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Is Baiting Deer Legal in Upstate?

Does anyone understand the law on baiting in Game Zones 1-3? I have been told you cannot place bait but you can legally hunt over bait someone else put out. This is according to the interpretation of the Attorney General of the law since 2008, which gave legality to Sunday hunting on private land.

To confuse things more, the DNR now allows baiting and night hunting for wild hogs. This would give the guy baiting for deer an alibi, since hogs are located in all counties now.

What do ya'll think?

Have at it if you wish, but i dont think it helps, as the deer soon learn and then come only at night. thats what happens at my house.

The question is not whether or not to bait for deer, or the implications thereof.

The question was whether or not, in the opinion of the poster, it is legal in Game Zones 1-3 in the 2012-13 hunting season.

It is not legal to bait and hunt over the bait. However a recent Upstate case made it next to impossible for it to be enforced this year. SC DNR has stated they will not be enforcing baiting of deer in the Upstate this year. This may and probably will change in 2013 either with legalizing baiting or shoring up the regulation to make it enforceable.

The irony is that SC DNR did a study that illustrated the low state, where baiting is legal, kills fewer deer in more days hunted (longer season) with a higher deer population than the Upstate and the primary reason cited for the lower success rate in the low state was the impact of baiting. Baiting makes the deer more nocturnal because of the increased human presence in the woods refreshing bait piles. Baiting also decreases deer activity since deer aren't required to browse as much to achieve their nutritional requirement. Ask anyone that baits and I expect they will tell you they frequently bump deer from their baiting pile when they come to hunt or refresh the bait. The deer bed near it.

I don't have an ethical problem with it. It just is an inferior way of hunting.

On March 1, 2013 Gov. Haley signed a bill allowing baiting in all areas of S.C. on private land.

Equal Justice at last!

Do you have a link to that law?

Here is an article from the Edgefield Advertizer:

Baiting for Deer Now Legal in All of SC By Tiffani Ireland –

On Friday, Mar. 1, 2013, SC Governor Nikki Haley signed into law an amendment to the state’s current law that officially makes deer baiting legal in all parts of South Carolina.

Before its passage, deer bating had been legal in certain areas of the state. However, gray areas in the law regarding deer baiting in Game Zones 1 & 2 had left the Department of Natural Resources essentially unable to enforce the law as it pertained to these zones. As a result, DNR, who does oppose the practice of deer baiting, did lend its support to this bill’s passage.

As it now stands, it is legal to bait deer in all games zones within SC.

I have hunted in both the upstate and lowcountry. I have hunted with bait and without. I normally don't hunt hunt around bait because I have found it really doesn't impact deer movement significantly one way or another. I do like to use it around my trail cameras as an effective way to inventory the deer in a particular area. However, as most of us know, when the rut kicks in all bets are off. I will definitely use bait around my cameras now in the upstate!

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