What is considered bait?

[Bogie85]

Washington has some pretty goofy rules for hunting and fishing. Makes it difficult to figure out for the ‘newbies’ that either move here or are just getting into hunting. After a decade or so you start to get a ‘feel’ for it!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤯

Seems about right lol, I am 5 years into hunting and hunting Washington. The mud is slightly clearer, 

[hunter399]

I'm fully aware that most guys that are baiting deer and elk don't want anything to do with baiting bear. Most of us really don't want bears there at all. Eating the food that you lay out for the deer and elk.

With all this talk about it. I'm going to throw a few thing into the pot. I'm not encourage illegal acts.
With that said.......
Can a warden read your SD card.
Is your cam in a lock box.
Is there pics of yourself dropping bait at your site.
Is your bait just salt or mineral or are you dropping sweet cob and deer blocks,Apple scented corn.
Do you post everything you do on Facebook,huntwa,internet ECT.

I ask these because Alot of wardens are not gonna put the time and energy into it.But they will use evidence that is already at your bait site.
With that on the table I believe in accountability,you are responsible for your own actions.

Now ask yourself is it worth it.........
 gross misdemeanor:
A gross misdemeanor is any crime that isn't classified as a plain misdemeanor or a felony in Washington. The maximum punishment for a gross misdemeanor is 364 days in county jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000. Examples of gross misdemeanors include: violating certain provisions in a domestic violence protective order.
Loss of hunting privaleges for 5 years ,possibly your rifle or bow taken as evidence.

Now just to keep this topic going ,I have heard in certain circles of friends. About this person shooting a bear from there deer stand Durring bow season.Im sure it has happened Durring rifle and muzzy as well. Just not enough enforcement to watch the thousands of bait sites all over Washington. I don't believe anybody is baiting bears till the second they drop the hammer on a bear at a bait site.All it takes is that one time that your site is being watched.

[Skyvalhunter]

More so it takes someone to complain about your site and that you are baiting bears. Thats because there isn't enough wardens for them to be out looking for baiting sites. They are too busy with office work and have very little time in the field these days or like I see them doing near me just sitting in the shade in their trucks.

[hunter399]

More so it takes someone to complain about your site and that you are baiting bears. Thats because there isn't enough wardens for them to be out looking for baiting sites. They are too busy with office work and have very little time in the field these days or like I see them doing near me just sitting in the shade in their trucks.

Totally agree .......
Enforcement is stretched thin.
I would rather see enforcement worry about some other issues than deer and elk bait sites.
But we all know you might have one warden look the other way or not give a rats @$!. Then some want first blood and will bend you over for anything.

[dilleytech]

To throw another wrench into this discussion. Let’s say you’re out huntin,you see bear sign so you sit down and start blowing on your rabbit in distress call. Bear comes running in you shoot it. Just so happens that bear was eating on someone’s deer bait that you were unaware of. Did you just break a law? I assume a warden would say your fine but how do you prove you actually called him in? I think the majority of the time you just don’t have to worry about these small things in the laws. If your obviously baiting bear for the purpose of harvesting bear you will get nailed if caught. But how do you get caught? Someone turns you in. What are the odds of that?

If a bear walks by me when I’m out walking in the woods I’m shooting it. If they say that bear was going to a bait I’ll see them in court and likely I will win. But a good warden wouldn’t even bother because he probably knows the majority of bears in this state get killed on this sort of fashion and who cares really.

[Stein]

To throw another wrench into this discussion. Let’s say you’re out huntin,you see bear sign so you sit down and start blowing on your rabbit in distress call. Bear comes running in you shoot it. Just so happens that bear was eating on someone’s deer bait that you were unaware of. Did you just break a law? I assume a warden would say your fine but how do you prove you actually called him in? I think the majority of the time you just don’t have to worry about these small things in the laws. If your obviously baiting bear for the purpose of harvesting bear you will get nailed if caught. But how do you get caught? Someone turns you in. What are the odds of that?

If a bear walks by me when I’m out walking in the woods I’m shooting it. If they say that bear was going to a bait I’ll see them in court and likely I will win. But a good warden wouldn’t even bother because he probably knows the majority of bears in this state get killed on this sort of fashion and who cares really.

You wouldn't be breaking the law.  If you were ticketed you would have the option of paying it or going to court and having the state prove you intentionally baited the bear.

[hunter399]

To throw another wrench into this discussion. Let’s say you’re out huntin,you see bear sign so you sit down and start blowing on your rabbit in distress call. Bear comes running in you shoot it. Just so happens that bear was eating on someone’s deer bait that you were unaware of. Did you just break a law? I assume a warden would say your fine but how do you prove you actually called him in? I think the majority of the time you just don’t have to worry about these small things in the laws. If your obviously baiting bear for the purpose of harvesting bear you will get nailed if caught. But how do you get caught? Someone turns you in. What are the odds of that?

If a bear walks by me when I’m out walking in the woods I’m shooting it. If they say that bear was going to a bait I’ll see them in court and likely I will win. But a good warden wouldn’t even bother because he probably knows the majority of bears in this state get killed on this sort of fashion and who cares really.

You wouldn't be breaking the law.  If you were ticketed you would have the option of paying it or going to court and having the state prove you intentionally baited the bear.

Agreed no not breaking any laws.
But if some circumstances change maybe.
Basically a few things have to happen.

1) You have to set bait.(doesn't matter intended target animal)
2)Be actively hunting bear within a reasonable distance to bait.(Harvest of bear is pretty hard to lie and say not hunting bear)
3)Warden has to prove you did these things.By witnessed it or trail cam or whatever.

So like the story above if a warden could prove those where your bait sites and not just someone's bait site.
That's the difference in the story illegal vs legal.
These are reasons basically to try an avoid being on someone's game came or bait site cam,with bait in your hand.
There are Alot of cams out from Johnny law to timber company's,on and on .I try as hard as I can to avoid others cams.

[hunter399]

I'll throw down a story.
You set a trail cam with salt out today.
Then you go back to check end of July notice you have way to many bears.
Go back August 1 within a 1/4 mile of your cam setup and start blowing a distress call.
Bear come in you shoot it.

End of July warden noticed your truck and finds your cam download pics of you at the site.
Comes back August 1 and see your pickup decided to walk in and talk with ya after hearing a shot.
August only Big game open is bear.

Are you legal vs illegal and why!
To add bear was shot exactly 1/4 mile from bait site,your case and blood show the warden where bear was and from where you shot from.
Salt is a bait.

Tell you guys truth I don't know answer.

[Stein]

Warden did an illegal search and seizure to get the pics.

That said I wouldn’t bait if there was any chance of bear hunting.


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[hunter399]

Warden did an illegal search and seizure to get the pics.

That said I wouldn’t bait if there was any chance of bear hunting.


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I don't know if warden checking someone's SD card
Would be illegal search and seizure .
Since your game cam is on public land.
Maybe on private land you could say that.
I really don't know though I'm not a lawyer.
That was something I didn't really think about.
That's another circumstance

[Stein]

I don't know if WA has any case law or supreme court rulings on it, but other states confirmed a digital camera is the same as a cell phone - no search without warrant regardless of where it is.

Of course, the warden could come up with probable cause whether that's legit or not depends on the warden.

[rickomatic]

When I had a couple bears tearing up my bed hives in Snohomish a few years ago I called the Mill Creek WDFW office for some info. The captain in charge told me I was totally within the law to shoot and tag one and that beehives were exempt from the baiting regulations.

[dilleytech]

When I had a couple bears tearing up my bed hives in Snohomish a few years ago I called the Mill Creek WDFW office for some info. The captain in charge told me I was totally within the law to shoot and tag one and that beehives were exempt from the baiting regulations.

Yes because they would be considered agriculture. Similar to a Apple orchard. Or alfalfa field.

[spin05]

Back When Champion owned the kapowson tree farm they used to put out bait to keep the bears away from there trees and damaging them. They would pull the bail 2 weeks before the season opened. We where allowed to hunt the same area the bait was in after that.  Now are you going to find that in writing somewhere probly not.

[slowhand]

Looking for some input on this one.
So My hunting partner and I will be heading up this weekend to hunt bear in the area where our three bait station/cameras are set up. We have zero plans to hunt over our bait for bear (illegal) but we plan to rebait and pull cards form all three while in the area bear hunting? So..... If we have giant bags of apples strapped to our packs and are carrying our rifle to said bait stations to pull the cards and rebait? All sorts of illegal? LOL
So if we want to rebait and pull cards we need to leave our rifles in the truck hike all the way in to each ( multiple mlles to each one) and burn hunting time? 
I don't see another option? I'm completely new to bait and cameras. so what do you guys do, during this time of the year?