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DNR Meetings re: Turkey Hunting Near Deer Feeders
- Thread starter Tider79
- Start date
Why?
Baiting deer and hogs has been legal in some fashion since 2011.
Many thought the chairman of the house game, fish, parks committee was wrong last year to examine the impact of deer baiting on other hunters/species.
The Carolinas have always had deer baiting/feeding yet no turkey baiting.
Kentucky too.
It’s kinda like being arrested for disorderly conduct (I have never been) who decides what the definition of disorderly is? The arresting officer and/or judge.
Some game wardens might write you a ticket for baiting turkeys on opposite end of a 15,000 plantation, most would not. And most judges would throw it out if case came before them but some might not. I would not worry about it if I was hunting on land that had corn somewhere on it but if you are a super paranoid person you might need to stay at home this turkey season.
Some game wardens might write you a ticket for baiting turkeys on opposite end of a 15,000 plantation, most would not. And most judges would throw it out if case came before them but some might not. I would not worry about it if I was hunting on land that had corn somewhere on it but if you are a super paranoid person you might need to stay at home this turkey season.
I`m not the least bit paranoid, Shawn. I just want to know the answer, which you obviously don`t know either.
Out GPS'ing all those feeders! Gonna be tickets coming down like rain on opening day!
Take it easy there Nic I wasn’t calling you personally paranoid, it was a general statement
spurrs and racks
Banned
I can tell you this, last season one of my club members called himself planting strips. Well, cracked corn will not sprout and grow.
Here is a tip, they found the fresh planting within a couple of days. I believe he planted 3 days before youth Saturday. Now, he wouldn't tell me but I saw our club pulled up on his computer in his truck, with "real time" google earth on it.
The exact quote from the Warden " you may not hunt until all the bait is gone for 10 days. Given the current state of our turkey population they is no grey area on this."
He went on to say..." If I know of any feeders out in the woods that have feed in them, my suggestion to you is not to hunt anywhere around one, even within ear shot".
The only reason I didn't get a ticket as well, he found me at the camp and when I told him where I was hunting, there was no fresh planting on that parcel of club land. He went on to tell me where the bait was and do not go there with any weapon.
Here is a tip, they found the fresh planting within a couple of days. I believe he planted 3 days before youth Saturday. Now, he wouldn't tell me but I saw our club pulled up on his computer in his truck, with "real time" google earth on it.
The exact quote from the Warden " you may not hunt until all the bait is gone for 10 days. Given the current state of our turkey population they is no grey area on this."
He went on to say..." If I know of any feeders out in the woods that have feed in them, my suggestion to you is not to hunt anywhere around one, even within ear shot".
The only reason I didn't get a ticket as well, he found me at the camp and when I told him where I was hunting, there was no fresh planting on that parcel of club land. He went on to tell me where the bait was and do not go there with any weapon.
Turkeytider
Senior Member
This is all interesting discussion but I`ve still not seen any definitive word from DNR. Still no response from my inquiry to DNR from yesterday.
Turkeytider
Senior Member
Leaves an awful lot of room for interpretation, IMO.
spurrs and racks
Banned
The DNR are the state police. It can be wide open for their interpretation.
The reason there has not been an official DNR response is because it is one of those “grey area laws” like a lot of things it is up to an individual game warden and or judge on the definition. Same rule applies to baiting bear, which is actually more common of issue since thier seasons overlap. As a general rule, a game warden is less likely to write a ticket if he believes you honestly had no idea how close you were to the bait or if you are so far from known bait that you are not at any greater advantage.
goblr77
Senior Member
I know an outfitter that will hit the test button when he drops you off.
Wayne D Davis
Senior Member
Don't forget the Big foots
The legislature seems to have managed to leave the law on this issue open to a wide interpretation. They may have done that on purpose or it might be accidental. Basically, you can not hunt turkeys over bait.
DNR does not need to nor should they explain their position on how this law will be inforced in the field. I can assure you that it will be enforced differently in different circumstances. Consider the historical poacher with many prior convictions including baiting turkey in the past. In the same circumstances, he would likely be charged much more quickly than the stalwart, upright, law abiding hunter who has never had a violation.
Basically, the law says that you can not hunt turkeys over bait. Do so at your peril and in the knowledge that if a GW knows that you know that there is bait on the property he has the power to charge you. You might be able to convince a judge to let you off, but why risk the inconvenience and potential expense?
DNR does not need to nor should they explain their position on how this law will be inforced in the field. I can assure you that it will be enforced differently in different circumstances. Consider the historical poacher with many prior convictions including baiting turkey in the past. In the same circumstances, he would likely be charged much more quickly than the stalwart, upright, law abiding hunter who has never had a violation.
Basically, the law says that you can not hunt turkeys over bait. Do so at your peril and in the knowledge that if a GW knows that you know that there is bait on the property he has the power to charge you. You might be able to convince a judge to let you off, but why risk the inconvenience and potential expense?
QuackAttack101
Senior Member
Sorry but I just don't trust LEO judgment as much as you do I guess. Now, I'm definitely not advocating for hunting turkeys over bait and don't see why anyone would hunt them any way other than running and gunning, but I just think some of the gray could be cleared up here. When baiting for deer was illegal, there were parameters in place that gave guidance for what was considered hunting over bait (200 yards/out of sight). Like others have mentioned before, a GW could theoretically give you a ticket for hunting miles away from bait because a "property" is baited. I don't know of anyone who has personally had this happen to them, but I've encountered enough arrogant and power hungry LEOs in my life to believe that it's reasonably possible (Note: There are tons of GREAT LEOs in the world, and in fact, most are, but there are bad apples in every bunch).
I guess my only issue is that the legislature/DNR easily defined what hunting deer over bait entailed but can't do the same for turkeys? Sorry, I'm just not buying it.
Either way, I never have and never will hunt turkeys over bait because it would take out the challenge and fun of it. However, if another club member of mine places some bait a half mile away from where I happen to be hunting and I know nothing about it and can still get a ticket for it, I truly see a problem with this.
Esau
Senior Member
I talk to my local Game Warden fairly often. This past weekend I asked him in person about a similar situation. I have a pig trap out on my hunting land that is baited with corn (soured and laced with Koolaid). Turkey season is coming. I wanted to know if I needed to take up the Pig trap. He knows the land and where everything is. He told me as long as I wasn't near the trap with corn in it I would be fine. I will stay out of sight and a few hundred yards from the trap. It is obviously not there to bait turkeys, the bait is in a muddy hog trap. Even though I consider our Game Warden a friend, he would ticket me in a heartbeat if he caught me breaking the law. I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't know if this answers your questions or not, I would call my Game Warden and ask him.
Not to stir anything up, but we didn't have a hog problem until everyone started putting out corn everywhere.
Not to stir anything up, but we didn't have a hog problem until everyone started putting out corn everywhere.
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Turkeytider
Senior Member
Excellent post. The crux of the matter, IMHO, is the definition of " over bait ". I personally can`t imagine anybody enjoying sitting in the immediate proximity of a deer feeder spewing corn and sniping a turkey that`s next to it pecking on the ground. That`s like shooting a big chicken and sure as goodness isn`t hunting. IMHO, of course. I also can`t see the issue with someone hunting several hundred yards away, nowhere near line of sight with the feeder.
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Turkeytider
Senior Member
Sounds like a very common sense approach on the part of the GW, and one that should be supported. I think the obvious intent of the hunter would/should play a big role in a GW`s determination of a violation if indeed the rule is not made more clear by DNR ( which appears to be the case ).
fountain
Senior Member
After 3 pages, is there a definitive answer to this...NO
Mr Bya Lungshot
BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
I feel the same about the hunting of a deer.
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