No difference really. I actually stopped baiting as I felt it hindered my chances at the deer I wanted to kill. I planted a few acres of corn to attract and hold deer on the property throughout the season as other food sources come and go elsewhere. I have the bedding, and if I add the food they have no reason to leave during much of the season (and I have found they don't for the most part). I also find food plots are much less invasive and low key to hunt over than bait. It's all in how you word it. It just don't feel the same when I dumped the food from a white sack vs taking the time to plant it 5 months before season and letting nature take it's course. I know there is no huge difference, yet I still personally do one and not the other. I will say this, until I get bigger more permanent land access, I plant food plots to kill a deer over. Not to supplement the deer, not to increase antler size...just to increase the chance he walks in front of me in daylight hours during season.
Like they say about those who run ranches, its not about the money or glory, its about the tradition. Food plots, like game cameras, give a reason to be afield outside of the normal hunting seasons. While not only does food plots improve the habitat, which is the backbone of conservation, studies show that the better the habitat the smaller a bucks home range.
Well in the South there is no such thing as a food plot it is all baiting all the time, and the only thing they do is give deer choices from the constant diet of grain that they eat most of the year.
any way you interperate it plots do have some benefit to the Deer. I have never hunted over a plot as there is just not good places to put them where I hunt, and We cant make any clearings in the big woods type terain that I lease per the lease contract. It has several crop fields ajoining the property any way so I just take advantage of that anyway.
I am skeptical as well. I always thought that was pertaining to waterfowl regs, not deer hunting. Could learn something new though, haven't had my one things for the day yet.
Or like in my first attempt at a food plot for the spring this year not even attract them too it. In my experiences so far, a pile of corn, unless placed ridiculously far away from a deer trail but, it will eventually get found. Once found if kept up, meaning keep corn on it, they will continue to come to it. Thats not always the case with a food plot.
NC has regulations like that for Turkey but, not deer. I believe I would look into that one a little more or do what I always do and call a local WRC officer.
That works two ways though. Is hunting a trail leading to the bait a 100 yards away still baiting? If it was put there by man for the specific purpose of luring deer to an area then it is bait. Oak flats, apple orchards, corn fields and anything else natural or agriculturally related are not put there with the purpose of luring deer to an area.
John is right, it is illegal. I thought they used to break it down more, but at the moment I could only find this: It is unlawful except: standing crops planted and left standing as food plots for wildlife Key words being "left standing".
