Community
Whitetail Deer Hunting Gain a better understanding of the World's most popular big game animal and the techniques that will help you become a better deer hunter.

Georgia bait debate

Thread Tools
 
Old 11-04-2005, 09:27 AM
  #1  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location:
Posts: 33
Default Georgia bait debate

The Georgia DNR is conducting meetings to discuss the pros and cons of hunting deer over bait. The Georgia sitution is this the amount of huntersare decreasing ever year, and the bag limit is crazy high 10 does, 2 bucks with 1 buck being 4points on one side. The herd is growing for the last several years not to the point of being unhealthy yet, but it is not being controled to the point the state DNR is wanting. Take in the theory that 20% of the hunters kill 80% of the deer, the 20% of the hunters just don't need 12 deer . So in theory it would help the 80% kill deer and thus control the populations. The down sides I see are problems with sicknesses being spead at the feeders (like CWD) but food plots are the rage now so aren't sicknesses being spread there (potentely) There are many sides to this debate and I myself have mixed feelings. What are your feelings Pro and Con
georgia hard hunter is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 09:50 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

Must be nice to live in a state that's brimming with deer. The question I always ask about baiting is at what point is it no longer hunting and more akin to harvesting free range livestock. I've seen some hunting shows where people are shooting deer over bait from comfortable fort-like tripod blinds. I've also heard that in some places the deer are so conditioned by baiting that they come running when they hear the feed hit the feeder. this is just what I've heard, of course.

I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with this, after all meat is meat and it doesn't matter how you get it. I'm just saying that in my opinion there's something to be said for learning an animal's habits, tracking it, and killing it without bait.
VT_Hunter1980 is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 10:21 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Georgetown, Texas
Posts: 528
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

Boy I wish. . .I hunt in Texas. . .lots of feeders in use. . . .I have seen many a day when you sit for 4 hours looking at a feeder 100yards or so out and lots of other country as well and don't see Deer one. This is in counties with some of the countries highest population decities too. So just because a little bit of corn is offered does not mean the Deer come to them every day. To date I don't think I have ever even shot a big buck at a feeder. They tend to hang a bit further out. Yep i have had bucks chase doespast or from a feeder but, I won't shoot one on the run, I don't think that is the right thing to do, sorry guys.

To your point too though I have seen days when the feeder go off and a young doppy button buck or a doe could not get to that corn fast enough. But I pass on young does and button buck, let's fatten them up for another day.

So let's stir things up, if you sit near a farmers corp of corn, is this baiting, are you now shooting fish in a barrel or just a smart hunter. When the Indians waited for deer near Oak trees that had dropped acorns are they hunting over bait, yepper, was this cheating, I don't think so, it was smart to know your prey.
Georgetownboys is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 10:53 AM
  #4  
 
kim398pl's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 74
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

You know I am not sure how I feel about this. I also hunt in ga. I hunt in Monoroe county. The deer are plentiful and we are seeing more deer kils on the hwys than in the woods it seems. You are right. I do not need nore have the room for 12 deer and then my husband hunts and my dad, who gives us his deer. If we met the quoata, that would be alot of deer. I usually only kill 4.

My dad got ticketed last year for hunting over corn. Well it was in line of sight and only about 100 yards away. 300.00 ticket. I for one, do nto want to hunt over bait, to me that takes all the fun out of it. Sure youget down when you have been out 4 or 5 days with out seeing anything, but what fun is it, if you know that they are gonna come cause of bait.

One of the thrills for me is sitting in the woods and no sounds at all, then all of sudden I look up and there is a deer there. Great feeling.

But DNR will do what they want.

Kim
kim398pl is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 11:02 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

ORIGINAL: Georgetownboys

Boy I wish. . .I hunt in Texas. . .lots of feeders in use. . . .I have seen many a day when you sit for 4 hours looking at a feeder 100yards or so out and lots of other country as well and don't see Deer one. This is in counties with some of the countries highest population decities too. So just because a little bit of corn is offered does not mean the Deer come to them every day. To date I don't think I have ever even shot a big buck at a feeder. They tend to hang a bit further out. Yep i have had bucks chase doespast or from a feeder but, I won't shoot one on the run, I don't think that is the right thing to do, sorry guys.

To your point too though I have seen days when the feeder go off and a young doppy button buck or a doe could not get to that corn fast enough. But I pass on young does and button buck, let's fatten them up for another day.

So let's stir things up, if you sit near a farmers corp of corn, is this baiting, are you now shooting fish in a barrel or just a smart hunter. When the Indians waited for deer near Oak trees that had dropped acorns are they hunting over bait, yepper, was this cheating, I don't think so, it was smart to know your prey.
I stand corrected. I'm not intending to trash any reasonable hunting method and would never support a ban on baiting (although VT did outlaw it this year). I was just presenting one point of view.
VT_Hunter1980 is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 11:11 AM
  #6  
Dominant Buck
 
Champlain Islander's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: On an Island in Paradise
Posts: 23,427
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

I too am from Vermont and am glad they decided to eliminate baiting. I don't like baiting but realize that different areas of the country have their own practices, such as dog deer hunting and baiting. It is all in the way you were taught and what is legal and socially acceptible for your area.
Champlain Islander is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 11:28 AM
  #7  
Dominant Buck
 
kevin1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ramsey , Indiana
Posts: 22,545
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

We sometimes forget that as hunters our primary responsibility is to replace the predators that we don't wish to live with . It's like that "add a penny , take a penny" dish at the minimart , you have to have a balance . Obviously , Georgia has a population problem with their herd , and if allowing baiting can help reduce the herd numbers then it should be tried . It can always be rescinded later . The alternative is sharpshooters , does anyone support that ?
kevin1 is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 11:32 AM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

ORIGINAL: kevin1

We sometimes forget that as hunters our primary responsibility is to replace the predators that we don't wish to live with . It's like that "add a penny , take a penny" dish at the minimart , you have to have a balance . Obviously , Georgia has a population problem with their herd , and if allowing baiting can help reduce the herd numbers then it should be tried . It can always be rescinded later . The alternative is sharpshooters , does anyone support that ?
I'll buy that. One thing that I'm a little unsure of is how allowing baiting will increase the number of hunters. If I'm understanding correctly, that's the real problem that Georgia is facing.

A solution that I'm suggesting is for them to send me a few free tags and a plane ticket to Georgia. I'll be more than happy to take some of those excess deer off their hands.
VT_Hunter1980 is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 11:35 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 248
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

Also, I'd like to add that the idea of there being to many deer is so alien to me that I can't comprehend it. That's why I can't really sympathize when I hear about the PA deer arguments. I have friends in PA, and every time I visit I see more deer in a day than I see in VT in a year.
VT_Hunter1980 is offline  
Old 11-04-2005, 05:11 PM
  #10  
Nontypical Buck
 
jcchartboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,233
Default RE: Georgia bait debate

food plots are the rage now so aren't sicknesses being spread there
Sickness can always be spread in any herd, the question you are asking is..

"Do foodplots greatly increase the likely hood of spreading disease in wild deer the same way baitpiles do"

The clear answer is no....

Here is great article outlining the biological reasons why the use of foodplotsisnot comparable to baiting..
http://www.whitetailinstitute.com/info/news/aug05/3.html
jcchartboy is offline  


Quick Reply: Georgia bait debate


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.