While sitting in my tree stand this season, I got to thinking about the practice of baiting deer.

This is still a subject of some controversy. While some states ban the baiting of the deer altogether and I believe there are some states that have a certain period that can bait if it is ceased by a certain time.

In West Virginia it is illegal to bait or feed any wildlife on public land. It is also illegal to bait deer in the CWD containment areas. This is one of the precautions to try and curb the spread of CWD in those areas where it has been found.

It also got me thinking about what my father and others of that generation would have thought about the shear tonnage of corn that is purchased and threw out on the ground to entice in a deer. Despite the fact that money was not as easy to come by, but that kind of money could also buy part or a whole beef, even in these days!

When I began hunting, I can’t recall anybody dumping corn for deer. Sure, there were those who hunted specifically apple orchards, corn fields and other naturally occurring congregation points, but most just stand hunted or still hunted.

In those days there weren’t any leases in our area and most knew where they could and couldn’t hunt.

There was a lot of open hunting land, and you knew most of the people that hunted around you and you didn’t mind running them a deer. They were your neighbors.

These days there seems to be so much competition over who is going to get the biggest buck, back then that wasn’t the case. You couldn’t eat the horns, the meat was more important.

I think that is part of the reason some hunters bait so heavily, they want to hold the deer in their areas.

I was recently reminded that at one time there was a study that showed baiting deer did not increase your odds of getting a deer. It merely cut down on the number of hours that it took to connect with one.

I guess that is a lot of the reason that hunter’s bait, because everyone always seems to be busy with their schedules and it cuts down on time. But that seems to go against the notion when someone says they “Just like spending time in the woods.”

If you like spending time in the woods, then what’s your hurry?

I also remember that several years ago there was a lot of discussion about the deer corn that was sold in a major retail store.

A lot of those types of corn are labeled “Do not feed to livestock”! That was due to the aflatoxin level being higher than allowed in livestock feed.

If these corns are fed in over-whelming quantities, there is a lot of speculation of what it might do to the deer and other animals.

We might be putting corn out for deer, but we all know there are a large variety of animals that partake. Turkeys, squirrels, racoons and many others.

Don’t get me wrong. In my opinion, but I am not a cervid biologist of any form, I’m not saying all baiting is evil. I do bait some myself. Maybe not in the quantities that some do. I’m a little more moderate. Does this still make me part of the problem? I’m not sure.

When my grandsons started hunting, I baited because of their attention span and to keep them interested.

I’ve always tried to teach them that baiting is not the only way, and they can try other things.

I’m thankful to see the 15-year-old has started to “still” 1hunt. I hope they all continue to see other ways and tactics to hunt.

I would have to say I think baiting is here to stay. Hopefully, CWD will be kept in check to where the DNR does not have to make drastic changes to baiting laws. I think they would have a major fight on their hands because some would not be willing to change.

It would be interesting to see more studies done on this subject and I’m sure there will be.

Until then I guess that hunter’s who bait should just bait with moderation.

And if you feel you shouldn’t bait, don’t. Just please try and respect other people’s decisions to participate as they want as long as they are in the letter of the law.

Stay Safe and Stay Outdoors.