Is baiting really hunting?

[Septicdeath]

Do you consider baiting and shooting hunting? This is a discussion on another forum. I myself hunt and have never done so. In my opinion it not hunting! Its a shooting gallery where you kill. 

Do you think shooting over a bait station is true hunting?

Fair chase is the American hunting tradition. Baiting is the tactic too many have resorted to. The hunt is all about the search, chase and stalk. The harvest is the reward for a hunt well done. We have become an impatient performance oriented society. We have let our lives mimic TV. Shooting game over bait is just a short step away from shooting an animal in a pen or tied to a tree. Hone the skills of the hunt and you will find yourself harvesting as much game as the bait shooters. With greater reward.

There's no need to bait, if there aren't enough squirrels around it won't help. To me baiting makes me a shooter not a hunter, this is my opinion. It is more fun and rewarding to hunt them the hard way.

 

[BackStop]

I bait for pests. Also, I think it is illegal in many cases to bait for game. I could be wrong as I have not "hunted" in many years. All I do is pest in my backyard. The only reason why I bait is to draw the pests into a safe shooting area to minimize the chance of collateral damage in a residential neighborhood.

Probably not exactly what you are talking about, but as I said, baiting is illegal in many cases for hunting legal game.

 

[Septicdeath]

I bait for pests. Also, I think it is illegal in many cases to bait for game. I could be wrong as I have not "hunted" in many years. All I do is pest in my backyard. The only reason why I bait is to draw the pests into a safe shooting area to minimize the chance of collateral damage in a residential neighborhood.

Probably not exactly what you are talking about, but as I said, baiting is illegal in many cases for hunting legal game.

Do you consider it hunting? Many of the guys on another forum do. And I dont as it takes no skill to scout, track and stock your quarry to get close enough for a clean kill. Whether is a squirrel or other unregulated animal. 

 

[BackStop]

I bait for pests. Also, I think it is illegal in many cases to bait for game. I could be wrong as I have not "hunted" in many years. All I do is pest in my backyard. The only reason why I bait is to draw the pests into a safe shooting area to minimize the chance of collateral damage in a residential neighborhood.

Probably not exactly what you are talking about, but as I said, baiting is illegal in many cases for hunting legal game.

Do you consider it hunting? Many of the guys on another forum do. And I dont as it takes no skill to scout, track and stock your quarry to get close enough for a clean kill. Whether is a squirrel or other unregulated animal.

I am not hunting. I am eradicating pests. So, no I don't consider what I do to be "hunting", although I do spend a LOT of time stalking the pests. I understand what you are getting at and I grew up hunting with my older brother. We always went into the woods and stalked our prey without the aid of any (known to us) bait.

However, if you knew the amount of time and patience I need to make safe shots/clean kills for the pests I do go after, you might consider it "hunting" too, even while using bait.

 

[Moog]

Interesting subject and I've also seen this same thing discussed on other forums. I personally do not use bait myself but sometimes defining baiting can be a little tricky. What I mean is if I'm sitting by the edge of a farmer's corn field waiting for a deer to show up is that considered baiting?

 

[BackStop]

Interesting subject and I've also seen this same thing discussed on other forums. I personally do not use bait myself but sometimes defining baiting can be a little tricky. What I mean is if I'm sitting by the edge of a farmer's corn field waiting for a deer to show up is that considered baiting?

I think it depends on where you are and what the regulations for that area say. The DCNR of each state determines the rules, so check with them in your state for the legalities and definitions of "baiting" and when it is not legal to hunt over crop fields. You might be surprised. (smile)

 

[Moog]

Interesting subject and I've also seen this same thing discussed on other forums. I personally do not use bait myself but sometimes defining baiting can be a little tricky. What I mean is if I'm sitting by the edge of a farmer's corn field waiting for a deer to show up is that considered baiting?

I think it depends on where you are and what the regulations for that area say. The DCNR of each state determines the rules, so check with them in your state for the legalities and definitions of "baiting" and when it is not legal to hunt over crop fields. You might be surprised. (smile)

I think you missunderstood. Where I live I know for a fact that it is perfectly legal to hunt deer near a corn field but what I'm asking is, is that still considered baiting?

 

[BackStop]

Interesting subject and I've also seen this same thing discussed on other forums. I personally do not use bait myself but sometimes defining baiting can be a little tricky. What I mean is if I'm sitting by the edge of a farmer's corn field waiting for a deer to show up is that considered baiting?

I think it depends on where you are and what the regulations for that area say. The DCNR of each state determines the rules, so check with them in your state for the legalities and definitions of "baiting" and when it is not legal to hunt over crop fields. You might be surprised. (smile)

I think you missunderstood. Where I live I know for a fact that it is perfectly legal to hunt deer near a corn field but what I'm asking is, is that still considered baiting?

My bad. I guess that depends on whom you ask. According to you and your DCNR, it is not. But I am sure there will be some who will differ. Oh well... (chuckle)

As long as the DCNR says it's legal, then I say it is not baiting. Or at the very least, not "illegal baiting" I should say.

 

[L.Leon]

I will use the grains already on site to "bait" known rat locations, which I had to scout to "know" so in the case of ratting for me, it's hunting. Baiting for game species...? Don't know enough to comment.

 

[MadKatt]

Never baited/chummed in all my years of hunting and fishing I consider it unethical and it is NOT hunting. Fair chase/stalking is the only way I consider actual hunting. I also consider climbing a tree and sitting there until something walks under you to not be hunting. I understand tons of people do this but personally if you don’t give the animal a fair shot to get away it’s just not hunting in my opinion.

 

[BackStop]

Never baited/chummed in all my years of hunting and fishing I consider it unethical and it is NOT hunting. Fails chase/stalking is the only way I consider actual hunting. I also consider climbing a tree and sitting there until something walks under you to not be hunting. I understand tons of people do this but personally if you don’t give the animal a fair shot to get away it’s just not hunting in my opinion.

Apparently spoken by someone who never had to "hunt" to survive. LOL!

 

[darylm]

Baiting is not hunting, it’s just the easiest way to kill something. Hunting is being mobile and deliberately stalking your quarry. I bait for pesting in my backyard. But when I’m going after ground squirrels in the mountains, that’s hunting.

 

[elh0102]

Hunting vs killing over bait, two different things to me, whether the baiting is legal or not. I'm not making any moral judgment, just stating an opinion. If the animal needs to be killed, whether for food or protection of property, then do what is necessary. But don't call it the sport of hunting.

 

[SeeOhTwo]

To me, baiting game is nothing short of assasination. Especially those who shoot game out from under a feeder after a game cam has already time stamped when the shooter should show up in his/her stand. It's just not right. A true hunter should be able to "stalk and shoot" or at least be able to track game, observe movement to put themselves in a good position to take the quarry. It's just like stealing signs in baseball. If the opposing team is leaving them out there to be taken then so be it. But don't put a camera in the centerfirlsd stands and relay the catcher's signs to the batter! Use your own cunning to get the upperhand whether you're stalking a deer or sniffing out a 2-0 fastball.

Cheers, Glenn in Texas

 

[Moog]

Many years ago I thought that legal baiting was a good idea. I carefully studied what my prey would eat and how to properly place the bait. I would even make sure my scent was not on any of the bait. I became very good at this.

I was a master baiter.

 

[qball]

Philosophically baiting is baiting and hunting is go out and find the game, I personally would not consider baiting hunting. 


However there is very little public land in Texas and east of Arizona. Most of the land is all private so one can’t go wonder into the woods or risk getting shot so baiting is about the only way to get a shot on a deer but still not hunting to me. Baiting is illegal on all public land in just about all states AFIK.


As far as baiting for pests it’s still pesting which isn’t really hunting still. Mere personal opinion. 

 

[qball]

Many years ago I thought that legal baiting was a good idea. I carefully studied what my prey would eat and how to properly place the bait. I would even make sure my scent was not on any of the bait. I became very good at this.

I was a master baiter.

ROFLMAO!



You sir, are an inspiration to us all! 

 

[cea1960]

No, I personally do not feel shooting anything over a bait pile is "hunting". It's shooting, or pesting.

Merriam Webster defines hunting as : the pursuit of game

This can be taken as sitting and waiting for the game to come to you.

Twice I tried deer hunting from an elevated stand. It's not for me. I was bored and felt I was waiting for a deer to walk by so I could shoot it. I also feel the same way about duck and dove hunting. Sitting in a blind waiting for them to fly overhead so I can blast them out of the sky. However, I love watching the dog work during a pheasant hunt, and I love sneaking through the woods looking for squirrels or rabbits. I seldom sit and wait for a squirrel to appear. Maybe I'm just too jumpy, but I like to keep moving. Baiting isn't for me, but I don't judge those who do.

 

[boscoebrea]

Baiting is not hunting.When I think of "The Hunt" I think of moving,scouting,ranging,I go to the animals.

YET,when "hunting" I see no reason to not use "calls" or in Duck "hunting" not to use decoys.

I :bait: fish ,yet I also use "lures".....So you can see some people can intermix the different terms.

Baiting is a form of luring,when people get older they have a harder time hunting so need all the help they can get.

There is also "meat hunters" the goal is to harvest meat ,it is not the hunt it is the meat for food.

So in reality to each his own.

 

[L.Leon]

I believe there is more to baiting than just posting this thread. You have to know where to bait and what your baiting for. If some are just putting out a smorgasbord and shooting whatever shows up? That definitely not hunting. It seems to me both styles culminate with a kill.