Would you vote to make it legal?

[Five Seasons]

If the DEC put it to a vote, would you vote to allow off-season or out of season mineral supplements? Not legalizing feeders, but things like salt/mineral licks to encourage antler growth. They would still be illegal during the season (for those of us who follow the law of course)

[phade]

I'd be OK for minerals up to X days ahead of season. I think a few midwest states have that type of rule. Given earlier season dates minerals can still be a draw in-season. Setting it forward by some time will help reduce reliance on it as a hunting/kill spot. I don't think minerals help a ton, if at all...we'll never really know in a wild herd state. That said, it works well to inventory deer and determine ratios, density, etc. due to the propensity of most/all deer to use them.

Hunting in Ohio where private land baiting is the cultural norm - eh. It's alot of work honestly that is pretty frustrating to do and doesn't lend itself to as much of authentic experience as I prefer. That's just for me personally. Definitely a challenge if your neighbors do it and you don't. You have to hunt hunters and their strategies.

[DoubleDose]

I think DEC would take the position that any potential benefit to allowing it would be more than offset by the potential for disease spread.  

[BizCT]

Doesn't PA already have this? Do you have to go back into woods on a certain date and clean everything up?

[mike103]

Yes. There are 2.6 billion out there already. 
 

If we can’t prosecute felons why should we prosecute mineral rock users which are in common usage. 

[TLR]

4 hours ago, Belo said:

If the DEC put it to a vote, would you vote to allow off-season or out of season mineral supplements? Not legalizing feeders, but things like salt/mineral licks to encourage antler growth. They would still be illegal during the season (for those of us who follow the law of course)

No I'd be dead set against it 

[Just Lucky]

I would not vote against it.

[Judoka95]

I think it is ridiculous that the state allows the sale of (and tax of) mineral blocks but does not allow the use of them. They should either be legal or not.

I know a few people who use the blocks in the spring and summer, they break them up and mix it with dirt. I don't know if it truly helps build bigger racks but I imagine it helps with the overall health as long as its not spreading disease.

[land 1]

Studies have shown that minerals placed out for deer have very little or no effect on antler growth, but i wouldnt bother me if it was legal

[ridgerunner88]

Nope… it raises the risk of disease, if you want to shoot a 170” buck go to Iowa or go shoot a Mule deer out west.


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[Larry]

NO

[Chef]

I think bating should be legal how about that


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[The_Real_TCIII]

I think bating should be legal how about that


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No you dont.


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[UpStateRedNeck]

44 minutes ago, Chef said:

I think bating should be legal how about that


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Forum baiting, but you're already doin it!

[Four Seasons]

1 hour ago, ridgerunner88 said:

Nope… it raises the risk of disease, if you want to shoot a 170” buck go to Iowa or go shoot a Mule deer out west.


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So you must feel the same about food plots?

[chrisw]

I see little difference in baiting vs plots.
To put it in salmon terms, snagging is illegal, but drifting a line through their mouth and setting the hook is legal, both are snagging. Feeding deer in a pile or a patch is the same difference to me. To each their own, I really don't care either way.

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[Chef]

No you dont.


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You’re sort of right. I don’t really have a opinion either way. But wouldn’t complain if it was legal


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[ridgerunner88]

So you must feel the same about food plots?

You got me curious so I did some Googling and discovered that salt licks, corn piles and mock scrapes are bad because they bring deer one small specific location where they can get the CWD that “lives” in the soil.

Food plots are not like that as they are a larger area and the chances of multiple deer congregating over the exact small location in that plot is small.

I did a mock scrape this year but will stop that practice moving forward.

I am no tree hugger but I love the outdoors and want to preserve them. Whether it is the ash borers, chestnut blight, nature already has enough ammo to mess up our wild lands. If I need to make my hunt a little harder to prevent further damage then so be it.


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[Four Seasons]

27 minutes ago, ridgerunner88 said:

You got me curious so I did some Googling and discovered that salt licks, corn piles and mock scrapes are bad because they bring deer one small specific location where they can get the CWD that “lives” in the soil.

Food plots are not like that as they are a larger area and the chances of multiple deer congregating over the exact small location in that plot is small.

I did a mock scrape this year but will stop that practice moving forward.

I am no tree hugger but I love the outdoors and want to preserve them. Whether it is the ash borers, chestnut blight, nature already has enough ammo to mess up our wild lands. If I need to make my hunt a little harder to prevent further damage then so be it.


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 So you don’t think an apple tree or acorns bring deer together in one spot?  You really should look at what life has shown you and not believe everything you read. Deer lick they same branch over and over again without human interference. The cwd thing is the biggest hoax that has ever hit the deer world. 60 years of proven fact. One can have an opinion if they think baiting or mineral likes are ethical to hunt over but in the big picture if hunting is not involved at all a mineral lick or bait pile is no different then a tree Mother Nature herself designed. 

[Grouse]

Has the DEC ever put anything to a vote?

Seems they just decide to do something when they want to.

[ridgerunner88]

1 hour ago, Four Seasons said:

 So you don’t think an apple tree or acorns bring deer together in one spot?  You really should look at what life has shown you and not believe everything you read. Deer lick they same branch over and over again without human interference. The cwd thing is the biggest hoax that has ever hit the deer world. 60 years of proven fact. One can have an opinion if they think baiting or mineral likes are ethical to hunt over but in the big picture if hunting is not involved at all a mineral lick or bait pile is no different then a tree Mother Nature herself designed. 

I would not say that it is a hoax but yes the more I read, the more it becomes apparent that we don't know enough about the disease to implement effective strategies... for example the mineral lick debate, the one study conducted in Wisconsin concludes mineral licks "may" contribute. 

Makes me begin to think of another virus we are all too familiar with and how the measures implemented basically amounted to throw the kitchen sink at it and hope that at least one of the practices will help thwart the spread... although looking back, most were stupid, ineffective and created doubt amongst the public on taking precautions altogether. 

So with all of that, I get to switch my vote right... I only agree to a government setting regulations that limit our freedoms when those restrictions have 100% clear proof that they contribute to public safety. I stand corrected. 

 

[Four Seasons]

44 minutes ago, ridgerunner88 said:

I would not say that it is a hoax but yes the more I read, the more it becomes apparent that we don't know enough about the disease to implement effective strategies... for example the mineral lick debate, the one study conducted in Wisconsin concludes mineral licks "may" contribute. 

Makes me begin to think of another virus we are all too familiar with and how the measures implemented basically amounted to throw the kitchen sink at it and hope that at least one of the practices will help thwart the spread... although looking back, most were stupid, ineffective and created doubt amongst the public on taking precautions altogether. 

So with all of that, I get to switch my vote right... I only agree to a government setting regulations that limit our freedoms when those restrictions have 100% clear proof that they contribute to public safety. I stand corrected. 

 

Well my friend. If after 60 years of throwing billions of dollars at a man made prion that is the same exact prion that is found in Scrapies in sheep one should be thinking twice and asking where all the damage from this so called disease sits?  Wisconsin, as you bring up was one of the first states to go totally insane and open deer season year round with unlimited tags to try and stop this so called disease?  Well first off if they tell you that they don’t know if cwd can affect man yet they tell you to fill your freezers with possibly tainted meat one should ask. Second after they destroyed the herds in Wisconsin within a couple short years the cwd positive herds grew to record numbers of Whitetails, more then they had before the shoot off? I could go on and on showing how this fake money grabbing disease has proved itself to be all but harmless and only used as an agenda pushing tool against one industry. Over and over again. The least you trust any government and more trust what real life has shown you the better off we all will be. 

[Lucky118]

Yes please feed your deer so I can shoot bigger bucks when they wander off your property. Lol

[Five Seasons]

On 9/9/2022 at 3:23 PM, TLR said:

No I'd be dead set against it 

Why?

On 9/10/2022 at 11:44 AM, Judoka95 said:

I think it is ridiculous that the state allows the sale of (and tax of) mineral blocks but does not allow the use of them. They should either be legal or not.

I know a few people who use the blocks in the spring and summer, they break them up and mix it with dirt. I don't know if it truly helps build bigger racks but I imagine it helps with the overall health as long as its not spreading disease.

I think the trouble is that it's perfectly legal and common for farmers to use them for cattle and i think horses too. So then we get into the issue that tractor supply will sell them with a picture of a deer on the wrapper. Of course you can buy corn for cattle too, but also buy corn with a big buck on the bag too. 

On 9/10/2022 at 10:23 PM, chrisw said:

I see little difference in baiting vs plots.
To put it in salmon terms, snagging is illegal, but drifting a line through their mouth and setting the hook is legal, both are snagging. Feeding deer in a pile or a patch is the same difference to me. To each their own, I really don't care either way.

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You're right in that even a smaller 1/4 acre plot is spread out and actively growing so that rain and plant defenses will decrease the amount of disease vs a rotting pile of corn or a 12x12 lick is a much more concentrated source of spreading disease.

I think the challenge for me in running an orchard is looking at the hundreds of apples under some of my older trees that have fallen in the drought and thinking... perfectly legal and not baiting but also potential disease spreaders. 

On 9/11/2022 at 6:14 AM, ridgerunner88 said:

You got me curious so I did some Googling and discovered that salt licks, corn piles and mock scrapes are bad because they bring deer one small specific location where they can get the CWD that “lives” in the soil.

Food plots are not like that as they are a larger area and the chances of multiple deer congregating over the exact small location in that plot is small.

I did a mock scrape this year but will stop that practice moving forward.

I am no tree hugger but I love the outdoors and want to preserve them. Whether it is the ash borers, chestnut blight, nature already has enough ammo to mess up our wild lands. If I need to make my hunt a little harder to prevent further damage then so be it.


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haven't thought too much about mock scrapes before, although deer aren't really eating anything and not all even have a licking branch. Deer will make their own natural regardless. Deer aren't going to create their own licks though.

[Five Seasons]

On 9/11/2022 at 6:47 AM, Four Seasons said:

 So you don’t think an apple tree or acorns bring deer together in one spot?  You really should look at what life has shown you and not believe everything you read. Deer lick they same branch over and over again without human interference. The cwd thing is the biggest hoax that has ever hit the deer world. 60 years of proven fact. One can have an opinion if they think baiting or mineral likes are ethical to hunt over but in the big picture if hunting is not involved at all a mineral lick or bait pile is no different then a tree Mother Nature herself designed. 

You make some really good points. But CWD isn't a hoax man. I know you feel personally attacked here because of the attack on the captive cervid industry here. but there is not 60 years of proven fact that cwd doesn't exist.