Bear Baiting for Trail Camera

[Curly]

Is it really illegal to place bait out in front of your camera?  It was mentioned on another thread that it is illegal to bait bears for a pic on a trail camera.   

[coop2424]

You can bait for trail cam pictures for bears but once you bait in an area for trailcam pictures then you can not hunt anywhere near it from what I understand.  This would even be if you baited earlier in the year and then removed everything.  Since the bear then has a habit to come check to see if anything new has been placed in the area...  

[JackOfAllTrades]

It is not illegal to bait deer. So foods meant for deer, 'other than molasis, chocolate and pastries', like grains and apples or making a fake scrape, would not be illegal at all. If a bear shows up to that site, it's pretty simple to say it's a feeding station for local deer, not an attractant for bear. That said, bears will show up or stumble across just about any food left out. A bear that is shot near the area of said deer feeding station, could be... Probably would be thought of as baited by WDFW. Same with Coyotes. (pretty much what coop2424 said)

In so many words.. Baiting of Bears is illegal in Washington.

-Steve

[runamuk]

here we go again its all about interpretation........baiting bears is illegal.... another stupid law but a law none the less.  I would seriously avoid hunting anywhere you have baited for anything on trail cams and bears have shown up but that is me.....

[billythekidrock]

According to Enforcement Officer Mark James it is against the law to bait bears for any reason, including for trail cams.

[Bearhide]

I dont bait the bears i hunt, i just forget my lunch there every once in a while

[jackelope]

id like to see it in writing.
maybe ill just give them a call.

 

[billythekidrock]

id like to see it in writing.
maybe ill just give them a call.

Make sure to report back here  either way and get a name/rank as well.

[jackelope]

I emailed enforcement.

[jackelope]

looks like it might be a while for an answer...

Thank you for contacting Washington State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, Enforcement Program.  Due to the high volume of e-mails, staff will attempt response within 10 business days of receipt.

[Lowedog]

RCW 77.15.245
Unlawful practices — Black bear baiting — Exceptions — Illegal hunting — Use of dogs — Exceptions — Penalties.

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 77.12.240, *77.36.020, 77.36.030, or any other provisions of law, it is unlawful to take, hunt, or attract black bear with the aid of bait.

    

     (d) As used in this subsection, "bait" means a substance placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, scattered, or otherwise used for the purpose of attracting black bears to an area where one or more persons hunt or intend to hunt them.

[Ray]

There is clear intent in the law. If you baited for deer and bear showed up. well... But try selling that to a game officer if you shot a bear near a bait pile.

for the purpose of attracting black bears to an area where one or more persons hunt or intend to hunt them. 

Excercise caution would be the wise advice.

[rasbo]

you dont want bears around your home...they will break in and destroy a place..Bears will eat what deer eat..just dont hunt in the area of bait..they had feeding stations in kapowsin,they would stop feeding a week before bear season..I guy with a 55gallon drum lid and a piece of chain could call one in...have fun with the cam,cracked corn and wet cob

[bigtex]

As seen in the RCW it is illegal to take, hunt, or ATTRACT a bear with the aid of bait. It does not say you need to kill a bear in order for a violation to occur. And since you will be attracting bear with the aid of bait in order to get pictures of bears on the trail camera you would be in violation of the law.

[Ray]

I think I outlined two bold sections above. The second one talks about the second intent. Which is where I have a disagreement with bigtex. Nothing personal. Just reading what it says.

1st is the intent to attract a bear.
2nd is the intent to hunt.

It seems from that particular regulation all they have to get you on is intent to hunt. However in some cases like an old lady laying out corn cobs or something... I doubt she'll be charged if they cannot prove an intent to hunt or for others to hunt.

Therefore I have to disagree with bigtex when I read that specific RCW.