Corn field question

[Go Blue]

What was the purpose of the planting if it was not harvested?

A corn maze for Halloween.

[hunterednate]

The field is baited under the current regulations until 10 after ALL the grain is removed.

Corn mazes are considered agritourism, not agriculture, so rototilling the crop afterward does not legally qualify as "normal agricultural practice" (even though it's standard practice among corn maze owners).

I used to hunt a corn maze in the Puyallup Valley where the farmer did the exact same thing. A federal warden contacted the landowner midway through the season and told him to shut down all hunting on the property because the field was considered baited. If he found anyone hunting the field, both landowner and the hunters would be prosecuted.

So in your case, I wouldn't hunt it until absolutely all the grain is gone. Definitely is unfair considering the prevalence of baited corn ponds in this state, but according to current federal law, that corn maze in unhuntable until 10 days after the last kernel is removed.

[greenhead_killer]

how are the guys getting around having standing corn pockets in flooded fields? is it because 90% of the field was harvested per agricultural practices with only 10% remaining standing? seems like such a fine line to be toeing with some having found the niche loophole. hmmmmm. sucks you cant hunt it apparently

[h2ofowlr]

Well you sure would never know it was illegal to hunt the edges of alfalfa fields during archery season with the number tree stand and blinds that get put up.

Were talking waterfowl and not big game.  It's a federal law and falls under the Lacey Act.  This goes for all migratory waterfowl.

You can bait deer and elk.  Just not ducks, geese, swans, cranes, etc.

[h2ofowlr]

Hunt away! If it was illegal why does the WDFW sponsored hunting areas the plant and "bait ducks" in Skagit at the DU plot of land.  They leave whole corn stalks up, wheat/barley fields and bean fields unharvested.  They also have an island/game reserve they do do the same to in lower Skagit.  It's not wrong to hunt a planted field.  The rule states if it was harvested within 10 days then it is illegal.  Outside those first 10 days, it's open and fair game.

Field wasn't harvested.  It was tilled under.  Big difference, it spreads all those ears of corn all over the place.  He could hunt it, if he went in and picked up every ear of corn left in the field.  Once that was complete, he would have to wait the 10 days.
You can hunt unmolested, unharvested and standing crops.  Once you manipulate it, you break the law.  Fine line and this argument has gone on for a long time.

[3dvapor]

Just flood it problem solved.

[Oldguy]

I would call the US Fish and Wildlife office for information. I've received incorrect answers when WDFW contacted.

[LDennis24]

Ok so I asked a WDFW Warden since everybody wants to argue all the time. LOL!

This was his response in a text word for word:
That would be more of a question for US Fish and Wildlife. The question you have to ask is, was this corn harvested using a normal agricultural process? If the corn was harvested and then tilled under, your probably okay. If the corn was not harvested, and just tilled under, then no. US fish and Wildlife is real strict about bait. If the corn was planted with the intention of being hunted on, then no, that is hunting over bait.

[h2ofowlr]

how are the guys getting around having standing corn pockets in flooded fields? is it because 90% of the field was harvested per agricultural practices with only 10% remaining standing? seems like such a fine line to be toeing with some having found the niche loophole. hmmmmm. sucks you cant hunt it apparently

This is how many of the big fields are harvested.  You plant X amount of acres and pay for X amount to be left up for hunting.  You could cut and harvest every 10-30 rows and leave 10-30 rows etc.  You could cut ponds for flooding as long as harvested and the sections cut are harvested, “removed”.  If you roll it, chop it, till it, spread it, disc it, etc. it becomes baited.  If weather knocks it down, perfectly legal to hunt over.  If the farmer would have just left it up and knocked it down after the season, he could have hunted it.  It’s pretty black and white.  If a farmer, Hunter, etc.  knocks it down, it has to be removed and once removed wait 10 days.  If left alone good to go.

[Stein]

You can question the logic for sure, but there is a pretty good line drawn in the sand that allows for relatively straight forward decisions on what is legal and what is not.  WDFW just mimicked the federal guidelines, it's consistent across the US as was noted.

I think a big part is practicality, if you couldn't hunt harvested fields, that would cut out probably 80% or more of the huntable land in the US.

[BD1]

 
On another note...you are best to have the conversation with the Feds on the phone vs. in the field...they aren't much for conversation 

[hunterednate]

Hunt away! If it was illegal why does the WDFW sponsored hunting areas the plant and "bait ducks" in Skagit at the DU plot of land.  They leave whole corn stalks up, wheat/barley fields and bean fields unharvested.  They also have an island/game reserve they do do the same to in lower Skagit.  It's not wrong to hunt a planted field.  The rule states if it was harvested within 10 days then it is illegal.  Outside those first 10 days, it's open and fair game.

Field wasn't harvested.  It was tilled under.  Big difference, it spreads all those ears of corn all over the place.  He could hunt it, if he went in and picked up every ear of corn left in the field.  Once that was complete, he would have to wait the 10 days.
You can hunt unmolested, unharvested and standing crops.  Once you manipulate it, you break the law.  Fine line and this argument has gone on for a long time.

This is 100% right. If your buddy wants to use his corn maze for hunting, he needs to leave the corn standing until the season is over. That's what the federal warden instructed us to do in the corn maze we used to hunt when I called him to ask some clarifying questions.

It certainly shows the absurdity of the baiting laws as they currently stand. Even the federal warden admitted that the huge flooded corn pond complexes in the lower Columbia Basin are much more like baiting in efffect.....but they are legal to hunt and a rototilled corn maze is not.

[h2ofowlr]

This is 100% right. If your buddy wants to use his corn maze for hunting, he needs to leave the corn standing until the season is over. That's what the federal warden instructed us to do in the corn maze we used to hunt when I called him to ask some clarifying questions.

It certainly shows the absurdity of the baiting laws as they currently stand. Even the federal warden admitted that the huge flooded corn pond complexes in the lower Columbia Basin are much more like baiting in efffect.....but they are legal to hunt and a rototilled corn maze is not.
[/quote]
It's definately a hot topic.  As these clubs get bigger, like Eagle Lakes, they control and swing the migration patterns in many cases.  I guess the feds weight the good vs. the bad these clubs do.  Hunter funded feed for migrating birds which is critical.  Most clubs with grain, corn and other sorts of feed are fairly well managed, so X percentage of birds get harvested, but the remainder get to feed on the resources provided.  If you take all that away, you essentially removal a big portion of feed for migratory birds.  I know many in Oregon and especially California complain about all the corn complexes in WA as it short stops huge numbers of birds.  With ice eaters, plenty of feed and open water, many birds winter in the area until they migrate back up north.

[HikerHunter]

Confirming what a few others have said, what Go Blue has described is illegal to hunt until 10 days after all the corn is gone.

Leave the corn up next year and let the wind knock it over and you can hunt it.

[Mfowl]

This is 100% right. If your buddy wants to use his corn maze for hunting, he needs to leave the corn standing until the season is over. That's what the federal warden instructed us to do in the corn maze we used to hunt when I called him to ask some clarifying questions.

It certainly shows the absurdity of the baiting laws as they currently stand. Even the federal warden admitted that the huge flooded corn pond complexes in the lower Columbia Basin are much more like baiting in efffect.....but they are legal to hunt and a rototilled corn maze is not.

It's definately a hot topic.  As these clubs get bigger, like Eagle Lakes, they control and swing the migration patterns in many cases.  I guess the feds weight the good vs. the bad these clubs do.  Hunter funded feed for migrating birds which is critical.  Most clubs with grain, corn and other sorts of feed are fairly well managed, so X percentage of birds get harvested, but the remainder get to feed on the resources provided.  If you take all that away, you essentially removal a big portion of feed for migratory birds.  I know many in Oregon and especially California complain about all the corn complexes in WA as it short stops huge numbers of birds.  With ice eaters, plenty of feed and open water, many birds winter in the area until they migrate back up north.
[/quote]

The corn complexes aren't doing any favors for the wintering birds. There is ample feed in the regular agricultural crops and plenty of safety on the refuges and big water. Its just about $$$.