Trapper's Link
"The CWD finding will have implications beginning this fall for wildlife feeders and deer hunters in northwestern Wisconsin. It will trigger a ban on deer baiting and feeding in Burnett, Polk and Washburn counties. Barron County could be added to the list, too, depending on how measurements are made from the elk farm. State law requires the baiting and feeding prohibition in the county the disease was discovered as well as counties with borders within 10 miles of the CWD-positive site. The Barron County border is 9.9 or 10 miles from the Smoking Gun property, according to two geolocating programs. "
Of course there is the crowd that "If you don't hunt JUST like me.... your a bag of crap" still banters about - been going on for years and years and still really no big deal with all the best science out there!
Speculation and innuendo rules some people's minds while jealously rules others.
It works for some folks just fine...you don't like it, here's a thought...don't do it!
I am not particularly fond of chasing bears around with dogs. But I support ALL legal hunting methods, so I stand mute on the topic and let those folks enjoy their time afield.
MNhunters "time it goes away for good" has been played like a broken record for many, many years by a select group...
I have to agree with that statement.
I'm not naïve enough to believe there isn't troubles because after all it's public land and public land in it's self musters up all sorts of different situations from time to time... so I'm sure there are problem areas.
I really know of no real/reported troubles - and "devastated" is a pretty harsh word - if true devastation has occurred ya think we'd hear more about it?
Interesting...
Good point bloodtrail
I'm sure the bait apologists will chime in here any second to spew their anti science rhetoric.
I find it interesting and I am not calling you gentlemen liars, (Skookumjt/Dirty Mike), but I live and work in and around literally thousands of public land acres. I work with game wardens and recreational officers as well. We have experienced nothing close to what you speak of.
Now has something happened that was never reported...perhaps it has!
But it blows me away when these claims surface and I see no real evidence of these claims in the thousands of acres of public in my county and adjoining counties. Are there "hot spots" in portions of this State?
We do find cases of bait limit violations as you spoke of. Some cases involve those who cut excessive shooting lanes and make stands in (state) public land trees.
Our County within the last couple of years legalized portable stands on public (county owned) land and we have had really no issues at all with this as well. Last I checked 19 counties in WI have legalized county owned land stand placement. A couple of years ago I checked with Clark County on their ordinance that allowed stand placement overnight and they reported no real trouble at all.
I find this so interesting as many here were so vocal on over night stand placement on State lands and the carnage that would ensue.
Skook, I would think you would be working very closely with your area warden on these violations you are observing, recording dates/times and locations to assist in eradicating these violators. I would hope you are encouraging your hunting friends to do the same. Enforcement is the key to cleaning up any area subjected to the violations you speak of!
The real "problem" here (my neck of the woods) is bear season as guys and gals are getting possessive to different areas as this sport has gained so much popularity! There has been "turf" battles - nothing violent or physical, but wardens have been summoned on some cases to referee! It even happened to me.
I left my business card out for a guy and he called me. Instead of a "pissing match" I told him I wouldn't hunt there even though I was convinced I was there "first"...I wasn't happy, but public land sucks sometimes! Oh well...
Dirty Mike - Baiting changes deer patterns, makes deer nocturnal, starts turf wars, spreads disease, lazy man hunting and the list goes on and on....
I don't know how 2 gallons of bait will change the deer movement so drastically and I could go on and on, as deer are browse animals and shelled corn makes up only a portion of what they consume in a day. People like to make some believe a deer beds a couple hundred yards from a baited stand, feeds and then goes back and lays down, waiting for the next dinner bell. We all know that's bunk as deer do eat from bait stations and then dine on anything from mushrooms, maple leaves, acorns, clover and soft woody browse.
My baiting is pretty much limited to late season and does. But I enjoy the late season baiting and I support ALL legal means of harvesting wild game. As I said before, NOT a big fan of dogs chasing bear, not my cup of tea and I have some strong beliefs.
BUT...it's legal and been around a long time, I will not trample on another man's legal right to enjoy his sport as long as the law is followed.
Just because a select group of idiots are ruining an area you hunt, doesn't automatically mean it happens ALL over the State! Because I assure you it is not. Work with your local law enforcement officials and help them, help you make that woods a better place to hunt and enjoy.
But it's even sadder to see supposedly intelligent people turn away from science. Shame.
You make a good point and I have planted food plots and hunted over them commonly referred to as "bait plots"....
"Drawing deer onto your property" is the theory there so you get the shot versus your neighbor or the poor sap on the public land. Bait plots do assist wildlife through the season and I am not dead set against them, but some folks see no difference between food plots and baiting and in many ways there is little difference in my humble opinion.
Planting food plots and getting the kids involved can be great fun and a good source of family time. They have their benefits.
Oh and Thanks Missouribreaks...some folks will find fault and I'm sure I'm not 100% spot on, but I feel I'm close.
You’ve clearly never put in a food plot with your latest statement. You must be a mammas boy if you struggle to “lug” two gallons of bait.
I can do 8 bear bait baits in less than two hours. Food plots take me at least 3 weekends with soil testing, spraying, disking, and planting. Then add nitrogen if the plants are showing a need.
If my neighbors are to lazy to do the same, well it sucks to be them. Public I don’t care about as there is none that borders my land or even close by. I have cover, food, and water on my land and they need to go nowhere after several years of labor put into it.
By the time I get my bait together and start filling buckets, load up, drive out, walk in, place bait, change out camera cards and hit the next one...even if each site takes me 30 min...start to finish.
4 hours every day minimum and that's at a pretty brisk pace . And that's if "everything" goes perfect and I don't have to walk back several times because I forgot my head if it wasn't attached!
Now the last 2 weeks before baiting bear I bait everyday. Season on...bait everyday.
Do the math and you'll see a bait plot might be a little easier to put together. There are variables.
3 weekends to put a food plot in? I don't know how big your going their drop, but I would have to say ya need to quicken' those steps a tad. Shouldn't take ya that long...but maybe your lacking equipment and other time savers?
And I would have to say it does "suck" to be your neighbors, if they don't have food plots as you'll have to agree your doing it to draw deer onto your property, keep them there so you get the first shot at that wall hanger?
More work, less work...too much work - whatever. The basic premise is to draw deer into your shooting lane so you get the shot!
Baiters and plotters doing the same thing essentially.
Or the person that hunts a hardwood ridge full of acorns? They’re all food sources and attract critters big and small.
People hunt food sources all the time. Farmer Joe plants his 40 acres in corn and the woodlot protrudes nicely adjacent to the corn...YOU ask permission and Farmer Joe say you have a nice looking face and go ahead...you then put up a tree stand.
Drop goes into his own woods, (were it sucks to be a neighbor), clears 4 acres of underbrush and trees, disks/tills the earth, seeds it down with "Acme Joe's Big Buck Forage"...see's its not green enough and puts on some nitrogen and spends 3 weekends doing all this...BOOM... a food plot is born!
Yep, THAT'S the difference....
Not against it...cause it's legal and an effective way to harvest deer. In the same breath...baiting, it's legal and an effective way to harvest a deer.
I suppose being the avid hunter you are, you and the "Boyz" don't hunt ANY of that bait (food) plot? Or hunt the area surrounding the plot that DRAWS deer onto your property?
If your claim is the sole reason for that food plot if JUST for feeding from September to February...finding that very hard to believe my friend.
Because you want to keep it undisturbed and a "sanctuary" for feeding deer and NO hunting? I tend to believe you hunt it and the deer eat what is left after hunting season undisturbed.
You hunt it, you benefit from it and harvest deer off it as it draws deer onto YOUR property so you get the "shot" and the neighbor or public land hunter doesn't. I get it, been there, done that.
I have a friend that has pretty much stopped planting plots (didn't plant this year) as the deer leave his area shortly after gun season and corn just stands untouched till spring and he drives his ATV around to knock it down for the turkeys....So not EVERY winter food plots feeds deer...a few go untouched.
The placement of 2 gallons of corn for a few weeks is NOT going to change the world as some like to claim. Squirrels, nuthatches, grouse and Jays and many other critters benefit from bait placement it as well. When it's gone, it gone and they move on....this is only a supplemental feed as natural food sources exist in nearly every woodlot.
I'm not seeing a hellva lot of difference and ...I have done both.
Those who improve habitat, including food plots and other food sources are " givers ", not simply " takers " of the resources.
If it was made illegal tomorrow, "NO food plots can legally be placed on private property for the purpose of attracting and hunting deer"...
I wonder how many of these "Givers" would still shell out the hundreds of dollars involved to simply (like my friend RJN claims)...feed deer! I would suspect...not many at all.
I spend hundreds just feeding birds all winter. Just saying.....
The in direct benefit is they feed not only deer but other wildlife as well!!
Plotting can get expensive and many wouldn't be bothered with the added expense to "just" feed deer - in many places your looking at a conservative estimate of 200 -300 dollars an acre to leave an acre of the farmers corn standing. Expensive!
It may be a "no brainer" to feed deer "if" you have the equipment, "if" you have the time and "if" you have the pocket jingle. Many "if's" with a short return for too many folks! So baiting is an option that allows many folks an opportunity to harvest a deer, watch wildlife and enjoy the outdoors. I begrudge no one of that experience if they choose to do so....legally.
Peace!
Different strokes for different folks my friend.
And as a side note, your food feeding food plots - most likely has little effect on the herds overall survival.
You stop tomorrow and never plant again...deer will still survive and even flourish, just like they did before you came along and started planting.
In closing, what you neglected to mention about corn, is that it also provides important cover for deer, (habitat enhancer) something clover, beans and winter rye do not.
As whitetails are supplemental feeders whether it's corn, radishes or sugar beets, they also actively seek out other natural food sources as they know their bodies need that as well. Carbohydrates in corn offer energy, but on corn alone a deer cannot survive. Opponents of baiting often argue that deer hear the dinner bell, leave their beds, feed on shell corn and return to their beds to wait for the next dump - couldn't be further from the truth!
Oh well, I ramble on.... Good Hunting!
This isn't even close to a true Bowsite "pissing match" - this wouldn't even warm the frost off my windshield on a November morning hunt!!
If you find this "entertaining", strap yourself in pal - this is a popcorn fart, ya wont have to wait long! :^)
