?????

[runamuk]

Rick is correct. You can NOT bait for trail cams, even in the off season.

This was one of two questions I asked the officer when he checked us at our rigs.

I also asked if it was legal to wear elk cover scent and call for bears and was told no. It is against the law to use "attractants".

I stopped short of asking about calls being an attractant.

I am not trying to be arguementative or anything but I am wondering what you guys think about this.  Did you ask him to point to what law they are using to justify making that statement?  A blanket statement saying that baiting for trail cameras is illegal seems fishy to me.  I personally dont have any trail cams and I dont hunt over baits.  But I do really enjoy seeing all the bear pics from our trail cam forum.  I am just wondering if you guys are ok with them making something illegal that is not stated in the RCW's.  Sounds to me like they are legislating from the field.    The RCW is so vague and leaves so much room for interpretation but this seems a little far out there to me.

Baiting bear is baiting bear. Purpose doesn't matter.

this is how I interpret the law...and since most using trail cams are seeking game intending to hunt said game then if looking for bears NO bait would be my rule and bait is attracting a bear to a cam so again within the intent of the law if you ask me.....I do however think there is a grey area.....IF I am carrying snacks in my daypack...say fig newtons and chocolate bars   both decent snacks but also decent bait...I am hunting bears should I leave my food in my car so as not to even bring up the possibility of the food being construed as bait..... this occurred to me a couple of times recently .....

[Kain]

The law doesnt say baiting bears is illegal.  It says baiting bears is illegal if you hunt or intend to hunt over it.  It also says baiting for the purpose of attracting bears is not ok.  I am being technical here but thats what laws are.  

Doggone it Kain...if your deer or elk bait also attracts a bear to your cam, then it is illegal. A cam with no bait is fine for any animal. A cam is not considered an attractant by itself.

I guess if you ask questions on this site you are just asking to get killbilly ticked off at you.  Try to chill out.  I am only trying to clarify.  BTKR pointed to what I was looking for.

[billythekidrock]

Correct Adna..

Straight from 655.
"it is unlawful to take, hunt, or attract black bear with the aid of bait."

Now that is more exact.  What is 655?

http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/1997-98/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%201997/INITIATIVE%20655.SL.pdf

[Kain]

So effectively they have made all baiting illegal in this state by interpreting the law this way.  Since bears are omnivorous they can say any bait would attract bears and thus be illegal any where there are bears.

Thanks BTKR.  I just like to see stuff in writing sorry to get anyone upset.

[billythekidrock]

Elk cover scent =  attractant??
This state is worse than I thought.

Unfortunately I have gotten the same answer 3 out of 5 times I have asked.  
One time I got a "your fine", and another was "it would be up to the officer".  

[stumprat]

runamuk be careful out there with FIG NEWTONS and CHOCOLATE BARS.
You might bait me in.

[stumprat]

"It would be up to the officer" is the one that always pisses me off the most

[runamuk]

runamuk be careful out there with FIG NEWTONS and CHOCOLATE BARS.
You might bait me in.

 

[billythekidrock]

So effectively they have made all baiting illegal in this state by interpreting the law this way.  Since bears are omnivorous they can say any bait would attract bears and thus be illegal any where there are bears.

Thanks BTKR.  I just like to see stuff in writing sorry to get anyone upset.

No problems. It can get heated because everyone has their own interpretations, including F&G, and it seems like no matter how many times we mention it, someone wants to disagree or plead their case as to why they think they can break the law.

This is exactly why we need to stick together and keep the legal activities we currently have. Baiting deer for example, even just for cams. If they outlaw hunting over bait for deer then that would effectively outlaw baiting deer for cams.

[billythekidrock]

runamuk be careful out there with FIG NEWTONS and CHOCOLATE BARS.
You might bait me in.

She baited me out the other night, but I didn't see no Figs or Newtons. 

[Kain]

So effectively they have made all baiting illegal in this state by interpreting the law this way.  Since bears are omnivorous they can say any bait would attract bears and thus be illegal any where there are bears.

Thanks BTKR.  I just like to see stuff in writing sorry to get anyone upset.

No problems. It can get heated because everyone has their own interpretations, including F&G, and it seems like no matter how many times we mention it, someone wants to disagree or plead their case as to why they think they can break the law.

This is exactly why we need to stick together and keep the legal activities we currently have. Baiting deer for example, even just for cams. If they outlaw hunting over bait for deer then that would effectively outlaw baiting deer for cams.

Just to play this out isnt baiting for deer already illegal?  There is nothing you can use to bait for deer that would not possibly "attract" a black bear.  And as stated above

it is unlawful to take, hunt, or attract black bear with the aid of bait.

[stumprat]

runamuk be careful out there with FIG NEWTONS and CHOCOLATE BARS.
You might bait me in.

She baited me out the other night, but I didn't see no Figs or Newtons. 

 

[runamuk]

runamuk be careful out there with FIG NEWTONS and CHOCOLATE BARS.
You might bait me in.

She baited me out the other night, but I didn't see no Figs or Newtons. 

 

naw I bait bear hunters with sightings of big bears

[billythekidrock]

Kain - Baiting deer is currently legal, but if guys are using it as a ruse to bait bears then you can bet it will be outlawed.

If you are legally baiting deer in an area where there are no bear, how could you possibly attract bear?

[billythekidrock]

naw I bait bear hunters with sightings of big bears

I want to meet the brainiac that told you there were bears in there.