Bob2010
Senior Member
Yall read this 3 page article in GON? The CWD warning. I have a small property and we have enjoyed baiting primarily for observation of what's on the land. Nieghbors all bait too. Some for hunting and many just love watching the local deer from the house. Look at the map of CWD right now. It's coming yall, if it's not already here. A biologist told me that the turkey population fall in south Georgia is likely due to corn feeders. Corn molds and the turkey eat it. Feeders need to be cleaned regularly? Yall ever wash out your feeders??? I don't. Then with the deer it's saliva, urine, feces, all concentrated where they eat. Licking the same $30 block as the other deer. No wonder disease spreads. We didn't have these issues back when baiting was not legal. Plus the expense of baiting. Not too high for those that are deer season corn pile hunters. But those that feed year around and feed protein too. I know a few that are up to $300 a week in feed and protein. It gets away from us like drugs or something. To the point that we are putting dollars into mobile ice machines for corn. My opinion is they should make baiting illegal again in Georgia until the CWD is under control. I would however love to see the massive amount of funds Georgia Sportsman spend on baiting actually make it back to our Georgia wildlife. Food plots, pollinators, cover, acorns, etc. The funds could go into things that improve our states deer health. The biologist that came to my property kept asking me what our management goals were for? Deer, turkey, quail, timber, etc. They wanted to adjust the plan to my objectives. The truth is that every single time I try to manage for just one objective I fail. The management plan must be for all wildlife in general. For example I have a clear cut in need of some love. I am working towards making it tolerable to look at. The wildlife loves it! Instead of doing a quick replant of timber. It maybe best to give it 5 or even 8 years of burning and thick cover. Is my objective timber production? Or wildlife? Something to think about. Something else to think about when that next new bait hits the market and these guys flood the forums with propaganda to make money off of us. Georgia wildlife does not benefit from that money. So why has the state not made baiting illegal already? To minimize the risk in Georgia of CWD? To improve the turkey population? I assume it is because of the revenue that we the Georgia sportsmen spend on bait instead of on habitat improvements is so high they simply cannot afford to ban baiting again. Maybe I am alone on this island. No more baiting on my land! I'm buying a tractor.
