AG&F WANTS TO TELL YOU WHEN YOU MAY FEED DEER YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING

[buckaroo]

AT THE MEETING IN LITTLE ROCK ON TUESDAY NIGHT THE HOT TOPIC WAS WHEN YOU CAN FEED DEER. THEY SAY THIS IS JUST UP FOR DISCUSSION. SOUNDS TO ME IT IS ANOTHER CONTROL FREAK THING LIKE CANCELING THE FALL TURKEY SEASON.  I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT WAL-MART AND THE GANDER MTN ,ACADEMY SPORTS,FARMERS CO-OP, ETC PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS. THEY SELL THOUSANDS OF BAGS OF CORN AND FOOD PLOT MIXTURE A YEAR.

I WILL NOT LIE I HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN THIS TOPIC. I SELL DEER FEEDERS I ALLSO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY EACH YEAR HUNTING & FEEDING DEER. I HAVE TAKEN 2 THIS YEAR YET I HAVE PUT OUT OVER 100 SACKS OF CORN ,MADE FOOD PLOTS AND PUT OUT RICE BRAN AND ANY HUNTER WILL TELL YOU CAN PUT OUT FEED BUT YOU MAY SIT OVER IT ALL DAY AND NEVER SEE A DEER. THAT IS THE REASON THEY CALL IT HUNTING. I HAVE AND WILL ABIDE BY THE RULES THEY LAY DOWN BUT TO ME ITS JUST TOO MUCH .

[ducktape]

glad you brought this to our attention, keep us posted, we will try to find out more stuff too.

[Kevin]

I personally have no problem with this. Lots of states only let you bait at certain times. Since you sell feeders I can see why you would hate it. What is their reasoning?

As far as the fall turkey season goes, the AGFC is not out to get hunters. If they cancel the season, it's because they believe it will help the turkey population, not to piss off hunters. The more people that get to hunt, the more money they make.

That's not to say I think closing the season did a damn thing to help anything. And I know a lot of these hot-shot AGFC guys make decisions based on a buddy system, but I'm sure they had some data on the population that made closing the season worth a shot. We will see this spring I guess.

[DeerSlayer]

I don't hunt over bait. Think it takes a little of the sport out of it, plus I save a ton on feed!!!!! Find the natural food plots and it's better anyway.

[DeerWoods26]

I buy a few bags of feed each year early mainly to see what kind of bucks I have on the property. Natural food sources are so prevalent early in the season that baiting doesn't do a whole lot of good. I agree with you that I would not support not being able to bait then. It doesn't make much difference in my opinion.

I can see somebody's point for not being allowed to bait later in the season though. When late January rolls around and food sources are gone, it can be an all out massacre. I bow hunt a lot though and I'm not even crazy about how late the season goes. I usually quit at the end of January. The way I see it, if I'm taking does in late Februay, lots of them are pregnant and I'm potentially costing myself bucks a couple of years down the road. I know the same can be said for killing them in January but I figure if you've made it till February then good luck, I'll see you next year.

[Tony Harris]

The time period they are proposing to stop baiting is during greenup to early Summer. Natural food sources typically do not stop to toughen or dry up until August. I support it but would rather see it from March 1st till July 1st. Poults can fly well by then, quail have had their first hatch by them and as I said natural food sources are providing much better protein than corn piles. I have no problem with baiting/feeding or hunting over feeders. To me it is a management thing. It is easier for me to kill the doe I need to over a feeder since I have limited time in the woods. Same with my wife, I would rather her kill her deer and be finished than not see game or be cold, both things she hates.

They cited disease transmission at feeders and mineral stations which is true. They cited nuisence animals which is true but allowing feedeing within 150 yards of a house will only move those animals closer to the house. The cited predators lurking at feeders waiting on young game which is true. They cited pigs eating up the feed before the target animals get there which can be true if they are in the area.

Mineral stations will not go away just because you don't freshen them during this time frame and you won't get anyone to go dig one up because that would be futile. Food plots also have predators lurking. So there are as always two sides and variables that will not change regardless.

But I still support it.

[ARtreehugga]

The time period they want to outlaw feeding is when deer acctually need the nutrition for antler growth. Sounds stupid to me.