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Author Topic: deer baiting...deer feeding...out of control deer herd  (Read 4549 times)

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Offline trout whisperer

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it is an established fact that in minnesota and wisconsin- whitetail deer are out of control in major areas of  both states..(chronic wasting),(bovine tb), (deer /car crashes), (deer browse in urban areas) (deer /moose) to name some of the more common deer problems...
the mn dnr is tasked to a certain degree with managing the deer herd...groups like mdha says they want the best possible deer herd...qdm'ers wants a bigger buck for its members to harvest..

a point to note: the dnr is completey opposed to baiting deer......it will certainly spread chronic wasting im told...and its unsportsman like..but go ahead and bait a bear...

mdah donates money to support and foster foodplots for deer.....correct me if im wrong but are not foodplots a way to increase deer antler growth...make bigger racked bucks...thats what some of the ads for these amazing products tell me.......

i find it intersting that we can pay the state for tags to help them with "harvesting" as they call it the excess doe's.......and in the same breath-- say you better not get caught baiting to harvest your deer because thats frowned upon by real sportsman as less than ethical...yet that same sportsman who plants a foodplot...is just fine......and i dont harvest my deer...i hunt them then i shoot them.

oh and the guy that puts his deer stand betwen the unharvested corn field and the bedding area.....whats he hunting over...a corn, wheat, bean, field thats technically legal bait

it seems to me the person who dumps the corn on the ground is doing the taxpayers of minnesota a favor....more often than not according to the co's ticket books...said baiter- will shoot a deer.....the foodplot adds to the problem...and in some instances they may not shoot a deer because it isnt big enough.......but once again if you follow the money.....and the outdoor lobbists.....like quality deer mgt....and mdha...who want big racked deer get the dnr to cave to there special interests.......which want to possibly ban party hunting...for example...again party hunters shoot deer...

becareful who you donate your money too......as an example...mdha has a mission statement to enhance whitetail deer habitat...i have to ask all of you ...how much more habitat do deer need in our state....((((((from there mission statement..MDHA continues its commitment to habitat through programs such as Hides for Habitat and the Food Plot Program . As of the end of the 2006 hunting season, MDHA has contributed nearly $3.5 million for improved public hunting acres, purchased public hunting land and the distribution of free food plot seed corn. ))))))))

its my opinion we have way to many deer in this state...to many big buck hunters......and not near enough deer hunters......and no one at the mn dnr to get back to a common sense deer hunting season ....not an over hyped antler hunt...at all of our expenses...tw

not all of what the mdha, the mn dnr or qdm'ers   is about- is bad for us...some of it is to be commended...but all you so called ...experts..that know whats best for a regular deer hunter like me...all your rules dont seem to be workin...your laws get past for the sake of money...and in the end -in my opinion...it hurts the sport of deer hunting in minnesota...
« Last Edit: January 01/20/09, 02:42:27 PM by trout whisperer »
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Offline GRIZ

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I don't disagree with any of that.

Right now around my area our deer herd is pretty low but it seems to be healthy, what's there. A few yrs. ago it was too high. It was still a healthy population (I think) due to the mild winters. Then due to public demand and high populations they come out with this multi-lic$$$$(My opinion the worst thing for the deer heard possible) At least in this area. Last yr heard more than one group of hunters filled out on bucks and still need to get 25-30 does but don't find any. DAA What was happening was the few yrs b4. People were going and buying multi lic and puirchasing bonus tags for areas they never hunted. They shot deer in this area and tagged then when registering they said shot in zone whatever tag they had for.

Anyone that hunts over a food plot is baiting. It is legal baiting however. It's disguised as feeding the deer. The reason again $$$$.

Around here it's lots of farmland. Most people round here try to hunt near a corn field. Which could also be considered baiting if you hunt between the bedding and feeding areas. It is.

Now my ? for anyone who disagrees with me is would you still plant a "food plot" if you were resticted to hunting 1/4 mile away from it if you only had 40 acres? Your neighbor would be able to hunt his land next to yours within say 100' where ever ya put the plot but you would be limited to 1/4 mile away. Would you still "feed" the deer with your food plot?

The arguement tween lots of deer .vs. trophy deer will never be settled in MN. We have enough hunters that the DNR really can't controll things until until they take away the $$$$ factor and public opinion and then make a decision.
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Offline HUNTER2

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I don't see any difference between hunting over a food plot or by a corn feild or a bean field etc. The food plot helps feed them also. Antbody who says its wrong to hunt by one just doesn't have one. They definately take time and money to put in.
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Offline JCAMERON

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I have never hunted over bait, or near a food plot. I have hunted near a salt lick with no change in my success. I just don't want to see deer hunting become a rich man's sport.
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Offline jd mn/nd

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Ok so those of you that are questioning all of the food plot thing, the field thing, or baiting, of those who are upset how many of you are hunting on public land because you do not have any place else to hunt? Or better yet do not put in any time to find private land to hunt on? The thing is here that I do own a small parcel of land only 32 acres, I am for the first time putting in a food plot in the spring, I have some great habitat surrounding the field that is too be planted. I am really excited to see what will come in and what is using the land to survive, and benefit from. Do I intend to hunt it, I am not sure yet, for the past 4 years it has been off limits to everyone including me and my step son and all friends. This past fall I decided to put out one round bail hopefully in a effort to help the deer survive the winter easier than having to forage hard to survive not to mention fighting off predators. Everything that takes place on MY land is for the benefit of the animals and nothing more, including pheasants, deer, or what ever else is using it. Last spring I had 75 pheasants in my back yard eating the corn that was placed there for them. I believe that it made it easier for the hens to survive and raise the chicks. Every year I have people stop and ask to hunt and every time I tell them it is baited and they are not allowed to hunt there, as a result it works way better than posting because now they know the entire area is off limits to hunting. The results are that we started 4 years ago with only 2 mating pairs now everyone in the area is enjoying the birds, and commenting on how well it has worked to feed them, and keep them healthy through out the year.

I hope to have the same results with the deer if it happens, and works out half as well as the pheasants I will consider it to be a huge success. However that will mean that there will have to be SOME selective harvest done in order to manage the heard and control over population. That will be determined by how much the "food plot" is getting browsed down, if there is not enough food in the field to support the heard then some deer will have to be taken. Again it will be determined if bad genetics are playing a roll in it, or if there are too many does too bucks then maybe does will have to be taken or maybe even fawns to control future populations. Like someone else stated it is an ongoing work in progress that once you start it you must work it all the time, and it does and will require a lot of time and energy not to mention money to keep it going. So to those that are helping the deer and growing better deer that have put in thier time and effort, they have EARNED the right to harvest what the want and when(legallyl of course). You see they don't just go buy a liscense, sit in the woods and hope something comes to them they work at all year long, they are any thing but lazy like some people have been hinting at.

Now before you all jump down my throat, I will tell you that the farm I hunt on is 200 acres and not one single food plot any where on the land. All deer are free roaming. Also in the over 15 years I have hunted on the land there has never been a standing crop of any kind as the land is leased out to another farmer and he takes the crop off long before deer season rolls around. So yes I do put in the work there to ensure a good deer season. Of all the years I have hunted there I have only once not shot a deer and that was the season after my dad passed away it just was not in me to harvest an animal that year, and truth be told if I had not had a young deer hunting student that had been waiting for me to take him out hunting I would not have even gone in the field that year, maybe never again. But because I HAD too, it some what renewed my spirit and love for the sport and now 3 other young deer hunting students have had the pleasure of harvesting thier first deer off that land, and again truth be told I think I enjoy that more than me getting my deer.

Just remember like everything else life deer hunting is what YOU make of it, so make your personal experience the best that you can and every season will be a memorable one.

Offline kingfisher1

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JD-
I totally agree with what you said.  Having a food plot helps more than just deer both directly and indirectly.  In the field plots that we have on the 200 acres we own in Wisconsin, bsides deer, we constantly see many different species of birds including eagles and hawks which feed on the rodents and squirrels that use the food plots, grouse, bears, and the occasinal predator lie fox and coyotes.  Those are just a few of the species that we have seen, who knows what else is using them when we're not around.  Also, the food plots help the wildlife during winters like this.  As far as concentrating the deer at the food plots and spreading diseaes, I have neer seen deer feeding close enough to be touching.  We've been doing food plots for 20 years and have yet to see that.  To me, that's a non issue.  I have absolutely no problem putting in the time, effort, and money to maintain a food plot with all the good that they do. 

We also practice selective harvest on our property as part of QDM to help the buck/doe ratio, get some of the smaller bucks without potential out of the gene pool, andmost importnatly, put meat on my families' table. 

We do a lot for the deer on our property, and it shows.  We have had many different people comment on the amount and quality of deer we have on the propety when they are on our property.  We are constantly being asked by friends and family if they can come up and hunt. 
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Offline jd mn/nd

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Yah King it has been my general experience that those who complain the most are the ones that do the least.

In regards to your land I am sure that it is tough to get other to help you with the work that is being put in into the land. But when season starts to get close I bet you guys get alot of calls asking permission don't you? 

It is a good feeling when the work your putting in pays off in so many ways!!!

Keep up the good work and I maybe pm'ing you for advise as it closer to putting the plot.

Later JD

Offline kingfisher1

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Yah King it has been my general experience that those who complain the most are the ones that do the least.

In regards to your land I am sure that it is tough to get other to help you with the work that is being put in into the land. But when season starts to get close I bet you guys get alot of calls asking permission don't you? 

It is a good feeling when the work your putting in pays off in so many ways!!!

Keep up the good work and I maybe pm'ing you for advise as it closer to putting the plot.

Later JD

You know how it is!!!!!!  When there is work to do, they are no where to be found, but when the season is around th corner, the phone is ringing off the hook!  There was a guy that I fished with for a while that had seen how good the hunting was, didn't put any work in, but wanted to come up and reap the benefits of our hard work.  Come to think of it, he did that a lot!

Another thing is that we "harvest" trees at our cabin that blew down from wind or storms, or have fallen for whtever reason, and turn it into firewood.  My dad and I will spend weekends at a time sutting them to length with a chainsaw, the splitting the logs and stacking the wood for drying.  Then, after all that and the wood is dry, people will call me and ask for a tailer lad of wood.   :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
« Last Edit: January 01/22/09, 11:50:31 AM by kingfisher1 »
walleyes, pannies, esox, cats, I don't care, let's go fishing!!

Offline jd mn/nd

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I think that I would have found a new fishing buddy!!! I bet he never gave you gas money, made you buy lunch and did not have his own boat and probably never had the lure the fish were biting on either!!! Right!!!??? I know people like that I just don't hang with them anymore, I have some great friends as well, were you can call ask for help and they say they are on thier way before the phone is even hung up they are in thier car there!!! Those are the ones that will get first dibs on the good hunting!!! People don't think that it matters or that you will remember them when it comes to those things but I do.

Offline kingfisher1

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him and I no longer talk.  I, too, have other friends on the other end of the spectrum who are always willing to help without asking for anything in return, and come hunting season, I will let them hunt in some of the best spots (although after seeing the property, you'd say that the whole200 acres is "one great spot").
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Offline JCAMERON

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You can go ahead and place me in the other side of that spectrum. If you plan on bringing me to that land you can count me in on any work needing doing! ;)
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Offline kingfisher1

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walleyes, pannies, esox, cats, I don't care, let's go fishing!!

Offline The General

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Just curious to know what the field being harvested or not has to do with anything?  Every combine I have ever seen leaves lots of food left over.  Especially this year if it was a corn field and a John Deere Rotor combine was used.
« Last Edit: January 01/24/09, 12:52:44 AM by The General »
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Offline stevejedlenski

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i just have to chime in and say that if hunting a corn field is considerd the same as baiting then i would say you should start hunting parking lots because then hunting oaks or clear cuts... etc would be the same. think of how big corn fields are and how big are that patch of oaks are that you hunt.
i would say that in order for somthing to be considered baiting it would have to drastically increase your odds of harvesting deer and bring the deer into a very specific area. yes you could say that some food plots do exactly that, but as others say it helps a lot of species and i guess we say thats a fair trade??  :scratch: and its a lot of work and time put into a food plot so i guess they kind of work for the right to do that as well.
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Offline GRIZ

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Just to clarify I never said anything about being against food plots or hunting over them. I did make a comparison as I have noticed most seem to put it in a spot strategically located for hunting.
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Offline Mayfly

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To each his/her own. As long as its legal......


Offline beeker

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I was at cabelas today and everything in there is geared towards increasing/giving the hunter the edge. stand placement is just part of hunting you still have to time the deers movement, hope the wind is right, place the shot... (you get the idea). so being next to a field that was for the deer or for harvest is only part of it.  you still only have one buck tag each. and the rifle season is only a few weeks long. I won't fault a guy for a food plot. just so you know... I've been working on one on my 40 for a while now battling stumps, tough dirt and elephant grass.. and lazy friends that always have something to do when you plan to work on it.
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Offline deadeye

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Kingfisher1, I had to chuckle a little when you described the guy who seems to only show up at prime hunting time.  I have one guy like that.  My sons neighbor has hunted with us for the past 6 years or so.  Other than hunting, he has never set foot on my land.  Hummm.  A few years ago I ask him for a bid on some tile work (his line of work). Funny thing was his bid was a thousand dollars higher than most others.  Hummm.   This winter my son ask him for help with rough in plumming in a basement bath, again he said he could do the work for a per hour charge.  I told my son to forget it and I would do it or get someone else.  I don't think the guy has a clue what he is doing and I'm pretty sure he just lost his hunting spot.  I'm not trying to indicate that he owes me anything, just that some consideration would be nice.  In the past he bails after a day or two and I usually deliver his share of venison to his door.  Hummm. 
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Offline kingfisher1

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I hear ya deadeye.  What made it even more aggrovating, is that we gave him an opportunity to come up (thought we'd be nice), he accepted and then backed out at the last minute during the early season.   :bonk:  Then, after hearing how we did during the early season, all of a sudden he wanted to come up again.   :scratch:  I told him that his place was taken by my wife who wanted to go deer hunting for the first time to give him a viable excuse.  Then, he had the gonads to ask me to shoot and butcher (for free!!!!) a deer for him!!!   :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
walleyes, pannies, esox, cats, I don't care, let's go fishing!!

Offline beeker

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sorry to drift off topic.. but my brother quit hunting for a few years and called us when we were butchering and asked if we would give him some venison. being brothers we said sure. he then asked for loins & backstraps?!?!?!?! we gave him some packages labeled FH/AF/DS... FH=fronthoof AF=ASZ Fat (cut like a T-bone), DS=Dead Squirrel that was road kill... we got a call a week later after he came home from work to a dead squirrel wrapped and thawing in his fridge. he's hunted and helped build stands ever since.  sorry to drift off topic
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Offline kingfisher1

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sorry to drift off topic.. but my brother quit hunting for a few years and called us when we were butchering and asked if we would give him some venison. being brothers we said sure. he then asked for loins & backstraps?!?!?!?! we gave him some packages labeled FH/AF/DS... FH=fronthoof AF=ASZ Fat (cut like a T-bone), DS=Dead Squirrel that was road kill... we got a call a week later after he came home from work to a dead squirrel wrapped and thawing in his fridge. he's hunted and helped build stands ever since.  sorry to drift off topic


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Offline MnDeerStalker

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beeker thats a great idea I have a few ppl like that every year might have to give it a try!

Offline deadeye

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beeker,
I love it.  I also may try this one....
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