I live and hunt in massachusetts. I know theres a thin line between baiting and food plots and I was wondering what peoples thoughts are on this issue.
I dont think they are either...I was just trying to figure out what the law was in mass for it...and I found it...(b) baiting deer, hunting over bait, or the placing of bait for the purpose of taking deer or attracting them to a place where they may be hunted. Bait includes any artificial or natural substance, including but not restricted to salt, corn or other grains, apples or other fruit, vegetables, or any product or substance which constitutes a nutritional attraction or enticement to deer. A baited area is any area where bait has been placed and remains a baited area from 10 days prior to the opening of the archery season to 12:00 noon on the day following the close of the primitive firearms season.
Yeah, I've heard rumors about hunting over fresh cut corn being illegal, but I don't think that true. I believe "baiting" is considered anything that one would throw out and not plant. In a nut shell! You should be ok planting something. The pics were just a joke. lol
Yeah that would be one hell of a bait pile...I have a little question concerning food plots...is it legal to plant them on public land?
it's not baiting because i chose to put my stand next to the oak trees with all the acorns on the ground :D
Hitchcock - Nothing is illegal until you get caught. lol. I know that in public wetlands it’s illegal to plant or cut any sort of vegetation. We discovered this out after we cleared some holes in little grassy a few weeks prior to duck opening day. Luckily we never hunted it, but we saw tons of birds landing in there. I’d almost bet the same goes with planting plot for deer. The DNR is weird, but you should ask them.
IMO, yes it's baiting. You are putting something in that place that didn't occur naturally which in turn may attract your desired game. Now I am not sure if it is against the law in you neck of the woods.
Not to argue with you but with your definition it would include hunting a corn or soy bean field. They did not occur naturally and they do attract deer.
No worries, that is a great point. I guess I am just thinking small scale. I think if you are making a food plot that big you are farming not baiting, and for me the difference comes in attracting an animal to a specific spot. With a corn or soy bean field the animal has the choice where it is going to feed, it might be close to your stand it might not. With a food plot (assuming you planned it well), the animal would need to come within your hunting range in order to feed.
I understand where your coming from. Around here I dont see food plots that are very small. They are normally a couple of acres so its kinda like a small field. I dont hunt food plots because I dont own land. Would I? Idk. I might if I had land but it would be to try and improve the quality of my deer and I would still hunt the same way. Trails in and out of food to bedding.
Food plots require work and effort. Bait piles, not much effort in driving your atv under a stand and opening a bag of corn.c
i agree with Treehopper to a point, however in cases of my new stand there is no getting a 4 wheeler back there. If I were to decide to bait the stand i would definatly being hauling bait over 100 yards, if brought in as far as a 4 wheeler could go and since i do not own a 4 wheeler I would have to haul bait around 300 yards. That is a lot of hauling. Now my idea is to start a small food plot back there, building it hand tools and such. Also going to try a mineral attractant, black magic, back in the area as well.
Also going to try a mineral attractant, black magic, back in the area as well. That is salt not mineral :D
