I have stayed out of this one because I think it is a joke. I bet you there are fewer than 10 landowners in the entire State of Alabama that TRULY supplemental feed during deer season (outside of high fence operations). This baiting/supplemental feeding issue is just one big rouse.
The truth of the matter is those that say they are supplemental feeding during deer season are either trying to keep “their” deer on their property so no one else will kill them or they are baiting them to try and kill them themselves.
The antlers have grown all they will grow and the deer are as fat as they will get.
There are so many folks wanting to keep up the illusion of supplemental feeding. Could money be the reason?
I believe it should be outlawed all together during deer season. And please don’t come at me with the green field is baiting story. My brother and I plant around 100 acorn trees each year, is that baiting as well?
I guess if you start splitting hairs, what you're saying could be considered baiting... Several things come to mind. A fella could plant 5 acres in corn, bushog it, and hunt over it legally every day, but if he dumps an extra bag in the field, all of a sudden he's baiting. Makes no sense to me. I feed corn 9 months a year. You can easily tell when the acorns drop, they stop eating corn. Also when the trees begin to bud, they stop with the corn (my experiences at least). I just say make it legal and be done with it. To me it's just another tool to use to kill a deer, same as a food plot or planting oaks.
but IT IS NOT not the same thing as planting foodplots...that's why most biologist are against legalized baiting. If a club has x amount to spend, and baiting is legal they will likely minimize or eliminate food plots (a 9-12 month of the year food source accessible 24/7) and implement feeders that will stay full from Oct.-Jan. 31st. And that's just the nutritional side of it.
Then there is the point that many hunters and non hunters view a planted field as an ethical way to bait deer while many do not see pouring out a bag of corn in the middle of 1000 acre unmanaged pine forest as being sporting or ethical.
Then there is the money side of it...where it becomes a pissing contest over who has the most feeders and spends the most money keeping them full during hunting season, only to make the herd more nocturnal than it already was. So my question to those that say they don't really care but say we might as well make it legal...why would that be your position. It's just going to cost you a lot more money or put you at a disadvantage if you don't do it. I understand some feel hunting over a feeder or bait pile is perfectly sporting and acceptable and should be legal...fine, although I disagree, at least you aren't hiding your real position.
Honestly, I think if it were made legal there wouldn't be very much of an increase in corn feeding over what's already being done. You make good points, I just think that train has left the station.
