Baiting is not a Crime.
(Please don't treat it like one.)
To Bait, or Not to Bait? That is the debate. Baiting is definitely one of the most controversial issues in whitetail hunting today. Some hate it, some love it, I personally don't see what the big deal is. Baiting to me is is just one more method that a hunter can use to his advantage when pursuing whitetails. In my book baiting goes in the same category as rattling, grunting, the use of scents, the use of elevated tree stands, and guided hunts (many of which rely heavily on baited stands for their success). All of these factors accomplish the same thing: when used properly, they all increase your odds of harvesting a deer. However baiting is not always the solution. Of the eight bucks I've taken in my life only two have been taken with the use of bait. I might also add that these two bucks were also two of the smallest that I've taken. As you've probably already guessed I spend most of my time hunting without bait. If you do choose to bait, you must be careful not to let your basic scouting and woodsmanship skills be forgotten. These skills are the lifeblood of the successful hunter, and without these skills it is impossible to be a consistently successful hunter.
To the opponents of baiting I must ask, why all the commotion? Many people state that baiting is unethical, but before you jump on that bandwagon you must think about what ethics are. Ethics are basically a system of values and standards that each individual hunter holds for himself. Ethics apply to everyday life, not just hunting. Some opponents justify their arguement of ethics by stating that if ethics were left up to the individual, people could do anything they wanted as long as they thought it was ethical. Obviously in todays society that wouldn't work, these people need to realize that there is a big difference between baiting and say, stealing a car, or commiting a crime. Just because you personally don't agree with it, doesn't mean that others shouldn't be able to bait. The majority of people don't realize that many well known outfitters in North America rely heavily on baiting for the success of their clients. An estimated 90% or more of whitetail deer taken in Texas each year are harvested using bait. I think the main reason certain people don't like baiting is, they can't stand to see other hunters enjoying more success than themselves. At the same time they are seeing other hunters having success with baiting, they refuse to try it themselves. Maybe to maintain their holier-than-thou attitude, or maybe because if they did try it, they wouldn't have anything to complain about, I'm not sure.
The bottom line is, as long as baiting remains legal here in Wisconsin, it should be regarded as an effective, ethical means of harvesting a deer, and more importantly it should be left up to the individual, whether or not baiting is right for him or her.
-This article was written by Jordan Dahl, please feel free to e-mail me regarding this article or anything else on this site. Thank You.
jdahl@bresnanlink.net