Brandon Wenninger
10/27/11
To bait or to plant a food plot? It is a question at the center of a debate between hunters that can and do bait or hunters that cannot or will not bait. The DNR defines bait as “any material that is placed or used to attract wild animals, including scent materials, salt, minerals, grains, etc.” For the purpose of this blog we are going to focus on the using grain such as corn. Food plots are small areas that people plant with clover, rye or other plant to bring in deer Bating has been shown to condense deer into a smaller area making it easier for disease to spread through a deer herd. When Chronic Wasting Disease hit the southern part of the state the DNR banned baiting in any hunting unit adjacent next to an area with deer found to be positive. In areas where baiting is still legal there is a limit of 2 gallons per 40 acres per person.
There are many different reasons for people not wanting to bait as well as people that want to bait. One of the main reasons for not baiting is that it does increase the chances of spreading disease through the herd by condensing the deer around a food source. Where anti-baiting people see this as a problem, pro-baiting people see this as chance to keep a big buck around their hunting stand or property to be able to harvest during deer hunting. People see baiting as such an advantage that according to Warden Barry Meister wardens spend a lot of time around gun season checking for illegal bait piles in areas that it is banned. Other hunters see baiting as an unfair advantage, that it takes the sport of hunting.
Food plots are seen as an acceptable substitution to baiting for deer. The main difference between Food Plots and baiting is that it doesn’t fall under the same restrictions; in places where baiting is banned food plots can be used. For it to be considered a food plot it has to be planted and left standing. Since food plots can congregate deer are they really better then baiting? Or do they just have the same impact as baiting.
I see how both could lead to changes in the pattern of behavior for deer and condenses their home range. I hunt in an area where baiting is still legal and I see how people could have a problem with it. The landowner where I hunt want people to bait on his land so I do put out bait for deer. If it was my land I’m not sure if I would bait or not. There have been years where during hunting season the hunters on his land will hardly see any deer or like what happened to me last year just a bunch of squirrels. So for me I’m on the fence I don’t see either food plots or baiting as more acceptable.
Info from http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/regs/DeerBFRegulations.pdf
4 comments:
I find it amusing that setting out a few apples takes the sport out of hunting. Humans are squishy pink primates who use explosives to take down 200 pound deer. But of course, tossing some fruit in a pile is what makes it unfair.
I see the point that you are trying to make about condensing the deer into one area spreads disease. i think that this should not be a huge issue for this debate because deer usually winter in larger groups (deer wintering areas we call them) and there the deer exhibit the stresses of winter and if i had to guess they would be much more susceptible to diseases under those conditions than those of times when they are heavily feeding in preparation for winter, when they are healthier.what do you think?
The regulations on this are continually changing! I'm always glad to see the debate--and always wonder if the issue will be definitively settled...
twood060 I see where your coming from where deer yards in winter could help spread disease and I agree that feeding in winter would cause an issue where disease would cause a problem. I would also say that food plots could cause the same problem. Kathryn not to anger you but there is a difference between a bullet and explosives people are not out there lobbing sticks of TNT at deer. I am a hunter and I have hunted with and without the use of bait and I have seen more deer with bait so I can see where people would consider it unfair.
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