Deer Cane

[flowinggardens]

I have been using Deer Cane all summer to get trail cam pics, I was wondering if anyone has heard from the Horses mouth{ DNR} if it is legal to hunt over, last time a put it out was Aug 07- 2012 and was told its not legal but the new Baiting Regulations almost make it sound like it might be, just want to be sure before I refresh the area and get myself in trouble. dont need to use it but it helps get the deer to stop for pictures figured it would work for shots as well. Let me know if anyone knows the answer, I also sent a message to the DNR today but figured it might take a while to hear back.

[Onin24Eagle]

Here is how the hunting regulations define "bait" in the deer hunting section:

Definitions
•   Bait – includes grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay, or other food that is capable
of attracting or enticing deer and has been placed by a person

Deer Cain does not contain any food so you're good there.  Where it gets a little confusing is the "note" they have below that in the regulations.  It reads as follows:

NOTE - read the ingredient label on all products prior to use.      Many
products contain food or attractants such as grains, fruits, and sugar derivatives (glucose, dextrose, and fructose).      If a salt or mineral product has anything other than salt or mineral in it, it is illegal to use for hunting.
A person otherwise in compliance with this section who is hunting on
private or public property that is adjacent to the property where bait or
food is present is not in violation if the person has not participated in, been
involved with, or agreed to baiting or feeding wildlife on the adjacent property.

The ingredients in Deer Cain are mainly salt and minerals, however it also lists "artificial sweeteners".  If you read the sentence in bold font in the note, then technically, yes.  It is illegal to hunt over a Deer Cain block. 

On the other hand, the regs also state that if you remove the "bait" ten days prior to hunting over the site, then it is legal to hunt there.  Since Deer Cain is effective for 60 - 90 days and melts into the soil or stump after one good rain (even the blocks), I'd just put one out 30 days prior to the season and pour some water over it.  It will melt into the ground should still be active during the season.  By then I'm sure the "sweetener" would a moot point.  It's the minerals they are after.

[flowinggardens]

That was my  thought exactly but yesterday a freind of mine was cuaght hunting over bait even though he had not added any food{apples} to the pile, there was only a couple of  old apples left, Dnr took his bow and he lost his license and etc. I just dont want that to be me over a technicallity.  Like I said I sent an email to the Dnr, and I will post the response, until then i will hunt somewhere else

[deadeye]

I don't think your friend was pinched on a technicality.  He was hunting over bait.  It doesn't matter how long the bait was there or how much.  (I suspose you have to bring out the apple core if you eat one in your stand.)

[Cody Gruchow]

just because you dont add any to the pile dont mean it isnt baiting. the rule states very clearly the area must be completly clear/all cleaned up of any bait pile for 10 days prior to the day your going to hunt that area. deer cane is considered "bait" because of the sweetener in it. there is alot of stuff on the shelves that is considered bait. why not consider a salt lick or mineral lick like a trophy rock?

[Onin24Eagle]

Even with "just a couple of old apples left", I don't think you could argue with the CO on that one.  If there's food in the pile and you're hunting over it, then it is baiting.

There are only two scenarios where I think a person could explain their way out of that one in court.  One, if the bait pile is well out of bow range (let's say 150 yards) then you could argue (maybe) that you were not technically hunting over the bait pile.  You might be able to convince a judge on that one for bow season although that scenario probably wouldn't fly during rifle or muzzleloader season. 

The only other argument would be if the apples were not placed there but fell from a tree.  It's perfectly legal to hunt an apple orchard so long as you don't pick up the apples and strategically place them in a spot that gives you a better shot.

I agree with Cody though, why not just use a 100% mineral lick like a trophy rock?  You can use Deer Cain earlier in the year to establish a spot and then switch to a 100% mineral product before the season starts.  If you have spots that are already established with Deer Cain, then I'd pick up a few mineral licks (read the ingredients labels carefully!) and put them down in those spots.

In all honesty though, I've noticed that the bucks have really scaled back on the mineral licks in the past two weeks.  I'm getting lots of does and fawns on my trail cameras that I have over mineral licks but fewer and fewer bucks, with the exception of some button bucks and spikes. 

Another week or two and it will be time to break out the Jackie's Mock Scrape powder.  Since that is not "food" it's 100% legal to hunt over and is much more effective at getting a buck to stop for a shot than a mineral lick once you hit late Sept through mid November.  I've had really good success with it over the past couple of seasons.  Just find a branch hanging 4 or 5 feet over a trail, take a rake and rake the ground up, spread some powder down and then get a bottle of the Jackie's licking branch scent and just stick the tip of the branch into the bottle.  Stuff works but I'd wait at least 1, if not 2 more weeks before trying it.

[flowinggardens]

I agree that hunting over apples is baiting the technicallity I was talking about was referring to the Deer Cane, I have put this question on other message board with the same response, some say yes and some say no because it is a mineral supplement, but the last line says artificial and natural sweeteners,that was the technicallity I am worried about  I asked at Gander Mt same results, I finally got through to the DNR today and the final answer is it is ILLEGAL to put out and hunt over. As was stated previously.  Thanks for the help, any other good methods for mock scapes since we are on the subject and when to start them.