I hate to open this can again but.....

[Jonathan_S]

Good one   :roll eyes:

Rad, this would be a good question to pose to someone (who's hunted guided trips regularly) like you.

Other than some of the hokey-pokey outfitters with small leases, do any of the famed guides actually bait for elk or deer? 

[WARHORSE]

So reduce tags. Just because a method is successful doesn't meant it should be taken away.

That's it right there!  If the nine day season isn't controlling harvest numbers then limiting hunters "In that GMU" is the next step.  Voting to eliminate all baiting in the state because you can not get the state to single out your neighbors doesn't make any sense.


And just for clarification;
Before moving to Vancouver 90+% of my deer hunting time in this state was spent in Okanogan and Chelan Counties.  So I do know it quite well.  Just in case someone else was wondering if I have ever stepped foot in those GMU's   If I had to guess probably 18 to 20 of my WA muledeer came from one of those five late season GMU's.  All archery.  I don't think I have ever killed a muledeer with a rifle.  So maybe you can flip me crap about that

so you know what it used to be like! well its not the same.  must be that dern ebola!

[RadSav]

Good one   :roll eyes:

Rad, this would be a good question to pose to someone (who's hunted guided trips regularly) like you.

Other than some of the hokey-pokey outfitters with small leases, do any of the famed guides actually bait for elk or deer?

I actually hate using guides.  But so often the only way to get access, tags or hunt up north you have to use a guide or outfitter. 

I actually do not know any muledeer or elk guides that use bait.  I hear of the odd guy once in a while, but I don't think any of the real top level guides would do much of that.  Now whitetail and swine outfitters are a completely different story.  I've worked with a number of outfits that use bait for whitetail and hogs.  I've never shot anything using that method, but I have sat in a good number of blinds and photographed a ton of critters at bait.  And of course almost all of our problem bear removal was done with the aide of bait.

The first few years after we started this company we sponsored a few disabled vets and "Make a Wish" children on baited hunts down south.  The letter responses from hunters really changed my opinion of hunting deer over bait.  We even had a blind fella shoot a deer in Texas with his bow!!  He practiced with a friend who would tap on his shoulders, head and back until he was on target.  Would have been very difficult if not impossible for him to be successful had it not been for the use of bait.  That guy called me on the phone to thank us and try to tell his story.  I felt bad that I could only understand about every third word because he was crying so hard.  I'd sure hate to take away opportunities like that just to keep my neighbor from shooting some of my deer.

[RadSav]

so you know what it used to be like! well its not the same.  must be that dern ebola!

I was there two years ago and spent a good amount of time.  As I understand that was the peak of the rebound before last years crash in numbers.  We saw some good bucks, but none we wanted enough to pull the trigger.  Was good to be back there and refresh the memories.  I will be back again next year.  Hoping to make it an every other year get away now that my brother is coming to work for us.

[RadSav]

so you know what it used to be like! well its not the same.  must be that dern ebola!

Sorry, going to go WAY off topic in hopes of lightening the mood here.  You mentioning that dern ebola made me think of this funny article that came across the wire last week.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/-fear-bola-hits-epidemic-proportions-in-the-us/191506/

[PA BEN]

I started baiting for deer in '04 for the kids, I have 5 daughters. I've been hunting W/T's for 39 years. For you guys who "THINK" it's ez it's not. I don't buy bait, I use apples, I knock on doors and get permission to clean up apples that fall off the trees. My daughter goes with me to get apples. Everyday we go out to place out our apples and check game cams. It's a lot of work and we have have lots of fun doing this together, seeing what's coming in. Then you get a bear coming in and clean you out as fast as you put apples out. Time to move locations. I have private land and 5 game cameras, in a 160 arc area i see a lot of different bucks that don't go to the apples, I see some bucks once in awhile at the apples but see them on different cameras all the time without any bait at all. It's not a slam dunk. We as a hunters need to stick together and hunt the way you want to hunt and stay out of each others play pen. I have my own opinion about outfitters/guides and I will keep that to myself, it's legal for them to do what they do. As someone who lives in the W/T cash cow unit for the WDFW I could be bashing all you out-of-towners who come here to hunt but I don't. The woods belong to us all so don't push your ethics on me. By the way the neighbor has his tree stand on the ridge above my bait on his property, they have to go through his place before my place. Thats what I would do too.       

[Dhoey07]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but this is from WDFW's public opinion survey for the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan Development Process

•The majority of deer hunters (59%) oppose hunting deer over bait (mostly strong opposition), and another 20% give a neutral answer. At the other end, 21% support the practice.

[bobcat]

http://www.okanoganvalleyguideservice.com/index.html

I believe this is one of the outfitters that uses bait for their late season archery hunts.

[Curly]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but this is from WDFW's public opinion survey for the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan Development Process

•The majority of deer hunters (59%) oppose hunting deer over bait (mostly strong opposition), and another 20% give a neutral answer. At the other end, 21% support the practice.

I wonder about that survey.  I wonder if the people answering the question are saying they wish baiting to be illegal or if they are just answering how they personally feel about baiting.  Lots of people probably would not wish to bait deer, but a lot of those same people may be okay with others doing it.

If trapping were still legal, they would probably have a survey about trapping asking some questions and it may show a large percentage of people not wanting to trap.  Then they would justify taking away trapping.  I am certain that if the voter initiative in 1996 hadn't banned trapping, WDFW would have taken it away by now.   

It is just stupid to manage wildlife based on public opinion surveys.  Almost as stupid as having voter initiatives to determine how to manage wildlife.  WDFW really should have some studies to support any bans.......not just some surveys. 

[DBHAWTHORNE]

Not sure if this has been posted yet but this is from WDFW's public opinion survey for the 2015-2021 Game Management Plan Development Process

•The majority of deer hunters (59%) oppose hunting deer over bait (mostly strong opposition), and another 20% give a neutral answer. At the other end, 21% support the practice.

I wonder about that survey.  I wonder if the people answering the question are saying they wish baiting to be illegal or if they are just answering how they personally feel about baiting.  Lots of people probably would not wish to bait deer, but a lot of those same people may be okay with others doing it.

If trapping were still legal, they would probably have a survey about trapping asking some questions and it may show a large percentage of people not wanting to trap.  Then they would justify taking away trapping.  I am certain that if the voter initiative in 1996 hadn't banned trapping, WDFW would have taken it away by now.   

It is just stupid to manage wildlife based on public opinion surveys.  Almost as stupid as having voter initiatives to determine how to manage wildlife.  WDFW really should have some studies to support any bans.......not just some surveys.

Those losers did exactly what I thought they would.. They combined the options that were against baiting in some way... If you were one of the people who wanted to bait yourself but wanted to restrict outfitters you can thank yourself because they used that against us.

[DBHAWTHORNE]

If there agenda is to restrict baiting all together they should just be honest and give us two options... Keep baiting or Get rid of it.. Of course when they have done that in the past the slight majority always chose to keep hunters rights

[PA BEN]

Back in the day OUTDOOR life would call hunting as still hunting (walking slowly), ambush (sitting on your a$$) deer drives. etc. It's all hunting. I would like to know how you real hunters hunt.

[buckfvr]

Baiting correctly for whitetail is a lot of work for a long period of time................the winners in the deal out number the losers by hundreds.  The herd benefits. 

Baiting has its place on the list of strategies.  Too bad wdfw is so easily influenced by people who either dont hunt at all, or dont like the way others may or may not hunt.

Id rather stumble into a bait sight than a gaggle of hunters doing a drive.......................

[RadSav]

I was invited on a deer drive back in the early 80's.  Common back then in N.Carolina.  We spent most of the day tracking wounded deer.  It was crazy and scary as I remember it!  A lot of guys successful, but absolutely not my thing.  I'd much rather sit on a bait and watch the show.

[BluMtHunter]

i have been baiting deer for over 20 yrs, it is in fact a lot of work, i have had the privilege to take many young first time hunters out and watch them shoot there first deer, many of them would of had to wait a few years to hunt not being quit ready to walk around the woods with a firearm .  then we have the disabled hunters, my own wife is one i originally built my stand for her after a second back surgery left her unable to walk around well enough to hunt,
this new law may very well be the end of us spending fall afternoons hunting deer ever again. its very sad to me that some hunters just cant mind there own business if they dont like to hunt over bait then dont, i am not a big fan of these long range rifles and scopes the are capable of killing deer and elk at almost unbelievable range but hunters that choose to have that right, IF WE KEEP BITCHING AMONGST OURSELVES WE WILL ALL LOSE IN THE LONG RUN.  the opportunities i have had with the young , old, and disabled may be over, SAD , VERY SAD.