Once baiting became legal, I bought the "privilege" and tried it on every property I hunt. On the places with high deer density, I saw just as many deer as before and they ate it faster than I could put it out. On places with low density, I saw just as few deer and they barely touched it all season. I haven't put out any bait since. Waste of time and money and adds zero value to the deer herd. Other than for someone on 5 acres that has no choice but to draw deer in rather than scout for where they already are, I can't see any value in baiting other than adding a false sense of confidence to a hunter that increases time in the woods. No issue with anyone else baiting but my take is that it is overrated as hell.
Other than for someone on 5 acres that has no choice but to draw deer in rather than scout for where they already are, I can't see any value in baiting .
That's a major aspect of legalizing it......It changes the game for opening up access for more bucks getting shot.....It has the potential to have a major impact
Can’t legally walk on your property to check here in Tenn. so unless they make the fines stupid high. Not worth getting a search warrant over a pile of corn
I thoroughly believe the number of quality bucks on the landscape has decreased dramatically over the last 5 years……When I say quality bucks I mean something that someone would put on the wall……The number of deer being recovered and posted on the dog tracking pages is super slow now…..There just arent that many bucks out there worth calling on…..Sure there’s some…..but way less than there used to be.....
Shoot all the two year olds and good 3s and there is an age imbalance.
Yep.......its just way too easy to shoot the 2-3 year olds now and the ones with the most potential are usually the first to go.......Its really put a damper on tracking the last couple years.........Between last year and this year I've hung business cards in baggies on over 600 gates within about a 30 mile radius of my house here in Auburn.....Its ideal weather right now for bow season.....I should be getting more calls than I can keep up with but its just one here and there.....Its the same for everyone now.......We've tanked the quality across a lot of areas
Maybe hunters aren’t taking as many marginal shots. Pile of corn at 20yds and waiting on the perfect broadside shot and no dog needed. Or maybe less people are bow hunting because it way easier to kill them with a firearm. Maybe people can’t afford to call the dog. Times are tough right now. Most of these scenarios are horse crap and I know it but any one of them at some point could possibly be true.
It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chews your a$$ all day long.
Baiting is $$$$$$$$$ A baiting rule cost the state nothing and $$$$$ coming in. .com search showing over 235000 deer hunters in AL. If 200000 are paying to bait it’s over $3 million. Why not do it. The corn farmers that can help influence this vote are locked in. $9.00 or more for 50 lb when the price per bushel is tanked. Cash money sells are crazy to the right farmers.
Maybe hunters aren’t taking as many marginal shots. Pile of corn at 20yds and waiting on the perfect broadside shot and no dog needed. Or maybe less people are bow hunting because it way easier to kill them with a firearm. Maybe people can’t afford to call the dog. Times are tough right now. Most of these scenarios are horse crap and I know it but any one of them at some point could possibly be true.
The combination of baiting and free for all buck harvesting has taken its toll on the quality of our deer herd across many areas.....It just is what it is.....
Maybe hunters aren’t taking as many marginal shots. Pile of corn at 20yds and waiting on the perfect broadside shot and no dog needed. Or maybe less people are bow hunting because it way easier to kill them with a firearm. Maybe people can’t afford to call the dog. Times are tough right now. Most of these scenarios are horse crap and I know it but any one of them at some point could possibly be true.
The combination of baiting and free for all buck harvesting has taken its toll on the quality of our deer herd across many areas.....It just is what it is.....
You think hunters are shooting at less deer now? Even bow hunting? I’m going to speak for myself and say that I have way lower standards when I’m bow hunting vs rifle. I mean I’ll shoot at that big buck but he better be the first non yearling deer out in front of me. I won’t shoot a small yearling or real young buck but I’ll shoot at a smaller buck with my bow then I would with a rifle. Am I right or am I wrong for. I don’t know. It works in my head and makes me happy so…
It's hard to kiss the lips at night that chews your a$$ all day long.
You think hunters are shooting at less deer now? Even bow hunting?…
More young bucks have been getting shot since baiting started so now less old bucks are getting shot.....Trackers are a very good barometer for how much "quality" is being shot at.....
You think hunters are shooting at less deer now? Even bow hunting?…
More young bucks have been getting shot since baiting started so now less old bucks are getting shot.....Trackers are a very good barometer for how much "quality" is being shot at.....
I dont know how true that is. I cant think of anyone right off that I talk to regularly that has used a tracking dog and I know some sho nuff big deer killers.
You think hunters are shooting at less deer now? Even bow hunting?…
More young bucks have been getting shot since baiting started so now less old bucks are getting shot.....Trackers are a very good barometer for how much "quality" is being shot at.....
I dont know how true that is. I cant think of anyone right off that I talk to regularly that has used a tracking dog and I know some sho nuff big deer killers.
They’re probably the exception to the rule these days….Got a tracking buddy I follow through Facebook up in Michigan….I saw a post he made a little while ago saying he had already gotten 22 calls this morning…….Michigan has a 2 buck limit and bucks must be tagged…..They have a 15 day gun season and a 9 day muzzleloader season…..The result is better quality and when someone does shoot one of their two bucks its more likely to be something that they’re willing to pay a dog to find…..Its just the reality that many folks aren't gonna call a dog out on a doe or a dink....But that’s how you end up with trackers getting 22 calls in a morning in Michigan versus 2 or 3 here in Alabama.....I'm not saying we do or dont need rules like that but that's the results of having rules that create better quality....Like I said in the other post....trackers are a pretty good barometer of gauging such
Keep in mind up there every single peron that deer hunts is pretty much hunting too during that short season. It’s just bow season here and it just started to cool down…. Most deer hunters haven’t even hit the woods yet.
