Found a bait pile. What should i do??

[regulat0r]

After my morning hunt in one spot, I stopped by another farm that I recently got permission to hunt to do a quick scout before I hunt there tomorrow morn. Last time I was there was in July when I trimmed some shooting lanes. I walk towards my tree where I go up in my climber and about 40 yards from it I see a brand new ladder stand. In addition to that, I see a huge pile of crushed corn about 20 yards to the left of the ladder with a trail cam pointed right at it!!! When I met the farmer, he mentioned that he has not given anyone else permission to hunt the area where I go (he gave permission on the other side of the farm) The farmer does not hunt and this is his busy season with pumpkin picking, hay rides, and harvesting crops to transport to NYC farmers markets. He is super busy and a pile of corn does not seem like it would be high on his priority list. If this was my own personal property I would absolutely take the ladder and cam and leave a number to call if the guy wanted it back. Should I call DEC? I'm not sure what exactly they could do? I still plan on hunting in my spot tomorrow but this really makes me mad!!!

[bill.cooley2007]

I wouldn't get the DEC involved, as it may get the owner mad that you didn't go to him first. I would tell him about it, and leave it up to him. But also I believe you're just as much as at fault if you hunt near the corn pile. I know you didn't put it there, but it's there, and it's gonna bring them in near your stand. Just my opinion, but i'd wait to hunt there until that pile is gone.

[Geno C]

Shovel it into a bag or bury it deep. I would remove the stand's support bar also and leave a note. Take the card or battery from the cam also.

Remove the stands support bar? That does not sound smart. The other hunter can come back after him if he climbs in and gets hurt.

[DirtTime]

Not your property., so I wouldn't touch any of it. I would let the owner know and leave it up to him how to proceed. Just my opinion, but if you touch the stand or cam, it might bite you in the backside as theft or vandalism.

[hunter]

Clearly the bait pile is for squirrels and birds. You should sit at it and shoot any deer that try to use it. lol

[MountainHunter]

I was going to say get down wind and set up. Of course I'm kidding.

You either need to move your stand or you need to ask the owners permission to bag the corn and take the the other persons stand down.

If that person is vindictive your stand might get trashed or stolen or he may foul up the area..

Likely best to relocate some where else on the property. Or at the very least bag the corn and continue to hunt your spot. Can you pull your stand and go in with a climber each time or with sticks and a light portable?

[Taylormike]

If you feel necessary inform the land owner.  I would not call the DEC.  I have come across several scenes as you mention.  All I do is shake my head and give myself and my family more credit for doing it the right way.  If someone wants to cheat or risk this sort of tactic so be it. 

 

In the end, they know what they've done.

[Geno C]

Wouldn't take my chances.. say he did get up a few steps and it buckles. Not good...

[turkeyfeathers]

Leave a note on his stand and don't hunt in vicinity until corn is gone

[Geno C]

If anything I'd leave a note on his stand and leave his belongings alone. Inform him it's illegal he may avoid the area out of embarrassment. .. if it continues get a hold of the land owner.

[Jeremy K]

You could always have some fun and download a bunch of monster buck pictures and save them to an SD card and then swap it with his.maybe throw in some cougars and Bigfoot pictures too.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I wouldnt touch anything. Talk to the land owner and see what he says. Do not hunt the spot, you can end up with a fine if you get caught hunting a baited area.

[skully]

Leave a note.  He will leave----------  trust me,  do not tell landowner or call DEC you may ruin it for yourself.  It is was your land then it is a different story.

[skully]

Friend of mine had same thing happen with same senerio and called DEC. Now the DEC guy comes in the woods every morning at 7;30 am and every afternoon at 5pm looking for the guy screwing up my friends hunt.

[DeerDuck]

Leave a detailed note stating that he is trespassing and that the local DEC officer has been notified about the stand and bait pile. I'm sure he'll get his crap out of the woods real fast.

[jjb4900]

if you do decide to tell the landowner, mention to him that it may get him in trouble as well to have feed and or bait on his property.

[PREDATE]

do you plan on chatting with the guy while you're in your stands? Just wondering why you still plan on hunting over corn and so close to this guys spot? I realize that's "your" side of the farm, but if he didn't see a stand then he was actually there first. I would leave a note with my phone # which also says that If I don't recieve a call in 5 days that the landowner & DEC will get involved. I would then talk to the farmer and make sure he/she didn't give you the wrong side and throw in that he may have tresspassers who are illegaly baiting deer.

[Doc]

I would use the TIPP line and anonymously turn this poacher in. http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/393.html  If you have a GPS, some coordinates would help too.

 

Lets face it, there are way too many of these violations that go ignored because hunters and others refuse to get involved. The DEC can't be everywhere, especially in these days of draconian budget cuts. But if conservation laws mean anything to you, you do have to get involved.

 

I did use the anonymous qualifier because open confrontation can result in all of the negative results that have already been mentioned, and there is also a possibility that if you don't use the anonymous feature of the TIPP line, there may be repercussions from the violator.

 

Another thought too is that since you hunt the same area, you automatically become a suspect if someone else reports it.