stand apiece that was over a trail intersection or something,but no.. not us.The start of season is not a great time to regroup.
I have never thought that it unethical to hunt over bait, as any other hunter who maximizes his chances, is hunting over a natural food source(acorns),or a travel route to a food source or bedding area.I dont see this as a lot of difference,but again I was raised here hunting over bait.I guess that everyone must make his own call on this one.
Last, baiting may be cost prohibitive this year,as corn has gone from 4.00/bag to 10.50/bag lately. That makes filling that feeder that holds 7 bags a little pricey!!!! I have fed year round for years but it is pretty slim pickin's for our deer right.

[georgiaboy]

Baiting law passed in ga. this year, i probably won't hunt over it...but it doesn't bother me if someone does.

[vixenmaster]

I reckon thar be all kinds of Baiting including a play of words on one's part. A food plot is baiting unless you harvest to crop! Why i say that is really the only reason it was put there is to get game to where you can make yer shot n kill them. I have feeders here by the cabin so we can drink coffee n eat breakfast & watch the deer!

[strum]

Baiting law passed in ga. this year, i probably won't hunt over it...but it doesn't bother me if someone does.

Georgiaboy,,,I havent heard that..are you saying baiting is allowed this year?

[one shot scott]

BOY O BOY, THIS HAS POTENTIAL TO GO SOUTH FAST

Its legal here (so far) and I have done it with limited success. Its not cheating like some may think and i dont bother doing it much anymore. The big boys are hesitant to come to it and everytime you refresh the bait pile you leave behind more human scent. every hunter hunts over bait like the guys already said: its scattered on the forest floor in the form of acorns, edge of a corn feild, a water source, etc... I see it all the time in hunting magazines where they publish a story about a hunter hunting over a bait pile and the next issue they get blasted for it by people who dispise it. and what catagory does using scent attractant fall into? I call that baiting too. I think its great michigan lifted the ban so anyone who chooses to go that route may be free to do so. It also seems rare that they would reverse it.

[j.krug]

Yep, heres a can-o-worms waiting to be opened!

I do hunt over bait and have been successful with it. I use feeders similar to vixenmaster's and they work well and don't need to be filled that often so that helps keep human scent down. Some frown upon hunting over bait but I don't care how people hunt, or what method they choose as long as it's legal.

[Fur & Feathers]

Uncle Ted will like it.

[wayne]

I live in Michigan also, I'am nuteral on the baiting issue, I feel the whole thing was a joke, ban or no ban everything is still the same. Most of the gas stations, produce stands,etc. continued to sell bait, I've asked many if there sales were down with the ban, most said,Yes but only about 10 to 20% - You can sell it, you can buy it, but just don't use it, is a rule that can only be a failure.
My personal view is, if 80% of people brake a law/rule and there very little enforcement then it's only a suggestion. The 2 gallon rule , same as above.
For me personally, I don't drop bait for gun season, (never needed to, the ones take do, push the deer off there bait piles in the morning, to me). But have baited for bow season, & this year, along with the planting I've done on the trails for the last few years, I may be putting down alittle corn & a few carrots, & I'am sure not above hunting in the white oak tree area after a wind storm.

[badredbird]

i grow enough natural stuff here that they like foodplot they really ,like turnip greens the best it seems , corn is like 18 bucks per hundred lbs here , i have ambivalent feelings on baiting , if you do get into some diseases it is easier to spread when have different deer browsing in a cornpile, , i also found that when you have alot of mast like we did last season they will hardly fool with corn , we had a record mast third best since they kept records , alot of deer stayed in the woods deep, not even really coming to pasture, did well tho at some white oak stands , when i dressed they were loaded ., but if you ever get some cwd ., feed piles are a quick way to spread, we did have some probs with blue tongue a few years back killed alot of deer here

[Xbowkiller]

I will have to check into it.

[vixenmaster]

Lets talk about this Baiting! No reason fer anyone to get down on someone who does it. That would be like being ugly to someone who killed a deer using a rifle. Its free choice, personally i say kill yer Tick Toters by any means legal & enjoy yer hunt friends. I mostly use Miss Vixen because its a thrill killing them under 35 yds to me with a CB. I do use a ML or 2 or 4 or 5 you knowed what i mean vern ? All my shots are under 40 yds even with a ML. Don't use rifle anymore they are my dust collectors

[badredbird]

yes noone should get down on someone who baits , its a personal choice, there are just some concerns about diease transmission, for michigan to do that probably means they want to further control the herd , where i am now in wv we usually have mild winters and there is alot of farms and stuff to eat including my shrubs , we are way overpopulated especially with does , but they did have some cwd northern part of state and went on eradication program and recommended a ban on baiting , as it is easily transmissible thru saliva , like i said i have mixed feelings i do think it brings better shots and would lower wound rates .

[bcmuledeer]

Should a person get down on somebody who baits, what about the rich guy with his $5000.00 dollar rifle and scope making 800 to 1000 yard shots? Or in my case the farmer he gets his crop off and up comes the alpha and clover, nice natural bait.
When you bait hunt you more than likely have a nice clean kill and have put in some time and effort to get your game!
Now with 900 yard shots you put in the money, hopefully a clean kill. Not a big fan of this type of hunting but to each their own.
As long as it's legal and done with the least amount of suffering to the animal all is good.
In some cases baiting can even be used to get rid of problem bears!
My humble opinion only and to each their own!
Bill

[Onetimeonly x-->]

Hunting over bait piles is effective but what I have found is that
allot of deer hang up until last light. So after I figure out where
their coming in from, I'll set up a stand and try to get them before
they get hung up. I have shot my share of deer that way!