Baiting, I know this has been discussed and discussed this is just my rant....LOL

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I did receive a response back from the deer program coordinator in Kentucky when questioned about baiting and why it's not removed. Here's his response:

That’s amazing!!! Basically our hunters are so incompetent that without bait they would either be highly unsuccessful (proving my point that baiting is exponentially easier) and/or just quit hunting if they didn’t have that crutch. Wow this is an A+ response and super glad you wrote him. Thank you. They never responded to my bait inquiry.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Also could bait be part of the problem to the deer numbers issue, not the solution. Bait has been around for a long time in Kentucky. Yet they still have a deer problem. It could definitely be artificially keeping the carrying capacity too high. Seems like if numbers are too high and not coming down to where they want, seeking alternative path would be wise.

 

[omicron1792]

Also could bait be part of the problem to the deer numbers issue, not the solution. Bait has been around for a long time in Kentucky. Yet they still have a deer problem. It could definitely be artificially keeping the carrying capacity too high. Seems like if numbers are too high and not coming down to where they want, seeking alternative path would be wise.

If true, that path would include starving deer. Not sure the public would be for that.

 

[BenA]

Also could bait be part of the problem to the deer numbers issue, not the solution. Bait has been around for a long time in Kentucky. Yet they still have a deer problem. It could definitely be artificially keeping the carrying capacity too high. Seems like if numbers are too high and not coming down to where they want, seeking alternative path would be wise.

I think it's more that hunters want to shoot a buck rather than a doe. Kentucky had 82,264 bucks killed last year but only 63,220 does. Populations are controlled by killing does. More does need to be killed. People are spoiled by seeing deer all the time, every time they go hunting or drive around.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I think it's more that hunters want to shoot a buck rather than a doe. Kentucky had 82,264 bucks killed last year but only 63,220 does. Populations are controlled by killing does. More does need to be killed. People are spoiled by seeing deer all the time, every time they go hunting or drive around.

For sure. Lots of factors on why that is. Not as exciting, won’t get as many likes on social media, processing fees are insane, tons of work to process yourself, etc.
Doe killing being the factor in population, it’s seems like once again, bait is a social crutch and not a management tool like people try to say.

 

[BenA]

For sure. Lots of factors on why that is. Not as exciting, won’t get as many likes on social media, processing fees are insane, tons of work to process yourself, etc.
Doe killing being the factor in population, it’s seems like once again, bait is a social crutch and not a management tool like people try to say.

How do you figure that baiting is not a management tool? Weapons are a management tool, food plots are a management tool, seasons are a management tool. If you don't want to disturb your property, but still need to take does off of it, baiting off in a corner or where there's easy access can be a very efficient management tool.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

How do you figure that baiting is not a management tool? Weapons are a management tool, food plots are a management tool, seasons are a management tool. If you don't want to disturb your property, but still need to take does off of it, baiting off in a corner or where there's easy access can be a very efficient management tool.

I mean I guess everything related with shooting an animal can be considered a management tool. Hell camouflage can be a management tool if it helps you kill deer. My point is, if one of the states justifications for bait is to keep the population down, and it’s not going down, to the contrary it’s going up, then bait as a management tool seems ineffective at best and possibly detrimental at worst.
This graph isn’t exactly a feather in cap to that theory.

 

[omicron1792]

I mean I guess everything related with shooting an animal can be considered a management tool. Hell camouflage can be a management tool if it helps you kill deer. My point is, if one of the states justifications for bait is to keep the population down, and it’s not going down, to the contrary it’s going up, then bait as a management tool seems ineffective at best and possibly detrimental at worst.
This graph isn’t exactly a feather in cap to that theory.
View attachment 90223

Wouldn’t dwindling hunter numbers also play into that chart?

 

[SwampCat]

I mean I guess everything related with shooting an animal can be considered a management tool. Hell camouflage can be a management tool if it helps you kill deer. My point is, if one of the states justifications for bait is to keep the population down, and it’s not going down, to the contrary it’s going up, then bait as a management tool seems ineffective at best and possibly detrimental at worst.
This graph isn’t exactly a feather in cap to that theory.
View attachment 90223

So are you now saying hunting over bait is not very effective?