10, 20 or 30 days to quit baiting?

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
Google aflatoxins in corn and its impact on fowl, you might be surprised at what you find. Feeding stations create a buffet for predators and they change the dynamics of the flock and how they use a piece of property IMHO.
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
the feeding of game during hunting season lessens the challenge and makes the whole sport less appealing as a "fair chase" concept. those pesky non hunters turn it into a negative for the whole sport.

i doubt it matters biologically except for the CWD deal to the animals but ethically it is an issue for the sport. even hunters from no baiting states think it is a chicken poop way to hunt, imagine what non hunters think.

of course no one cares about the deer in NC so it's not an issue. the more dead deer the happier everyone is.


I always compare this situation to waterfowling. As it stands right now, Joe Waterfowler can't carry a sack of corn and dump in his little pond or swamp and have a duck hunt legally. Joe has to scout and secure access to land that holds birds naturally. Mr. Rich Joe Waterfowler Esquire can purchase existing agriculture lands, get WRP funding from the government and completely pay for the installation of dykes, levee's and risers to control water levels. Then Mr. Waterfowler Esquire will be able to plant corn within the dykes and flood said corn for legal hunting. All under the name of conservation and totally funded by private and public resources.

I don't have an issue with subsidized waterfowl impoundments. They provide good places to hunt, but they also provide plenty of food for migrating birds. But, if you happen to be a regular chap, you can't bait ducks on your little farm pond or swamp.

Deer hunters have baiting on equal terms in NC. It doesn't matter if you are Mr. Rich Joe Deer Hunter Esquire with $3,000 acres with 40 feeders and year round supplemental feeding programs, or Mr. Joe Deer Hunter with 5 acres and a single barrel shotgun. Everyone has the opportunity to place feed to attract deer for hunting. Placing feed can attract deer to a property that otherwise would be hit or miss.

If deer baiting is outlawed, you can bet that the rich guys will have lush food plots and standing crops drawing all the deer away from properties where no such food exists. Right now, the little guy can compete with deer baiting. The little guy waterfowler has to work his butt off to beat down half limit of ducks, where the rich guys limit out fairly regularly until their "bait" runs out.
 
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Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
Google aflatoxins in corn and its impact on fowl, you might be surprised at what you find. Feeding stations create a buffet for predators and they change the dynamics of the flock and how they use a piece of property IMHO.

I'm familiar with alfatoxins. Currently it is illegal to harvest corn with alfatoxins. It must be plowed under. That doesn't mean a rogue farmer here or there won't do it, but it certainly wouldn't and couldn't become a statewide issue.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
No legal or illegal baiting law will stop people that want to kill a mass amount of turkeys. We have bag limits and season dates that manage the resource for law abiding sportsmen. I suspect that legalizing baiting for turkeys (in NC) would increase the harvest past a desirable amount. The act of placing feed for wildlife, will not hurt them long term unless it coincides with overharvest or flat out reckless killing.

You could be right. But game laws that allow a foot in the door are more apt to invite the whole thing in. For example, I've heard lots of reports of grown men killing turkeys during youth week since it started. Crossing the line gets easier as it gets closer.

As for over harvest, we've already crossed lines drawn by our biologists to prevent over harvest. I just can't conclude that opening that spigot up even more is a smart thing to do.
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
You could be right. But game laws that allow a foot in the door are more apt to invite the whole thing in. For example, I've heard lots of reports of grown men killing turkeys during youth week since it started. Crossing the line gets easier as it gets closer.

As for over harvest, we've already crossed lines drawn by our biologists to prevent over harvest. I just can't conclude that opening that spigot up even more is a smart thing to do.

I agree that we don't need baiting for turkeys. I just don't agree that corn out of a bag will hurt them.

I'm sure several Dads have taken shotguns away from kids on waterfowl youth days too, but the vast majority of kids benefit from youth days with ethical Dads. You do have a valid point... Unethical people only need a foot in the door to practice corruption. I just don't think bait, by itself is corrupt. ;)
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I always compare this situation to waterfowling. As it stands right now, Joe Waterfowler can't carry a sack of corn and dump in his little pond or swamp and have a duck hunt legally. Joe has to scout and secure access to land that holds birds naturally. Mr. Rich Joe Waterfowler Esquire can purchase existing agriculture lands, get WRP funding from the government and completely pay for the installation of dykes, levee's and risers to control water levels. Then Mr. Waterfowler Esquire will be able to plant corn within the dykes and flood said corn for legal hunting. All under the name of conservation and totally funded by private and public resources.

I don't have an issue with subsidized waterfowl impoundments. They provide good places to hunt, but they also provide plenty of food for migrating birds. But, if you happen to be a regular chap, you can't bait ducks on your little farm pond or swamp.

Deer hunters have baiting on equal terms in NC. It doesn't matter if you are Mr. Rich Joe Deer Hunter Esquire with $3,000 acres with 40 feeders and year round supplemental feeding programs, or Mr. Joe Deer Hunter with 5 acres and a single barrel shotgun. Everyone has the opportunity to place feed to attract deer for hunting. Placing feed can attract deer to a property that otherwise would be hit or miss.

If deer baiting is outlawed, you can bet that the rich guys will have lush food plots and standing crops drawing all the deer away from properties where no such food exists. Right now, the little guy can compete with deer baiting. The little guy waterfowler has to work his butt off to beat down half limit of ducks, where the rich guys limit out fairly regularly until their "bait" runs out.


deer hunters do just fine in states that dont allow baiting or so i have heard. :)

it's a circular discussion with no answer.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Funny how deer and turkey are treated differently

deer are considered a pest by many. they have no value to anyone but hunters. Scott osborne of the NCWRC predicted this decades ago.

No one (non deer hunting public) cares if they all die. baiting leads to their death. Everyone is happy.
 
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Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
Funny how deer and turkey are treated differently
They are vastly different and should be treated as such. The essence of turkey hunting is finding the gobbler and calling him to the gun,not shooting him where he eats.
 

Buxndiverdux

Old Mossy Horns
deer hunters do just fine in states that dont allow baiting or so i have heard. :)

it's a circular discussion with no answer.

I have spent a little time in Iowa and have a few friends that hunt there, as well as a few friends that own property. Land owners with standing crops draw deer from all over. One land owner I know deliberatley leaves crops in the fields on his land to keep the deer on his land and off the public ground. He does it every year to protect the young bucks from getting killed on public. Public land guys still kill a few deer, but he literally has 50+ deer in these fields every morning and afternoon. They aren't going far, because they don't have to. He literally does this in multiple fields on multiple farms to hoard the deer.

A guy with 5 acres behind his house doesn't stand a chance if he doesn't have something for the deer to eat. In NC, that guy has options even if his habitat is terrible.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
That's one aspect of baiting turkeys I did not consider. Using it to keep or lure birds to small properties
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
It wouldn't shock me if half our harvest is already being killed over bait.

Just pattern wildlife...
No need to shoot them on the bait.
Let them keep feeding the bait and set up on the path too and from.
They will travel a good bit.
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
I feel sorry for the guy who feels the need to shoot a turkey over bait. They are missing the beauty of turkey hunting.
 

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Very true, I don't know how someone can hunt them with decoys or sitting in a blind either lol... After truly chasing one it just seems like a wasted morning hunting them any other way

I'm not against decoys or blinds but will never support baiting turkeys

That's the main reason I don't care for deer baiting anymore... I cringe when I think of how many fall turkeys are killed in WV over a corn pile
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Very true, I don't know how someone can hunt them with decoys or sitting in a blind either lol... After truly chasing one it just seems like a wasted morning hunting them any other way

I'm not against decoys or blinds but will never support baiting turkeys

That's the main reason I don't care for deer baiting anymore... I cringe when I think of how many fall turkeys are killed in WV over a corn pile

yep- even though it is illegal i am sure it is happening.

probably folks baiting in those CWD containment counties as well. WV has some issues on the baiting.
 

nchunt101

Ten Pointer
Just pattern wildlife...
No need to shoot them on the bait.
Let them keep feeding the bait and set up on the path too and from.
They will travel a good bit.

This. You dont even need bait. I hate to say it but I would wager pop up blinds are more effective at killing turkeys than corn. They are very easy to pattern.
 

wturkey01

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The neighbors across the ridge don't "bait".........they just buy shelled corn for the lil ole lady who lives there and loves to "feed" the wildlife year round!! :rolleyes:

To the tune of about 4-5 tons a year!!:mad:
 

josh

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Funny the whole state of WV has a fall hunt in I don't know how long

No shortage of turkeys for sure , actually has been increasing greatly in my county.

I still don't care for folks shooting them over the "deer" corn pile or shooting clear across a hayfield with a rifle. Really ruins the essence of turkey hunting.

I fall hunted this year and had shot opportunities at hens and just couldn't bring myself to do it , even with the heathy population lol
 
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