by23856

Geez, Heeze, I didn't expect this thread to turn into an argument, and I don't think you did either. When I read your first response that is causing the trouble now, I figured (or hoped), that you were just playing Devil's Advocate and giving examples of what my anti-hunting co-worker could have said to me.

As I said, I never gave the ethics of food plots much thought because I never had the means (equipment primarily) to put one in. When my new friend came along, he has a friend that has a tractor who is willing to plow my fields for me. My friend also has knowledge of how to put them in, having put in a few in Illinois, and he has turnip and winter wheat seed he's willing to give me. So everything fell into place and I jumped at the opportunity. But now I am faced with the tehics of it, and I am perfectly comfortable with their ethics, for the reason I gave initially. It helps out the wildlife far more than it hurts it by my couple of deer I may harvest from it (Actually, that is helping the herd as well, as we all know.)

Anyway, I'll respond to the main part of your rebuttal in the same way that I would have answered the anti.

What gives me the right to play God?

I'm 'playing God', if that is truly what it is, because man has made a mess of the natural order of things that God created in the first place. God put in place a balance in the natural order of things with predators, prey, and scavengers. Man came along and destroyed that balance by destroying the predators and many of the scavengers. Mountain lions, coyotes and wolves no longer roam the plains like they once did here in Nebraska and many other parts of the country like they once did. Now the prey species only have man as a predator. We do a poor job in keeping the balance that God put in place. Thus, the natural forage needed for deer to easily survive the winters and such is no longer there and not in sufficient quantities to sustain a lot of the deer herds throughout the USA. remember, most of the farmer's crops are harvested before winter sets in. The fat from the fall feast on the farmer's crops only last for so long. Thus we end up with diseases and starvation and less healthy deer. Food Plots give them a little more nutrition that the herd needs to be as healthy as God intended them to be.

I'm sure there are holes in this theory, but that is my rationale for 'playing God'.

Bees

At least rackluster is honest. I want a food plot too and the reason isn't to help out the deer herd.
if you search your heart only you know the real reason you want a food plot but I would be willing to bet it ain't to help out the herd. That is only a secondary result.

If it's legal and that's they way you want to do it go for it. But don't think for a minute that the guy at chruch wasn't right.

BOWFANATIC

I agree 100%! It is indeed "baiting" , just a more expensive and more time consuming version of baiting. I dont have a problem with either type if it's what floats your boat. I just think it's funny when the food plotters look down on the corn pilers , or the "natural farm field" hunters look down on the plotters and pilers. Technically speaking your all using food to bring the deer to you. Big deal , if it's legal and your successful and happy ,then do your own thing and stop worrying about how the other guy does his thing. The end result is the same ,and not a single one of you can claim your way is more challenging than the other guys way!

heeze gutshot shortee

you are right Bambi.... Im thru ....but?? Good racks to ya.

Bowfan your right 2!! we are all in this thing together..so how do we keep fallin apart.??? United we stand ...divided we fall...

IL-Cornfed

Well it is obviously to easy to hunt deer over a food source which is why all of ya have tagged so many B&C class animals with your bow!

Perhaps, we should just all stillhunt and stalk our prey??? Perhaps this would make all of us REAL hunters..... right??? [:-][:'(]

Bees

right

Dampland

I have put small food plots on my property for the last few years.

Wanna know how many bucks I have killed over them? ZERO because the bucks are still too smart to show up at broad daylight.

My foodplots are to help the deer herd. Stronger does = stronger fawns, fatter bucks survive winter better = bigger bucks the next year.

I will NEVER be made to feel guilty for planting a crop on my land that caused me hours or days of hard work.

Now if I just were to back up a dumptruck of corn and dump it next to my favorite tree stand...well that is a whole other story.

And actually ...by planting foodplots, I am helping ALL the animals in the woods. They all benefit from it one way or another. It is not a "DEER ONLY" foodplot. Anyone can and DOES enjoy the plants in it.

I KNOW I'm helping my herd's health.

When was the last time some tree hugging Anti Hunter Yuppy did anything... oh yeah, they bought a 5-acre chunk of land, and turned it into a huge ChemLawn green lawn, destroyed the wooods the deer lived in. in order to put up their 4 bedroom house, and the gas station on the corner, and the starbucks coffee shop across the road. Yeah, that's helping the deer alright.

PABowhntr

I have never used it as a viable argument but it definitely gives me another weapon to use. So often I have to watch what I say as I know it is going to result in a large 'discussion".

BOWFANATIC

Yep , there's what I'm talking about. You refuse to feel guilty , yet you have no problem trying to make the corn piler feelguilty.

You're both using food to attract deer to your area . You apparently have the luxury (open land)and the equipment to make a food plot. When the corn piler doesn't have that luxury , their labled "lazy/lousy hunters" for simply dumping corn.
What's wrong with that picture?

atlasman

Those are all reasons that your plot is for better hunting.............not the herd. If your plot was put there to help the herd then you wouldn't hunt it.

So right and wrong is decided by how long the project took you?


Exact same thing you did.........only it takes less time. You will NEVER feel guilty........but you want these guys to?? Weird.