>>Like I mentioned before there is
>>a total ban already in
>>Utah on baiting turkeys or
>>migratory birds. Ag fields
>>and water sources are not
>>baiting. I don't have
>>a dog in this fight
>>but to say it's not
>>possible to enforce a ban
>>on baiting is ridiculous.
>
>
>Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! No Kidding!
>
>It's sad when somebody's justification for
>baiting is to point at
>other questionable behavior (long range
>animal shooting, etc...) or to
>say baiting couldn't be stopped
>anyway (How's the 'War On
>Drugs' going? Fraud? Illegal Immigration?
>Etc...? Should we just legalize
>everything that is hard to
>enforce?)
>
>Baiting is already illegal for certain
>species in Utah. (Didn't one
>prominent Utah outfitter lose his
>license over baiting turkeys? So
>obviously they do enforce it.)
>Many other states successfully ban
>baiting too.
>
>
From Utah Waterfowl:
>
>Baiting is an illegal activity that
>involves
>the spreading of shelled, shucked or
>unshucked
>grain, feed or salt to lure,
>attract or entice birds
>to an area for the purposes
>of hunting them.
>You may not hunt waterfowl, snipe
>or coots
>by baiting, and you may not
>hunt in an area
>where you reasonably should have known
>that
>the area is or has been
>baited.
>
>An area is considered to be
>baited for
>10 days after the bait has
>been completely
>removed from the area.
>
>You may not take waterfowl or
>coots on or
>over lands or areas where grain
>or other feed
>has been distributed or scattered as
>the result
>of the manipulation of an agricultural
>crop or
>other feed on the land where
>grown. However,
>you may take snipe on or
>over these areas.
>
>Nothing in this guidebook prohibits you
>
>from harvesting waterfowl or coots on
>land
>with residual crops or feed left
>as a result of
>normal agricultural practices.
>
>From Utah Turkey:
>
>Baiting is an illegal activity that
>involves
>the spreading of shelled, shucked or
>unshucked
>grain, feed or salt to lure,
>attract or entice birds
>to an area for the purposes
>of hunting them.
>You may not hunt upland game
>or wild turkey
>by baiting, and you may not
>hunt in an area
>where you reasonably should have known
>that
>the area is or has been
>baited.
>
>For example, a farmer working his
>land
>after harvesting a crop does not
>render his
>field ?baited? ? so long as
>the post-harvest
>manipulation of the farmer?s field is
>a normal
>agricultural process
>
>From Idaho:
>
>It is unlawful to hunt any
>game animal/bird by means of
>baiting with the exception of
>applicable rules for the black
>bear baiting permit and gray
>wolf trapping (see black bear
>and wolf sections). Bait is
>defined as any substance including
>grain, salt in any form
>(liquid or solid), or any
>other substance placed to attract
>game animals/birds, except synthetic liquid
>scent for deer and elk.
>
>
>From Colorado:
>
>It is unlawful to use dogs
>or bait to hunt bears,
>deer, elk, pronghorn, or moose.
>Bait means to put, expose,
>deposit, distribute, or scatter salt,
>minerals, grain, animal parts, or
>other food so as to
>constitute a lure, attraction, or
>enticement for big game on
>or over any area where
>hunters are attempting to take
>big game.
>
>From Nevada:
>
>A person may not bait big
>game mammals for the purpose
>of hunting; or knowingly hunt
>big game mammals that were
>baited by another person.
>
>Bait means the intentional placing, exposing,
>depositing, disturbing or scattering of
>salt, minerals, grain or any
>other food material, whether natural
>or manufactured, that could attract,
>entice or lure wildlife to
>an area.
>
>From Wyoming:
>
>https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Regulation-PDFs/REGULATIONS_CH63
>
>(Basically, baiting is banned except on
>private land where the Commission
>has determined conditions exist that
>specifically limit the taking of
>big game. They may issue
>a baiting permit, but it
>is for private land only,
>cannot be used for commercial
>purposes (guiding), WGFD must personally
>inspect property and bait site,
>etc... The intent here was
>a few urban areas where
>the whitetail population couldn't be
>adequately controlled via ordinary hunting
>seasons)
>
>Grizzly
>
In fact, I did read (and print) those rules you posted before I made my statements, plus I read and printed some you misread, mis-interpreted, misquoted, didn't finish, didn't research or didn't include.
From Utah - Both of the Utah rules you quoted have provisions for hunting over fields where residual crops or feed are left as a result of normal agricultural practices.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Idaho - Idaho Big Game 2019 & 2020 Seasons & Rules Brochure:
"It Is Unlawful To:
To (sic) hunt any game animal/bird by means of baiting with the exception of applicable rules for the black bear baiting permit and gray wolf trapping (see black bear and wolf sections). Bait is defined as any substance including grain, salt in any form (liquid or solid) or any other substance PLACED TO ATTRACT GAME ANIMALS/BIRDS except synthetic scent for deer and elk."
- Idaho Fish & Game Frequently Asked Questions, Page 9:
"Q - Is it legal for someone to plant a plot of land with the intent to hunt over it?
A - Hunters can hunt over agricultural crops as long as the growing process allows normal agricultural guidelines that are recommended by county extension agents."
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Colorado - 2019 COLORADO BIG GAME HUNTING LAWS BROCHURE:
"IT IS ALSO AGAINST THE LAW TO: 24. Hunt big game over bait, whether or not the person hunting personally placed the bait. Bait means to put, expose, distribute or scatter salt, minerals, grain, animal parts or other food as an attraction for big game. SALT OR MINERAL BLOCKS USED FOR NORMAL AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES ARE NOT CONSIDERED BAIT. Scent sticks that smell like food are illegal for bears.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Nevada - Nevada Administrative Code NAC 503.149:
"1. A person shall not:
(a) Bait big game mammals for the purpose of hunting; or
(b) Knowingly hunt big game mammals that were baited by another person.
2. For the purposes of this section, "bait" means the intentional placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of salt, minerals, grain or any other food material, whether natural or manufactured, that could attract, entice or lure wildlife to an area for the purposes of hunting. THE TERM DOES NOT INCLUDE:
(a) ANY INCIDENTAL ATTRACTING OR FEEDING OF WILDLIFE ASSOCIATED WITH ANY ACCEPTED AGRICULTURAL OR LIVESTOCK PRACTICE; OR
(b) PLANTING CROPS AND LEAVING THOSE CROPS STANDING AS FOOD PLOTS FOR WILDLIFE."
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Wyoming - Your description is correct, but since there is no printed information I could find about whether or not normal agriculture and livestock practices were considered bait or baiting, I called the Wyoming Game and Fish Headquarters and received this information which is that CROP FIELDS ARE NOT CONSIDERED BAIT so hunting on them is allowed. However, salt and nutritional blocks could be used primarily for baiting so a hunter would probably have to contact the Department for a baiting permit.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
Now, some you didn't list!
From Arizona - 2019-2020 Arizona Hunting Regulations Booklet, Page 126:
"R12-4-303 Unlawful Devices, Methods, and Ammunition:
(A)(7) A person shall not use edible or ingestible substances to aid in taking big game. The use of edible or ingestible substances it aid in taking big game is unlawful when:
(a) A person places edible or ingestible substances for the purpose of attracting or taking big game, or
(b) A person knowingly takes big game with the aid of edible or ingestible substances placed for the purpose of attracting wildlife to a specific location.
(A)(9) For the purposes of subsection (A)(7), edible or ingestible substances DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
(a) WATER
(b) SALT
(c) SALT-BASED MATERIALS PRODUCED AND MANUFACTURED FOR THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY.
(d) NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS PRODUCED AND MANUFACTURED FOR THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY AND PLACED DURING THE COURSE OF LIVESTOCK OR AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
I've got too many to quote, so I'll just summarize. If you want the full quote, you can just look it up and print it like I did.
From California - California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Pages 17 & 18:
- Game birds and mammals may not be taken within 400 yards of a baited area.
- Game birds and mammals may be taken over crop fields.
- Game birds and mammals my be taken over lands where grain, salt or other feed has been distributed or scattered as a result of normal agricultural operations.
- Game birds and mammals may be taken on wildlife food plots.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From North Dakota - 2019 Deer Hunting Guide:
- Baiting is allowed on 19 of the 38 units and on part of 2 others.
- Baiting is NOT allowed on 7 units and part of 2 others. It is also NOT allowed on US Fish & Wildlife Refuges, State Public lands, waterfowl production areas and Forest Service Grasslands.
- Baiting does not include water, food plots, standing crops or livestock feeds in standard (agricultural) practices.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From South Dakota - 2019 Big Game Regulations Brochure:
- Bait stations may not be established or used for hunting.
- Bait station restrictions do NOT APPLY to foods that have not been placed or gathered by an individual and result from normal farming, wildlife food plantings, forest management, orchards or similar land management activities.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Texas - Several sources:
- Baiting is illegal on most public property.
- Baiting is legal on private property.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Utah - DWR Regulations:
- Baiting of big game is not mentioned and is legal statewide.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Oregon - 2019 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations:
- Baiting of big game is not mentioned and is legal statewide.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
From Washington - 2019 Washington State Big Game Hunting Pamphlet:
- Baiting is allowed as long as it is less than 10 gallons and is more than 200 yards away from any known bait site.
- Bait does NOT INCLUDE salt or minerals or feeding during common agricultural practices.
- Bait does NOT INCLUDE food from undisturbed wild, volunteer or planted vegetation including fruit trees, orchards, vineyards and food plots.
Point - That's not a TOTAL ban on baiting.
As near as I can tell, the states of Montana, Nebraska and New Mexico do not have written provisions for hunting on lands where agricultural or livestock activity takes place so I will try to contact them by phone tomorrow and further update this post. But, so far, I haven't found any western state that TOTALLY bans hunting on all lands that have some form of food substance identified as "bait". There's always "loopholes" in your project.