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12 deer killed by feeding

Not WI, but given the fact that many feed up north, something to consider. If someone is feeding right along, no worries. But this is why "emergency feeding" operations aren't a good idea mid- to late winter, and why Michigan DNR in recent years changed its rules and allowed early starts to winter recreational feeding when certain triggers were hit. In New Hampshire, these deer were easily found. In northern WI or the U.P., they'd quickly be stripped by predators and might not even be noticed until someone found a pile of bones — and blamed wolves.

Ahhhh.... yaa.. these things have been going on for decades... these cases have been well documented ...but hunter greed always wins in WI.... it doesn't matter to the hunters that this crap happens as long as they can take their pick and tag a buck every year... that the important thing.... It is exactly why hunting groups should be on board stopping this problem... but instead.. they promote it...LOL. and then want folks to send them memberships... sorta hick logic if you ask me... I would much rather join a group that stood for eliminating this problem and protected the integrity of hunting and the resource we are suppose to respect... but until a group makes a stand.... I will keep my jing.

Antler, do you actually understand the original post or are you just using the Force?

Other than, "these things have been going on for decades... these cases have been well documented", you have completely missed the entire reason of the post.

Emergency feeding or recreational feeding in mid/late winter is quite different than baiting during hunting. And then the rant about hunting orgs.....

Yepp.. understand completely... name 1 hunting organization working to end this crap???Just 1

Maybe the majority of people do not share your view? Nothing saying you can't start your own group. Maybe call it "Baiting Sucks" or BS for short?

That's funny Mike... aren't you scheduled for SNL....?? These dead deer were not baited...

The baited deer are dead and tagged... these deer were killed besides the dead baited deer...2 different horses

However.. has any Hunting org.. ya know the ones that claim they do things for the sport...in this case protecting the very quarry we are suppose to respect...has even 1 group came out again st this crap???

Ahhhhh..... nope....that would explain the losses in integrity and membership. ..

Can't have it both ways, you made it a baiting issue.

Reason # 8 to ban all feeding and baiting in the entire state .

#8.????? Try 2008!! Maybe more..

Try finding 1 reason it should be allowed ... good luck.

1. It's fun watching Bowsiter get all stressed out over baiting.

AW, as much as anti baiters want a bait ban, there are equal amounts of hunters who are pro baiting. Very few legislators, Dem or Rep, will take on an issue equally divided.

Plus, many forget it is a slippery slope when sportsmen fight to restrict themselves. The biggest winner is the anti's. Ban baiting deer and it open the road for a bear bait ban. Same can be said for deer drives, party hunting, etc... Just because you do not like a way another hunter hunts, doesn't mean the way they hunt is not proper.

I believe they should ban using Mathews bows for deer hunting because they lack the performance necessary to make a clean and efficient kill;)

The only 'crap' I see is Antler Whore!

oh! Boy! this could get good! the good ole days of Wi

Bowsite when the words 'deer' and 'feeding' used in the

same title. it's OK been rather slow here lately

CONTINUE.....

Continue with what??

Being ok with legal practices that do this stuff when we have a shortage of deer to begin with???

Ok

Shortage of deer. Hell we shot 9 deer, 6 doe and 3 bucks, during the bow and gun seasons. All over legal food plots on 15 acres of land. There are plenty left too. The reason is simple....everyone in the area hunts smart. We don't take more then we need. None of us talk crappy about the WDNR because they are not the problem in the area with a less then desirable deer population. With the exception of up North, the hunters are to blame. Where I come from if complain about feeding and baiting you are a big part of the problem.

Geitz, is just calling it what it is. As much as we all want to call it fair chase, when you domesticate with supplemental feeding, baiting, or food plots, you are domesticating deer period. I've done all three myself. I can't post here and say it is not domesticating when in fact it is artificially drawing deer into your area. Any guilt? Not a bit and as long as it is within the rules/law.

"Being ok with legal practices that do this stuff when we have a shortage of deer to begin with??? "

A legal practice of 2 gallon of bait did not/does not cause starvation. Supplemental feeding during harsh winters can actually increase starvation unless proper food is fed.

You are missing what I can only imagine is Naz's reason for this thread. During last years harsh winter, many wanted to or have the DNR to feed deer to save them from starvation. I believe Naz doesn't think this would have been a good idea and I completely agree with him.

You are taking an unrelated issue to try to support your own views on baiting deer during hunting. They are two totally separate subjects.

Feeding is what killed these deer

I can see reasons to ban baiting during the hunting season but I think a guy should be able to feed deer all winter. Corn, alfalfa bales, protein pellets would benefit the deer if sustained.

"Feeding is what killed these deer" So says I'm Mr. Right and never wrong!!!

Geitz got it right, I don't believe in "emergency" feeding but am not opposed to recreational feeding if started early enough, before a deer's digestive system changes over to woody browse — especially in areas where deer populations are significantly down. Not everyone can afford a woodland paradise complete with oodles of native fruit- and nut-bearing trees, food plots, etc., so offering that option to "help a few deer" certainly is in the best interest of Wisconsin's economy (feed mills, orchard owners, stores that sell feed, etc.) and the DNR; by keeping hunters interested and engaged, they'll be more likely to get those dollars in license sales. Is it necessary? No, deer survived without handouts through many lean years long ago, but let's face it, much of the north (esp. the national forests) has far too much "old" timber today to sustain the type of numbers hunters would like to see. Add the predators and winters, and it's easy to see why hunters (and non-hunters who enjoy seeing deer) would want to help provide a boost in tough winters, esp. Again, if it's done, it needs to be done right — started early, and protein-carb blends are best (though many a deer has fattened up and been fine on straight corn, which is the cheapest and most popular option).

Nope... so says the folks who are quoted in the article .. ya know... the actual professionals who find out why things die...

LOL..

AW, those deer hadn't been fed all along. From the story: "A rapid transition from a high fiber diet of natural woody browse to human-provided foods high in carbohydrates can cause a rapid change in stomach chemistry, disrupting the microorganisms present. This can reduce the deer's ability to properly digest food and/or release toxins which are absorbed into the deer's system, and, in severe cases, can cause death. Many of the most common supplemental foods people provide deer with in winter are high in carbohydrates and introduced rapidly and in large quantities, which creates a risk to deer."

If corn fed year-round killed deer (and if wolves regularly staked out deer feeders), there wouldn't be a pile of deer around the feeders of many up north friends each winter. Some even collect the racks with homemade "catch" devices when they're ready to shed.

This reminds me of an article on the wall in our cabin from the 70's in Wisconsin. This has been documented for decades and biologists will agree usually with out argument that supplemental feeding does more harm than good. Yet it continues.

Ya..everyone in support of feeding does it properly... LOL

What about all the people who suddenly felt the poor deer had nothing the last 2 winters and started feeding them in Jan?? Or Feb??

Maybe the experts in feeding here should do a public seminar so folks are better educated on how to feed wild animals correctly...

this happened all across the north... especially the last 2 bad winters as folks felt sorry for the deer mid winter.... and unless it is stopped by law... it will continue ... why wouldn't it..??

Only diff here is we have wolves and a huge coyote population that cleans them up ad fast as they fall over .. or drags them down easily when they grow weak... that's why you don't find 12 deer in one woods

AW, even if stopped by law, it'll continue. Baiting is not legal in Minnesota, yet it's a top violation. Baiting and feeding also banned in a good chunk of WI, yet it happens.

When I started hunting Michigan's U.P. there were more deer than I've seen anywhere, at any time, including zoos and game farms, and baiting/feeding was unlimited. Now it's much more regulated, much smaller "piles," and a lot less deer. No, I'm not trying to correlate the two, but some might want to. In my area up there, at least, it was 50 farm tags here and 50 farm tags there, with summer and fall doe shooting, that slowed things down, not less food. Then some bad, bad winters came. Double whammy. Wolves? Sure, they take some, but I believe more than enough vehicle "cripples" and walked wounded in many cases to even have to chase a healthy one much of the year.

The same thing happened in Wisconsin: overharvest and hard winters easily accounting for many, many times more dead deer than wolves, yet "wolves" are the reason the herd is down so far, in the minds of many, at least. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for managing wolves down to a much lower level. But if WI stays the course on buck-only and eliminates the use of youth tags for antlerless in those units, things will turn around fairly quickly, esp. if we can get a break on winter for another couple years.

Twice in the last 15 years we did emergency feeding programs on our hunting propertys. A local exoert said 80% Purina deer chow, 10% corn, and 10 % peas. The deer did great with no dead Deer .

So if I go to college and then get hired as a biologist somewhere, does that automatically make me a professional vs the normal mope off the street who writes an article also against feeding and/or baiting and calls himself a professional. I could write a lot of things which make sense about feeding and baiting but I would never call myself a professional because im not. I like to shoot and eat venison so that is what I do. The landowners I have permission to hunt from are all on board with feeding and baiting cause in all cases it keeps the deer away from their property. If I wanted to shoot deer and leave them lay all of them would be for that too cause there are simply to many deer in the area I hunt. Basically the hunters in the area have hunted smart by shooting enough to keep the landowners satisfied and keep the herd at a population which still makes it fun to hunt.

Here is a question that has been bugging me for a while in regard to feeding. I've actually thought about calling the DNR but I figured if it was a problem the local police would take care of it because they drive past this home daily and its pretty hard to miss. I drive past this house almost daily and he has out a variety of bird feeders, bird baths, and then he just puts corn on the ground. In my mind I'm thinking this is illegal especially in Waukesha/Washington county. Is this a violation or can this person claim he's feeding the birds, squirrels, etc.? I've seen deer in the area of this person's home but I haven't seen them in the backyard (within 1/2 mile). Sorry to get off topic.

Also the other evening while heading down a less traveled road in Washington county, I saw two deer in the middle of the road. One appeared to be a buck without his head gear and the other a doe but that isn't important. I slowed down and got within 30 yards to them going about 5 mph. They continued to walk right down the middle of the road. Luckily, no traffic was coming the other way. I decided that I should honk the horn at them and received no reaction other than a quick glance, and then they kept walking right down the middle of the road. This went on for a few more seconds and then I decided to roll down the window and whistle at them. Finally, they very slowly walked off the road and to the right. I've never seen dumber deer in my life! They looked to be in healthy condition but it's almost as if they weren't all there up stairs. This was in the holy hill area and the properties are much bigger but it could be possible that these are essentially pets of people feeding them.

Up north I see this quite often where said guy will bang a corn bucket or shake the bucket and the deer come running. Now these people or at least the ones I know aren't hunters. To me I call these deer pets.

Not sure where I was going with all this but anyway. I love watching the animals when they come in to feed but I'm not one to sit over bait while deer hunting.

So Naz.. with that analogy we should need speed limits... cause know one follows the laws right?

Look at all the states that don't allow this... there is a reason

An example of the proper and correct manner of feeding deer.

Picture taken Sunday of a 15 foot cedar...

"cause know one follows the law right?"

Antler Whore - your not only wrong 99.9 per cent of the time, you should have listened a little closer in English 101.

brewcrewmike - The police have bigger fish to fry without a doubt!

Placing black oil sunflower seed/corn/millet and other feed in the feeders for birds is NOT a violation of the law. Deer, squirrels, mice, rabbits as well as Junco, nuthatches and woodpeckers enjoy the treats that are put out for them.

Deer that are not hunted or harassed become more accustom to human intervention. Deer within City limits interact almost daily with folks and become used to people and their vehicles coming and going and basically offering no threat to them at all.I spoke with a lady yesterday in Town who told me she witnessed the birth of a fawn in her backyard last spring.....of all things!

Folks feed animals in town as well as deer who become accustom to the treats and the vegetation and shrubbery placed amongst the homes. A lady last summer complained to me because deer came up on her porch and ate her flowers right out the containers. I told her next time to place the flowers out of reach or bring them inside at night. She wasn't wild about either option.

As far as deer up north being pets, they are anything but. Pets require ownership and no one other than the State "owns" the deer that are held in public trust.

That being said, conditioning, over time results in the behaviors you're experiencing. Traffic in subdivisions don't concern deer to the extent it does in more rural crossings. People are driving slower in town and watch for deer that are frequently seen on roadsides. Your horn honking and whistling may have even tickled their funny bone as they have heard it all before.

These are merely "conditioned" deer who, over time, have been conditioned to respond to a stimulus (bucket banging) in order to feed. The deer have learned over time and repetition.....that they suffer no bad interaction and they feed.

If you haven't baited deer I suggest you give it a try. Your in for an interesting afternoon with a host of many visitors with both feathered and furry that come to visit. It makes your hunt that more enjoyable to experience.

Good Luck!

Give it a try? ?

So.. you pour some corn on the ground for a few weeks and then sit there...

Super tough to see animals there I bet..

That's like shooting old ladies at the bakery/coffee shop...

give it try.... stop your killing me..

LoL

AW, you are a frustrated old man.

"That's like shooting old ladies at the bakery/coffee shop..."

That's quite the analogy ya got going there AW -

You never stop amazing me - and not in a good way!

Do you ever post anything...... I mean, anything positive?

Why yes... I am positive that deer hunting will continue to stink as long as baiting is allowed and take your pick hunting is condoned....

I also am positive unless folks are willing to give up something...to reduce the deer harvests... any steps to return a herd in the crap counties will be dissolved with 1 season of good killin...

No one likes to hunt nothing ... and when the herd is wiped out... there is only 1 way to repopulate.. and that's Killin less..

Like I said... you pick how you want to do it... shorter seasons... less tags.. buck applications... 1 buck... ban baiting...

You pick

But unless some of these measures are taken.. zero improvement will take place long term... ya. You will have a good year here or there... but 10 bad seasons will follow that slaughter

IIA all for some nor all of these measures in any combination of them... I can handle not killing a deer every year or even every 5 years for that matter... but the greedy hunters of WI are not on that same page... they need to be able to kill every time out...

This is that result

A few years back I was dodging Deer and Bear just about every night next to the only house on the road for a mile. During daylight I could see about 5 feeders.

I stopped and explained to the owner that I had several close calls. I told him that the speed limit on the road was over 45 and he could not feed within 100 feet of the road. He told me where to stick it :-)

After 1 week I let the warden know. The warden told him to quit and he did. A few months later he came into the dealership and bought a new truck. He said the warden did a nice job telling about the pitfalls of feeding Deer and Bear.

Antler - I'm interested....

What conservation organizations are you affiliated with or what do you do conservation wise to improve your "dismal" view of deer hunting in Wisconsin? Pissing and moaning on bowsite does not count!

Please let me know - I would be interested to know.

"Greedy hunters of WI" - I suppose that would include all the good people on bowsite here as we all are from WI. I disagree.

Let me know about what your doing conservation wise other than blowing alot of wind.

Ruger - Five feeders? Isn't he allowed only two gallons of (corn) feed when recreational feeding?

What groups do I pay a membership too??? None.. nadda... squat...

I use to be a member of several sports clubs... archery clubs... WBH..WTA... NRA... NWTF.. Whitetails unlimited ... Pheasants forever.. Trout unlimited ...Wisconsin Waterfowl...I know there are more but you get the idea

Prolly donated more money... and even more in time to the outdoors then most who claim to be the guards of bowhunting here...

however I came to realize that unless unified.. all of these groups as one are nothing more then divisive orgs each after their own piece of the pie as opposed to all being considered hunters..

What I mean is their boards do things to one another... they ask for support on this issue in exchange for support on this issue... mean while dividing hunters..

some wanted more bear dogs running our woods... some wanted baiting and feeding... some wanted Muzzloaders.... some wanted xguns.... some just don't have a clue what they want...

point is all of these groups work against hunting as a whole as they deteriorate the exact reasons we chose to hunt in the first place with adding things or rules or over reaching.... it's rediculous..

so IMHO .. the best way to unify sportsmen is to not belong to nothing and let the state decide what our rules and regs will be... that way.. it's hunters vs. The state on every issue ... instead of groups infighting over weather or not we should allow a xgun or a pile of feed to shoot deer over... let the state be the villan... and let hunters unite

Matter of oppinion Davey...

How is it everyone talks about "how things use to be"... or the "good ol days"

Ahhh.. those were the days before all these little hunting orgs sucking the Life blood from the experience with this reg or that reg.....

How bout we revert back to the hunting regs of the 70 s and 80s..and see

"how things use to be"... or the "good ol days" Those use to be before Antler Whore came to these boards!

I agree Davebow, that is the dumbest thing I have heard on these boards in a long time.

We are all now a little dumber from reading AW's posts.

Is that possible TJ??? LOL

Antler -

I wonder if you act this way to just to attract attention to yourself.

Because honestly, I cannot fathom anyone with the slightest amount of common sense commenting the way you do, time and time again. Do you read your dribble before you hit the "send" button?

Clearly you don't have a clue on any number of subjects and your self destructive commentary clearly speaks volumes about yourself.

I suspect your a rather lonely fella AW - that's sad.

I agree with AW,... except I believe baiting is a personal issue, not a crisis that needs a clubs attention or opinion.

Feed em = killin em

Anyone with over an ounce of brains would not want politicians, people who for the most part do not hunt, to make the hunting laws. Hunters being the minority that they are, would have no influence over these people on an individual basis. Only through the concerted efforts of organizations that represent their members, along with their dollars, can hunters continue to have any influence on politicians.

Some of the comments on this site certainly showcase those who missed the turnoff for the brains department.

Yep, we would have never had crossbows if the hunters and WBH did not influence the politicians. Same can be said for compounds. I agree, organizations are great at influencing the laws.

The crossbow issue is much bigger than the WBH and "hunters."

The "industry" saw an opportunity for marketing and drove hard to the hoop to pass this and they did a good job at it. Other organizations jumped on the bandwagon as well - whether wrong or right - to bring the crossbow to a Wisconsin season.

It's here and we'll just have to deal with it.

The finger pointing - blame game....is old news!

CDAC is a perfect example of the WDNR using their heads and working county by county to get things done on more of a "local" level.

In my County on CDAC we work closely with the WDNR biologist who beside being a great fella, bring much to the table and allows the members to speak their piece.

I think that speaks loudly to the WDNR and the management of deer in this State.

So, was the WBH influential as stated above, or simply irrelevant in the crossbow issue?

And, didn't the WBH actually support the crossbow season being at the exact same time as the general archery season, ie, fully included into the calendar of the historic general archery season?

It's a simple solution... you elect hunters as opposed to liberals... problem solved..

Other states do it.... why is ours so different.. Heck they even have Govs. Hunts ...LOL.. we pay these guys lots of tax money.. do the job or get voted out... no need to fund raise for all these little PA hunting groups... none of them have clout anyway...but they do have plenty of agendas.. LOL

Water under the bridge -

I guess if I was interested in perhaps joining the WBA - it might make a difference of who did what and when but besides that - dead letter file! It's here..... time to deal with it, whatever your flavor on the subject is.

AW if your simple solution - was so simple...we'd have done it long ago. Tad more complex however and many more components.

It is not water under the bridge.

Past history and actions determines a clubs worth. There is no way to predict future actions of the club. Therefore, the decision to reach into a personal pocketbook and shell out money for a membership is determined by the past actions of the club. An evaluation of " water under the bridge " so to speak.

Did the WBH support "including" the crossbow hunters into the current archery season???? Therefore, "including" crossbowers to share the woods with bowhunters on primarily the same dates.

Sawtooth, your interest in this subject is about two or more years too late.

Spot on Captmike -

Dead letter file - it is what it is and no amount of bitching and pissing and moaning about who did what, when they did it and how they did it will change nothing!

Like I said earlier, if your interested in the club that's one thing. Call the President or a board member for the answer. Here it gets into a pissing match and that's old and been done to death.

Time to move on - crossbows have one season under the belt!

This doesn't mean I care one way or another - pro or con - time to cut the rope!

Next issue please!

Question avoidance, must be guilty!

Sawtooth, your question is invalid as crossbows are not "included" in the current archery season. In the future, a bit of self-education will help you to formulate intelligent, constructive questions.

Move on.

Must have missed something. Will move on and call the warden on all the crossbow hunters that must be illegally in the woods during archery season.

Don't forget to report the squirrel, turkey, grouse and bear hunters who will also be in the field during the archery season.

Don't forget the rabbit hunters! Saw - you'll be busy!

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