I wanted to get everyone's feedback on SB 346. It passed committee today and i was fortunate enough to get to testify for the bill. If you are for it, let me know, we are compiling a list. I believe it is time to define area, the current law is to vague. This is not a baiting bill, its a common sense supplemental feeding bill to define area so managers of properties can know where to legally place supplemental feeders. Just one tool a manager can use. The yardage and line of sight was drafted from our neighboring states of Mississippi and Georgia.

Thanks,
Will Ainsworth

This was taken from Mississippi Wildlife And Fisheries Website.
http://www.mdwfp.com/wildlife-hunting/deer-program/supplemental-feeding-regs.aspx
Notice it says Biologists recommend a complete deer management program that includes supplemental feeding.

Supplemental Feeding Regulations

To properly manage white-tailed deer in Mississippi, MDWFP Biologists recommend a complete deer management program which includes:

Habitat management practices to improve overall habitat conditions;
Herd management to balance sex ratio, age structure, and population numbers within available habitat;
Supplemental plantings that provide year-round forage;
Education of hunters and land managers; and,
Not allowing feeding to replace a complete deer management program.

It shall be lawful to feed deer, year round, on private lands subject to the following restrictions:

Feed may only be provided from above ground covered feeders or stationary spin cast feeders.
Feed allowed in feeders:
Complete Pelletized Ration:
October 1 - November 30
March 1 - June 30
Corn may be used and/or added to the Complete Pelletized Ration:
July 1 - September 30
December 1 - the last day in February
Feeders may be placed no closer than 100 yards from any property boundary.
Feed may not be poured, piled, or placed directly on the ground.
Salt/mineral stations, blocks, and/or licks may be established.
A Complete Pelletized Ration is defined as a feed mixture in the form of a pellet that is nutritionally adequate for deer and containing at least 16% crude protein with a mixture of crude fat, crude fiber, vitamins, minerals, and does not contain any animal byproducts.

To hunt within the vicinity of a feeder hunters must be both: at least 100 yards away from, and not within the line of sight of feed or a feeder which contains feed. For the purpose of this regulation, not within the line of sight means being hidden from view by natural vegetation or naturally occurring terrain features.

yup, we know it passed, we heard you talk and you can read through the run down in the post about Watch It Live below. Heard you talk, you got a lot of influence in this bill as in the other legislation you have worked on. Perhaps a career in public office is for you.

Don't think i want in public office.

You sounded good and you obviously have learned how to play the game.

Hopefully can just define area, in a common sense way, thats my goal.

Like someone said before...both hunter and deer must be at least 250 yards from a feeder.

Done.

At 100 yards, it's still a baiting bill.

I would be glad for the state to define "area", but in my opinion this bill is "in between" legalized baiting and defining an area. I can see why those like yourself that feed 9 months a year would like to see area defined so you can continue the other 3 months, but I believe this particular bill will cause more problems than good. Also have to consider that a lot of clubs/ landowners can't afford to feed 12 months out of the year AND continue with foodplots, mineral sites, etc. I'm afraid the result would be a major increase in supplemental feeding/ baiting during deer season only and a decrease in foodplots. Then after about 2 years the deer become more nocturnal and it becomes a war over who has the deepest pockets. This is likely what the average landowner or club will experience. Maybe I'm wrong but based on what people from other states have said, I don't think so. Now, create a bill that really JUST defines area and the only people that will feed will be those that already feed.

By the way, are hunting regs. in a fenced area the same as free range? If not, why not push a bill to address fenced properties only?

So you own Dream Ranch? Give me a free hunt and I will support you

http://www.alfafarmers.org/neighbors/neighborsStory.phtml?id=4452

As far as hunting regs, there is no difference between high fence or no fence.
Our family owns Dream Ranch. My dad Billy, myself, and my brother Austin.
Don't think we can give away any free hunts ha ha.

I was talking with Dennis Wilborn today and he was saying that over 85-90% of his clients he talks with would favor defining area and support a bill similar to what we have.

Should not the level of support for a bill have been requested while the bill was in committee, rather than after it has been passed from committee to the full senate?

Thats the thing Andrew, its easier to pass a bill if nobody is paying attention. Now that people are paying attention the game has changed a bit.

We have been gathering and getting support and have over 1,000 supporters of the bill now that own or lease land. My reason for the post was to let anyone that wanted to support the bill to have an opportunity to get involved and get on the list we have started. The level of support is from a wide range of people include (landowners, hunters who lease land, bowhunters, high fence owners, etc) The strange thing is even the opposition today has a lot of members in their associations or membership that are on the list. I think generally hunters are tired of a vague law.

Do your "supporters" support baiting on public land?

No because it requires a feeder. You cannot leave a permanent feeder or for that matter a stand on public land, so how would you supplemental feed?

Will, I honestly think this bill is dead for this year at least. However if you push hard for it early next year and get it on the docket as a prefiled bill for next year it will pass, no doubt. I really do not think the CAB is capable of defining "area" and the DCNR legal team is scared of defining "area", so it will require a total rewording of the regulation they imposed in the first place. Perhaps they can get on the stick and do it in a hurry before next year before you have to refire the legislature to take action on this serious issue.

Why not just pass the bill as it was originally worded? If it needs to be changed, then go for it in a few years. As usual, too many opinions spoiled the final bill. A few years ago a near retirement game warden told me that as long as any of the old Claude Kelly personnel had a say there would be no changes in the Alabama deer season dates and the baiting laws, seems like it is true.

I'll try this, other States allow baiting on public land, why shouldn't AL? If you are for "supplemental feeding" during hunting season, "baiting", make it simple and just allow it everywhere. Then let the land owners, public and private decide whether they will allow that on their land, instead of playing to the special interest?

When I was listening to this yesterday .......I was thinking why dont you guys that support this BAITING bill say why they really want this passed. All the talk about healther deer and deer not having enough to eat is crap and especially when they mentioned the high fenced hunting places that control how many deer they have on there property. If you need to feed them corn & feed during hunting season because you have to many deer for the green fields and natural browse to support them then you need to kill more deer just like most everyone outside of high fenced operations. To me the bottom line here is people want this to make hunting easier and alot are for it because they can make more money buy selling the products & hunts to hunters. All this will do is cause more issues between hunters and cost hunters more money. Hunting leases cost enough already and if this passes hunters will have to spend more more to keep up with guys next to them.

SB-346 equals ...........Easier hunting and more money for hunting operations and the folks that will sell the bait & feeders...........this is what they really wanted to say yesterday

You can put my name on the support list. Thanks for taking your time to go and speak in support of this bill. Jason Edmondson.