When it is legal to bait bears in Washington

[billythekidrock]

Thanks bobcat.
 

[champ41]

what about bear lure. can you use that? i saw it at cabelas and at a local outdoor store. could you put it out when you go hunting? 

[Machias]

what about bear lure. can you use that? i saw it at cabelas and at a local outdoor store. could you put it out when you go hunting? 

No

[huntnnw]

There are some guides who bait ID on the WA border and hunt bears in WA as spot and stalk and hunt the ID clients as bait hunts 

[cryfowl]

I have used the stick things you burn, as well as the anise oil attractant.  I have a few friends with Wildlife and I am guessing it comes down to the individual officers interpretation of the law.  The ones I know refer to bait as something that the animal can consume.  Of course, Bears do on occassion eat people, so just by walking out in the woods you could be considered baiting.

[sebek556]

I have used the stick things you burn, as well as the anise oil attractant.  I have a few friends with Wildlife and I am guessing it comes down to the individual officers interpretation of the law.  The ones I know refer to bait as something that the animal can consume.  Of course, Bears do on occassion eat people, so just by walking out in the woods you could be considered baiting.

had a game warden in SC tell me that doe estrus was baiting the deer.

[Machias]

I have used the stick things you burn, as well as the anise oil attractant.  I have a few friends with Wildlife and I am guessing it comes down to the individual officers interpretation of the law.  The ones I know refer to bait as something that the animal can consume.  Of course, Bears do on occassion eat people, so just by walking out in the woods you could be considered baiting.

had a game warden in SC tell me that doe estrus was baiting the deer.

Deer baiting is perfectly legal.

[Machias]

I have used the stick things you burn, as well as the anise oil attractant.  I have a few friends with Wildlife and I am guessing it comes down to the individual officers interpretation of the law.  The ones I know refer to bait as something that the animal can consume.  Of course, Bears do on occassion eat people, so just by walking out in the woods you could be considered baiting.

Trust me it does not have to be consumable to be considered 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.

[h20hunter]

After my last trip to my DEER bait area I felt kind of like human bear bait. Walking thru the wet cob/corn fermented mix to get to my cam left my boots well covered with slimy smelly gunk. I figured after that I was a walking chew toy!

I think the incense would be legal as a cover or curiousity scent for deer but would be considered baiting for bear.

[sebek556]

its was on a millitary base where baiting deer is not legal, but I never considered scent a bait or even thought of it till he was trying to pull my hunting privilages on base. Luckly the head game warden said that scent is not baiting so i was ok. but on a side note putty out a 3d archery deer was legal?? lol hunting on base best of both worlds 2 goverment agencys trying to figure out one thing 

[billythekidrock]

I have used the stick things you burn, as well as the anise oil attractant.  I have a few friends with Wildlife and I am guessing it comes down to the individual officers interpretation of the law.  The ones I know refer to bait as something that the animal can consume.

Those tactics are against the law.
You would be surprised at how many folks at F&W don't know the laws.

[bigtex]

It really has to do with the placement of a substance for the purpose of hunting. Many people think it is illegal to hunt the area around the commercial bee hives that are often in the woods in the summer, that's not true. The bee hives are not their to attract bear for hunting. In fact many bee hive keepers want you to hunt the area around their hives because they are frequently attacked by bears which means a loss of $.

[billythekidrock]

Correct. Just like hunting an orchard....vs placing apples.

[Elkslayer]

Here's my  .
If you are putting bait, and or attractant's out for the purpose of attracting a black bear, and with the intention to shoot a bear with that bait or attractant then you are guilty of baiting black bears. However if you put out a bait or attractant with the soul purpose of attracting deer or elk and intend on hunting that stand for deer or elk and a bear comes in and you shoot it, then you are not guilty of baiting black bears.
This is the department's own definition of bait as it is in the hunting regs.

(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.
In order to be guilty you have to be putting that bait out for the purpose of attracting black bears.

[BOWHUNTER45]

This happened to us once .. a buddy was baiting deer and someone saw the bait and called in ... after surrounding our camp they said someone said we were baiting bear and when they went to check it out ...guess what ? their was a bear on the bait .. so they tried busting my buddy but could not prove he was targeting bear but they also said if he shoots the bear near the bait it will be considered bear baiting .. So be careful because its easy to guess what they might do compared to what they will do !!