From my October 18, 2012 News Journal column. — smk
Many deer hunters enjoy the actual hunting (i.e., the time spent away from the pressures of everyday life in pursuit of deer) just as much as the harvesting of deer.
But the prospects of successful harvests drive hunters to the woods year after year. Individual hunters’ definitions of success range from shooting any deer to only shooting a buck with antlers that meet personal measurement or appearance criteria. Still, many hunters agree that they can take steps to maximize their success rates.
Hunting deer over bait is a proven – yet controversial – method of improving hunting success that is employed throughout the United States.
Baiting, the practice where deer food sources such as corn, sugar beets, apples, sweet potatoes, nuts or various commercial preparations are placed near hunting locations, is meant to attract deer to the food so that hunters can shoot them. It can be as simple as dumping the bait on the ground or in troughs, or it can be as detailed as using various types of feeders that dispense food via gravity or battery-powered release mechanisms at set times.
Some areas of the country prohibit hunting deer over bait altogether, but Delaware hunting regulations state “it is lawful to distribute and hunt over bait while hunting deer on privately owned lands only.”
Joe Rogerson, deer and furbearer biologist for Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife, said deer baiting is not permitted on public lands because it could lead to problems with migratory birds hunters who hunt in the same area. (Baiting of migratory birds is prohibited in Delaware.)
Rogerson also said the state manages the habitat on public wildlife areas to promote natural forage for wildlife, and he pointed to potential conflicts that could arise between hunters on public land if baiting were permitted.
“Can you imagine how angry a [hunter] would be to have baited a site for two months before the November shotgun season, spent hundreds of dollars on corn, only to find [another hunter] already sitting over top of his bait pile when he got there in the morning on opening day?” Rogerson said.
Delaware hunters have mixed feelings about the regulations.
Dave Turko, 38, of Newark, supports hunting deer over bait.
“Anything you can do to give yourself a better chance to harvest a deer is worth a try, especially for the late-season hunts when food is scarce and deer are wary of hunters,” Turko said.
Likewise, David Holloway, 44, of Middletown, said, “I am a very big proponent of baiting. For starters, I feel that it makes for a more ethical shot. We place our corn or whatever is used within a comfortable distance from our stands to ensure that we are not taking a longer, riskier shot. The deer are everywhere these days, and baiting simply brings them into an area where they can be harvested.”
Hunting deer over bait also has its detractors.
Bruce Segear, 30, of Claymont, typically hunts deer with a bow and believes shooting a deer without bait is more challenging.
“[Hunting with] no bait feels better when you put time in and get a deer rather than going out and hunting over bait and waiting for a deer,” Segear said. “I would rather spend my time hunting for deer instead of waiting for them.”
Although some hunters disapprove of hunting deer or other game over bait, it’s undeniable that baiting deer can be effective.
Deer seek readily available food sources, so they may frequently return to baited areas. Thus deer sightings increase, which enable discerning hunters to observe deer habits, track deer movements, predict times when the deer feed and be more selective in their harvests.
“A hunter like myself might utilize a bait station not only as a way to be able to see more deer, but to be able to select just the right animal to harvest while passing on the others,” said James Blackstock, 37, of Smyrna. “Bait stations are also a great opportunity to take a kid into the woods with you where they might see more wildlife, where long sits in the woods might not be as appealing to them.”
Beyond the notion that baiting is seen by some as “cheating,” the practice can negatively affect a deer’s health due to the nutritional value of the bait. It can make deer dependent on the bait rather than natural food sources, and it can contribute to the spread of disease since deer may congregate in localized areas.
Furthermore, deer bait can be expensive, bait site replenishment takes time and disturbs the woods and after the first shot or two, baited deer may learn to avoid bait sites during daylight hours.
Like it or not, hunting deer over bait contributes to the effective management of deer populations in Delaware and other states, so I, too, support it.
Regarding the issue of legality versus ethics, Blackstock offered sound advice: “Some might say just because it is legal doesn’t make it ethical. But every hunter must decide on his own ethics.”