Been watching the Outdoor Channel which has been loaded with deer hunting shows. Baiting in Tennessee is allowed on private land with the appropriate permit. One show had several acres planted with a combination of seeds. OK, what is the difference in dumping a bag of corn on the ground or planting a food plot with brassica, etc.? BTW, was hunting with the grandson and found an empty bag for deer corn. For those who are curious, the link explains Tennessee's new regulations; https://www.tn.gov/twra/search-results.html#q=baiting deer&tab=department. State website is: www.tnwildlife.org.
The difference? Well depending on state, several hundred or a thousand or two plus a possible hunting suspension , I would assume. It's a matter of the state not being able to tell a land owner what he is allowed to plant in the ground on their private property. In example a person could have a 3acre lawn and does'nt want to mow so they put in a clover lawn They do not like hard woods so plant an orchard.
I recall hunting a planted food plot in an old WMA back in the mid 60s. The state agency planted it and several others in that WMA. Tennessee allows baiting but the link will show limitations. Worked with a guy who hunted an old farm's apple orchard.
In Ohio, baiting is what almost every landowner does. I hunted out there one year, and the guy hosting me said if you don't bait (corn) the deer will go where there is bait. I'm not a fan of baiting at all though.
My uncle was picking corn one fall. He noticed the center of the field look odd. After a few more rounds, he saw deer had moved to the inside of the corn field and ate the corn there, hidden from view.
