Baiting deer rules

[LOlson45]

I am a little confused on the wording that the hunting regulations provide regarding baiting deer and elk. So, it is unlawful to use any type of bait unless the volume of bait doesn’t exceed 10 gallons. But in the exceptions part of the article it says it is unlawful to hunt from accidental or intentional spills, dumps or storage of agricultural produce, feed, or bait. Does this mean that it is illegal to throw out a little bit of hay even if it is less than 10 gallons?

[HillHound]

Less than 10 gallons is ok. And hunting orchards or fields is ok. But not ok to hunt the 20 ton pile of apples from the flipped over semi in the ditch

[Mulie87]

He is correct. Well said, Hilhound.

[Oh Mah]

what about fields that have been cut like corn and alfalfa?I was a little unclear on it also.

[huntnnw]

They have so much grey area with this, but you know its WDFW and they like the grey area so they can write tickets. The 10 gallons and alfalfa dont jive. Deer will not eat wet falfa or stems they only eat the leaf. You could somehow measure 10 gallons of alfalfa and dump it once a week over 8 weeks lets say and its going to look like a truck dumped out a bunch of hay. Same goes with how it was bailed, you can buy loose bales, tight baled and compact falfa and all of it would look and weigh differently

[Bango skank]

The alfalfa thing is very much a grey area, so to stay within the letter of the law, a guy would basically have to forego alfalfa and just use apples, cob etc.  Basically junk food.  Not doing the deer any favors.

One more thing, its 10gal per bait pile.  You can have more than 1 pile, they just need to be 200+ yards apart.  So a guy can set up a treestand or whatever in a good natural travel corridor with a 10 gal pile 100 yards one way, another 10 gal 100 yards the other way.  Now your piles are 200 yards apart, and youre between them in a pinch point.  Just sayin.  You also wont get stuck in your stand that way, with does hitting a hay pile in front of you at dark.

[Ridgeratt]

If I read this correctly it's 10 gallons on the "ground." Does that mean I could have a 50 gallon drum sitting there to store feed in and then only dump 10 gallons or less at a time?

The barrel would be secure storage.

[dilleytech]

If I read this correctly it's 10 gallons on the "ground." Does that mean I could have a 50 gallon drum sitting there to store feed in and then only dump 10 gallons or less at a time?

The barrel would be secure storage.

Yes. Such as a automatic feeder. As long as there’s less then 10 gallons of it accessible to the animals.

[Stein]

what about fields that have been cut like corn and alfalfa?I was a little unclear on it also.

Somewhere there is a blurb about normal agricultural processes - maybe it's for waterfowl not big game but the idea is that normal ag processes are ok to hunt over.  So, if they cut something and some is left in the process (harvest isn't 100% perfect) or the normal process is cut it today and come back at some point and pick it up it's ok.  It's not ok to cut the corn and leave it all season though.

It's also ok to hunt an orchard and not worry about how many apples have fallen from the trees.  You can even plant a tree and never pick any apples.  You just can't go out there, pick them all and put them in a pile.

It's kind of nuanced, but pretty common sense in the other hand.  Don't artificially place a huge pile of bait, or tons of piles in a small area.  There was a ton of abuse in the past, some of which made for good tv provided you get the right camera angles.

[Bob33]

Reading this thread reinforces to me why our regulations pamphlet is over 100 pages.

[jrebel]

I'm pretty sure this rule....which I am personally a fan of, was put in place people from dumping truck loads of bait.  Certain people / guides in our state were dumping truck loads of bait and then letting clients sit on it to kill their deer / elk.  I also think the grey area is in the hunters favor.....and if most hunters use common sense they will not get in trouble on this on.  I am not always a fan of WDFW enforcement and their tactics....but in this case I really don't see a problem.  Hunting over agriculture fields or food plots it completely legal.  Putting alfalfa, corn, cob or salt in a pile is completely legal.  Backing a dump truck up to a field and dumping 5 tons of apples is not legal. 

I know it also became a problem in one part of our state because a person owned a fairly small plot of land (relatively speaking) in a cluster of privately owned property.  This individual dumped bait by the ton and it drew all the deer to his property.  This is kind of a johnson move and shows the greed of some people.   

[Sutherland]

 

Well said.

[Jonathan_S]

You also wont get stuck in your stand that way, with does hitting a hay pile in front of you at dark.

Triggered me with this one

[buckfvr]

Your constant activity at a bait site makes it and you predictable.  This may not affect does, but it sure as heck affects bucks.  Cliche as it may sound, there is "baiting", and there is "baiting".  One works, the other not so much.  You pretty much cant miss with does and the young bucks who hang with them until its time to breed, but if its say 3 1/2 year old or older bucks you are hunting, (the older the harder), then there are several other tricks you better have up your sleeve as well.

Never cut the strings on falfa......make them work for it.  Bagged feed should be spread in a some what large area preferably in tall grass, again make them work for it.  Placing bait in piles just ensures you have to add to it each day/night which equals too much human activity on the bait site.  Dont trap yourself in your stand with your bait placement.  Plan your use of bait AND OR scent to put your target deer in THE spot you have selected for your shot, preferably so you do not have to stand and or turn, just draw and shoot.  These suggestions do work but keep in mind its about keeping feeding does near your site in hopes of a visit by a buck, not waiting for a buck to come in and feed.

Oh ya, and be sure to practice scent control AND hunt the wind, and if you get busted in your stand, gig is up, hope you have another stand hung.

[OutHouse]

Your constant activity at a bait site makes it and you predictable.  This may not affect does, but it sure as heck affects bucks.  Cliche as it may sound, there is "baiting", and there is "baiting".  One works, the other not so much.  You pretty much cant miss with does and the young bucks who hang with them until its time to breed, but if its say 3 1/2 year old or older bucks you are hunting, (the older the harder), then there are several other tricks you better have up your sleeve as well.

Never cut the strings on falfa......make them work for it.  Bagged feed should be spread in a some what large area preferably in tall grass, again make them work for it.  Placing bait in piles just ensures you have to add to it each day/night which equals too much human activity on the bait site.  Dont trap yourself in your stand with your bait placement.  Plan your use of bait AND OR scent to put your target deer in THE spot you have selected for your shot, preferably so you do not have to stand and or turn, just draw and shoot.  These suggestions do work but keep in mind its about keeping feeding does near your site in hopes of a visit by a buck, not waiting for a buck to come in and feed.

Oh ya, and be sure to practice scent control AND hunt the wind, and if you get busted in your stand, gig is up, hope you have another stand hung.

Good points. I have only ever seen a mature buck at a bait site in the night on trail camera.