Checked plot..

[Joeambro25]

I checked my plot last week, what looked like a lush salad bar about a month ago has been stripped of all brassica tops and most of the chicory, leaving just the clover. There are still turnips in the ground so it isn’t a total loss. Just hope there is still enough to draw.

I have been noticing more and more raccoons and porcupines in the food plot as well, I’m assuming they aren’t helping my cause. How devistating can a few porcupines be? I know the coons have to go, I guess ill have to wait until after the season.

[burmjohn]

Same thing happened to me, except I do not have any turnips, at least you have that!

[WNYBuckHunter]

As soon as you get your first frost, the brassicas become sweet and are like deer crack. They will mow them down quickly. Only thing you can do is plant more next year.

[steve863]

Some of you guys kill me! I thought you guys plant food plots for the animals to eat?? Its almost too funny to watch you get bummed when they eat it all before you want them to eat it. Maybe you should put out signs next to the plots saying. "For deer only". "Food for hungry deer only after October 15th". "Raccoons, porcupines, please go eat elsewhere". "Trespassing animals will be prosecuted". LOL. Your first step of course is to teach the animals to read. LOL

[BizCT]

Porcupines are open year-round and would make a cool mount. Take em out!

[Sudzy8]

Some of you guys kill me! I thought you guys plant food plots for the animals to eat?? Its almost too funny to watch you get bummed when they eat it all before you want them to eat it. Maybe you should put out signs next to the plots saying. "For deer only". "Food for hungry deer only after October 15th". "Raccoons, porcupines, please go eat elsewhere". "Trespassing animals will be prosecuted". LOL. Your first step of course is to teach the animals to read. LOL

Yeah but if anyone mentions that they put apples or corn out to get some pictures on their trailcams the baiting police show up to tell you that you can't bait in NYS. But if you have the money to plant a "food plot" then it isn't considered baiting...what a bunch of BS.

[growalot]

It's the rabbits and chucks here...now I like a good rabbit stew....but the chucks just tear up tractor tires...good for nothing but target practice

[steve863]

Yeah but if anyone mentions that they put apples or corn out to get some pictures on their trailcams the baiting police show up to tell you that you can't bait in NYS. But if you have the money to plant a "food plot" then it isn't considered baiting...what a bunch of BS.

I do hear you on this. I for one could care less if someone wants to shoot his deer right off of a food plot or stalk 30 miles after it. I do however see very little difference in baiting and food plots. Plenty of people would argue the differences for days on end, but anyone being completely honest has to admit the differences are mighty small.

[wdswtr]

Steve Im going to comment here and Im probably going to get slayed for this but in a small sort of way I do have to agree. Heres what I think if its worth anything at all. The difference between a foodplot and baiting is,,,,,, baiting leads deer to a specific spot either in front of a stand or in front of a camera, a food plot draws them into a specific area. Now with that said this is what makes no sense to me as far as baiting laws, what the hell is the difference between that pile of bait and that secret plot in the midle of the woods, you know the ones that are so small you can accurately harvest a deer anywheres in the plot from any location around the plot with a bow. That to me is a baiting foodplot. Now you guys all know I plant food plots, but they are not those smaller plots. And I can honestly say and I know some of you find it hard to believe that I never ever have hunted over any of them have never shot a deer in one and never plan on it. My plots are there for the animals specifically planted for deer but get used by all sorts of wildlife and I like it. Not hunting them is my choice and I do it this way so the deer have their own place in they can safely feed and it helps keep the deer on the property and aids in getting them through the harsh winters I have here at home. There are enough food sources that I hunt over in the woods like acorns and wild apples etc. For me to plant my plots to manipulate a deer within shooting range not my thing. Yes I do have cameras in the foodplots because its cool to see what wildlife is using them and get an idea of what and how many deer are in there using it. Personally if the DEC has baiting as illegal they should have a size limit on foodplots as well. Those small ones tucked under a stand is no different in my mind than a pile of apples in the same spot. Hell I could plant hundreds of those if I wanted but I prefer to stick with much larger ones. Now bash away guys bash away....

[G-Man]

common to see a small plot wiped out before you want it to be.

[steve863]

Plus we shouldn't forget that food plots, be they big or small are planted predominately by hunters. Not like the bunny loving tree-huggers are planting any of them so the cuddly animals don't starve. There is a self-serving motive behind food plots, which has plenty to do with HUNTING. Those who say that planting food plots has more to do with them helping the herd than it does to help the hunting on their land are definitely not telling the truth. Like I said, I am not against any of this, even those who plant a food plot right under their stands. I just hate it when people try to cover-up the truth with all the different "good deer biology", "helping the herd" mumbo jumbo behind food plots.

[burmjohn]

Plus we shouldn't forget that food plots, be they big or small are planted predominately by hunters. Not like the bunny loving tree-huggers are planting any of them so the cuddly animals don't starve. There is a self-serving motive behind food plots, which has plenty to do with HUNTING. Those who say that planting food plots has more to do with them helping the herd than it does to help the hunting on their land are definitely not telling the truth. Like I said, I am not against any of this, even those who plant a food plot right under their stands. I just hate it when people try to cover-up the truth with all the different "good deer biology", "helping the herd" mumbo jumbo behind food plots.

Except the mumbo jumbo regardless of ones intent of the plot holds true.

[cynthiafu]

ok wait if i hunt on a farm . and the farmer plant corn and i shoot a deer in the corn is that baiting?

[steve863]

ok wait if i hunt on a farm . and the farmer plant corn and i shoot a deer in the corn is that baiting?

Technically yes, just like a food plot would be. The farmer most likely planted the corn to use for human or livestock consumption, so he is not the baiter. You were for setting up to hunt next to it. By planting a food plot you would be the planter who put out bait on the land you hunt. This really isn't like rocket science and shouldn't be hard to understand how food plots are no different than any other baiting. And for those who say that food plots are not baiting because they are for the long term compared to a timed feeder, that is a weak argument to say the least. Obviously this thread was started by someone complaining that his plot was being eaten too quickly. Wouldn't a timed feeder work even better than a food plot to feed deer for the long term?? All you need to do is refill it every once in a while. Not like you can plant too many things in the dead of winter if the deer cleaned everything you planted up well before then.

[G-Man]

Steve863, so using your logic everone is pretty much hunting over bait, as old apple orchards , oak flats, farmers' hay fields are sat over and are there to bring the game in?Even if you don't hunt over a farmers field your probably hunting a trail that goes to a food source, or if still hunting your covering an area that has these sources of food present so your still hunting as you say bait. lots of land owners manage their woodland for timber so even most woods are then a crop or a food plot. All i can say is food plotting takes the place of the family farm that has become non-existant in many parts of the state. If they put a stand over it near it or stay away from it , its not baiting , landscape manipulation yes.Its like dropping a tree across a trail that has no good stand locations on it so the deer will take another one closer to where you set up to hunt , or tying down a wire so the deer will jump a cretain spot in the barbwire fence which happens to be where your set up! Bait is concentrated where a deer has to come to a specfic spot, plots have no timers like this post started the food is all gone and season isnt here yet its a crap shoot same as hunting anywhere else. So i guess you'll have to give up hunting as baiting is illegal and everything you hunt around or near according to your logic is bait!!

Edited October 7, 2011 by G-Man

[steve863]

Steve863, so using your logic everone is pretty much hunting over bait, as old apple orchards , oak flats, farmers' hay fields are sat over and are there to bring the game in?

Correct. They all WOULD be hunting over bait. Nowhere did I say I was somehow against hunting this way. My point is that you fellas shouldn't get so defensive when someone says that food plots ARE bait. I have absolutely no problem with them, lets just call them what they are and not make it out that hunting over a food plot is NOT baiting while hunting over a feeder would be and that person should somehow be condemned to hell. The honest truth is that only some double talk by the DEC makes one legal and the other not. We all take different types of advantages to bring down our deer. I don't have any problems with food plots just calling things the way I see them.

[Doc]

Look, you guys are arguing over something that is set in law and defined by people other than hunters, baiters, or food plotters. So the real point is that bait-piles, salt blocks, and feeders are illegal and food plots aren't. It doesn't matter why people plant food plots or why the want to bait. We're not the ones making the rules. so if you are going to try to determine a difference of a similarity between bait piles/feeders and food plots, I would guess that you have to use the same criteria as the rules-makers (DEC).

As much as we try to frame the argument as regulations based on "fairness in hunting", I don't believe that the regulations are defined the way they are based on any of that. So if you believe that food plots and baiting are the same thing, you kind of have to prove that the DEC views them as the same thing. No other opinions really count. And, you have to look at why the DEC makes the distinctions that they do. My guess is that they are trying to keep deer from eating from food piles tainted with each other's saliva, urine and feces. I know that is the stated purpose for the feeding ban. And generally what pertains to feeding also pertains to baiting. Food plots are not arranged in such a way that that happens to anywhere near the same extent as some pile of food, a block of salt, or some timed feeder that spits out a concentrated pile of food.

The plain fact is that the DEC doesn't see food plotting and baiting/feeding as having the same effects or being the same thing. I tend to agree with them. Using the critera that the DEC does, you can't view them as being the same thing.

[burmjohn]

Technically yes, just like a food plot would be. The farmer most likely planted the corn to use for human or livestock consumption, so he is not the baiter. You were for setting up to hunt next to it. By planting a food plot you would be the planter who put out bait on the land you hunt. This really isn't like rocket science and shouldn't be hard to understand how food plots are no different than any other baiting. And for those who say that food plots are not baiting because they are for the long term compared to a timed feeder, that is a weak argument to say the least. Obviously this thread was started by someone complaining that his plot was being eaten too quickly. Wouldn't a timed feeder work even better than a food plot to feed deer for the long term?? All you need to do is refill it every once in a while. Not like you can plant too many things in the dead of winter if the deer cleaned everything you planted up well before then.

Cynthia please do not listen to Steve, he could not be more wrong.

[burmjohn]

Correct. They all WOULD be hunting over bait. Nowhere did I say I was somehow against hunting this way. My point is that you fellas shouldn't get so defensive when someone says that food plots ARE bait. I have absolutely no problem with them, lets just call them what they are and not make it out that hunting over a food plot is NOT baiting while hunting over a feeder would be and that person should somehow be condemned to hell. The honest truth is that only some double talk by the DEC makes one legal and the other not. We all take different types of advantages to bring down our deer. I don't have any problems with food plots just calling things the way I see them.

I guess everything is the woods that a deer eats is bait then.

[wdswtr]

Geez I wonder what the wife is baiting me for dinner tonight? LOL I am amazed at how someone can throw so much judgement on others intentions of planitng a foodplot. I said it a few times on here I do not hunt on or near my plots, the sole intention is to help hold deer on my land and to supplement the food and to help get them through the winter. The days of the farms around me are long gone and the deer population here at home is seeing the effects of it. So for me planting a foodplot and giving something back to the wildlife. I find it a redicuouls statement that all the deers food sources in the woods is baiting. Baiting is a small source of food to draw in a deer to a specific spot that last for a very short period before it either has to be replenished or the intent of the bait did what it was put there for. A large foodplot or cornfield or any other farmers crop for that matter is a far cry from calling it baiting. But like I said before I stand strong saying that those tiny foodplots planted for one intention under a treestand is indeed baiting. Planting a large foodplot to attract, hold deer on your property and to supplement there food is not even close to baiting.

Dinner is done time to go eat my bait which is venison stew lol.

Edited October 7, 2011 by wdswtr

[nyantler]

I think some just don't like the word baiting... but are ok with attracting deer to my property, or holding deer on my property using my food plot. I think it's just a word thing.

As for using food plots to get deer through the winter... not all deer are suppose to make it through the winter.. thats mother natures way.

Edited October 7, 2011 by nyantler

[Joeambro25]

Look at what i started.. I planted for all animals of course, I was just hoping to have somethign left to "bring them in on Oct 15" Maybe i will teach the critters to read!

[G-Man]

As definded in the dictionary Bait is anything used to entice or attract so if you want to call it that ok. as defined by the dec... food plots/crops are not bait so.. for hunting purpose its not bait. There is a huge difference got to a state where u can bait and hunt(bear/deer whatever) where the game come 30 years or closer to you and eats and hunt a farmers cornfield where the game comes out 70 yrds from you and eats there till dark, and you sit there with a bow pondering why they come out there instead on in front of you..same corn???

[nyslowhand]

As definded in the dictionary Bait is anything used to entice or attract so if you want to call it that ok. as defined by the dec... food plots/crops are not bait so.. for hunting purpose its not bait. There is a huge difference got to a state where u can bait and hunt(bear/deer whatever) where the game come 30 years or closer to you and eats and hunt a farmers cornfield where the game comes out 70 yrds from you and eats there till dark, and you sit there with a bow pondering why they come out there instead on in front of you..same corn???

This discussion is based on values and opinions formed on each side of the DEC's defination or regulations.

Basically everyone hunts some sort of attractant or area that entices deer to it.

Whether it be food plots, crab apples, travel routes, typical rutting areas or pinch points.- they all either attract or entice deer.

Really applies to stand hunting and may not influence hunters who stalk - or does it?

So per a strict defination; bedding areas, natural funnels, oak trees, orchards, grain fields or even scents are all baits..?

Logistics & resources prevent me from maintaing food plots.

Not sure I'd do so even if I could, influenced by my opinion and values.

I prefer to hunt the perimeter of naturally occuring thick, bedding areas.

So by defination, I'm hunting an attractant or area that entices deer to come to?

G-Man: Confused & not following your logic about the difference in size of a bait area.

A small bait plot in front of a stand is not okay, but a stand on a large bait field is okay.....?

Does this have to do with your opinion about the difference between attracting & feeding?

Guess the bottom line is the legal defination and what your opinion is about the gray areas on each side that.

IMHO - If you can justify maintaining food plots, it's legal & great for you. I prefer not to!

If you see food plots as targets at a shooting gallery, can understand that opinion also.

[Steve7]

If it grows naturally, whether a planted supplement or not, is not baiting. Baiting is when you bring a specific food to any area with the intention of shooting and harvesting an animal over it (eg bear hunting over a 55 gal drum with donuts in it). Per Websters, "something used in luring, especially to hook or trap". It's a tough argument for sure but that's my take.