Baiting blacktails

[TeacherMan]

That is crazy! Keep us posted on what happens to him!

[sled]

That is crazy! Keep us posted on what happens to him!

  will do.  Last week he went to court.  Game dept offered to lower the charge to big game poaching with the 500 dollar fine and loss of the license for two years.  He said no thanks.  I think he goes back in two weeks.
  He was caught in a stand archery hunting deer.  Scarry thing is i sat in the stand while he was east arch elk hunting.  Glad i didnt get caught there.

[lokidog]

I thought this had been clarified by our law enforcement folks on here that unless you hunted BEAR, it was OK.   

[bobcat]

That is crazy! Keep us posted on what happens to him!

  will do.  Last week he went to court.  Game dept offered to lower the charge to big game poaching with the 500 dollar fine and loss of the license for two years.  He said no thanks.  I think he goes back in two weeks.
  He was caught in a stand archery hunting deer.  Scarry thing is i sat in the stand while he was east arch elk hunting.  Glad i didnt get caught there.

Makes no sense that he could be charged with baiting bears if all he was doing is hunting deer. For them to prove bear baiting, I would think he would have to kill a bear at the bait site. Either that or the bait used be of a type that would only bring bears in.

I'm disappointed that the WDFW would be so gung ho in trying to enforce the bear baiting law when it's a law that they supposedly did not support, and it's a law we don't want or need. Blatant violations should of course be taken seriously but for them to try to make a case against someone who is baiting deer, which is perfectly legally, is just wrong.

[sled]

I thought this had been clarified by our law enforcement folks on here that unless you hunted BEAR, it was OK.   

  according to game dept attempting to bait bears is putting out anything that has the potential to lure bears.  He was charged with (attempting to bait bears)

[TeacherMan]

I thought this had been clarified by our law enforcement folks on here that unless you hunted BEAR, it was OK.   

  according to game dept attempting to bait bears is putting out anything that has the potential to lure bears.  He was charged with (attempting to bait bears)

Bears eat anything including people, just remember that next time you walk in the woods you are attempting to bait according to this crap  Hope him the best of luck.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I do not know the story myself, but...
I do understand law enforcement...
If he was hunting, in a stand, over bait, and had a VALID UN-NOTCHED BEAR TAG IN HIS POSSESION, DURING BEAR SEASON, IN AN OPEN UNIT.
then it is up to him to "explain it to the judge"
someone obviously reported the bait site, and it is the officers discretion to write a ticket, but...    I was not there.
I do know a guy (who is now a WSP, and at the time was an "explorer" ) who was cited for "hunting in a closed unit" simply because he was on the wrong side of the creek (Taneum) during late Archery, and had a VALID UN-NOTCHED ELK TAG in his pocket, and broadheads in his quiver, even though he claimed he was only grouse hunting, and knew the officer.
He was instructed by his "adviser" in the program to plead guilty, pay the fine, and write a letter of apology.
We all gave him a rough time , as him being the only one in our group to ever get a citation, and him always rubbing in our faces how he was going to be an LEO..

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

So, I guess what I am saying is.. leave the bear tag in your vehicle, or at home, if you plan to hunt over bait.

[bobcat]

I guess the lesson to be learned from this is don't tell a game warden that you have tag for a species that is not open in the unit you are in, or for some other reason (bait) it would not be legal to kill that animal at that time.

Is that all the proof they need that you are illegally hunting? A tag in your possession?

So if I'm hunting deer and a warden checks me, and I pull out a deer tag and an elk tag, I'll be busted for hunting elk during a closed season?   

[bobcat]

So, I guess what I am saying is.. leave the bear tag in your vehicle, or at home, if you plan to hunt over bait.

Then couldn't they just write you up for hunting bear with no tag?   

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

No, you are hunting deer,
 however, if you are hunting in an area that is not open for deer, or Elk, and you have broadheads in your quiver, and are within 1/4 mile of an open area... 
OR, hunting over bait, with a bear tag "IN YOUR POSSESION", then it is up to the warden to decide if he writes you a ticket, some will, some wont...
As I said, I was not there, but.. IF someone reports a baitpile, and an officer investigates, sees sign that bears are visiting...
Comes back and finds you in the stand, and you have a bear tag in your pocket, your best response is, YES, SIR- NO, SIR- I am deer hunting, would not even think about shooting a bear from my stand, SIR !
And hope he is not having a bad day.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

So, I guess what I am saying is.. leave the bear tag in your vehicle, or at home, if you plan to hunt over bait.

Then couldn't they just write you up for hunting bear with no tag?   

They could, but when you went to court, you would have substantiated that you were deer (or Elk) hunting.
A tag is only a transport tag, not a hunting licence, having one in your possesion shows that you wish to transport a harvested animal, having one in your possesion while sitting over bait...
As I said before, I know nothing about this story, or even know the guy involved, or the officer, 

[bobcat]

I just think it's ridiculous that a person can be cited when the warden has absolutely no proof that a crime was committed. If a hunter is seen hunting over bait, and admits that he is hunting for bear, then fine. Write him up. But if he says he's hunting deer, that is legal and if the warden doesn't believe him, then tough! He better try to catch him actually killing a bear, otherwise he has no idea if the hunter is really trying to bait a bear in to kill it. It just makes me mad to think how they could better spend their time catching real poachers, like people who kill multiple animals at night with a spotlight, or people who kill animals on their winter range after the season is over.

[DoubleJ]

And, if I absolutely HAD to put out a food that I've seen a blacktail prefer to something else, it would hands down be bird seed.  Putting it in an open tray type feeder about 3' off the ground only helps

That's funny

Hilarious

[Curly]

  Putting out anything that may have the potential to bring in bears is considered baiting for bears!  Trust me.  I personally know someone who is going through court right now.
  He put out deer cane, wet cob,salt, and apples.  Had deer comming in.  He was questioned by game warden on the stand, and was arrested for attempting to bait bears.  Lost all his gear and did not get it back.  They want to take his license for two years and a five hundred dollar fine.  He goes back to court in two weeks.
  After seeing this i will never put anything out period, because it all has the potential to lure a bear.

If they did that to me they could keep my license forever.  I wouldn't want to pay for a license in this state ever again.