How far away from "bait" is far enough?

[ReconLdr]

I looked through the Hunting Digest and can't seem to find a definition/calculation.

Taking Advantage of Food or Bait: It is unlawful to hunt in or around
any area where artificial or natural bait, food, hay, grain, fruit, nuts, salt,
chemicals or minerals, including their residues, are used, or have been
used within the past 30 days, as an enticement to lure game or wildlife
regardless of the type or quantity. Hunters are responsible for ensuring that
the hunting area has not been baited before they begin hunting. They
should physically inspect the area and question landowners, guides and
caretakers. This section does not pertain to hunting near areas where accepted
farming or habitat management practices are taking place (example:
hunting near food plots on game lands is legal). Any natural or manmade
nonliving bait can be used to attract coyotes for hunting or trapping.

Background: I’ve been hunting my dad’s farm for years. We put food/mineral supplements out for the deer all spring and summer. We do this to try to adjust/control their habitual paths through the farm. More so they establish a “familiar path” through the farm where it is safe to shoot them with a rifle. I/we make sure the area isn’t baited for the required 30 days prior to gun season. None of our tree stands (our ladder stands are left in place year round) are placed within range of the “bait” and/or have interfering terrain so none of us could shoot a deer in the baited area (depending on how the area is defined). AFAIK, this is a non-issue because the bait and remnants are long gone before gun season. This has never been an issue because I’ve always made sure to bow hunt on the other side of the farm.

Situation: I checked the game cameras last night and found the guy on the adjacent property had bait and a game camera set up about 10 yards from the property line which is 70yds from where I planned to use my climber stand during archery season. The new owner of the adjacent property doesn’t bow hunt but has made it clear, we are not to cross the boundary without permission.
Facts:

1) Distance from food/bait I/WE put out, to my planned archery stand @ 300 yds.

2) Distance from neighbors food/bait to my planned archery stand @ 80 yds.

Questions:

1) What defines the “baited” area? Dimensions?

2) Does it matter if the “bait” is on the neighbors property? I/we don’t have permission to hunt that land and have no control over what they do?

3) If I go forward with my planned archery location, would it be considered “Hunting a baited area?” I can’t hit the baited area with my bow and it would be illegal to shoot across the property line.

I can always choose a new location but the question remains, how far away from the food do I have to go to be considered “outside” the baited area?

[R.W.J]

your answer is... it depends. The terrain and if the bait is having an effect on the travel patterns of the animal and if the hunter is taking advantage of it.

Your best bet is to contact your WCO, they can clairify the situation as well as work with you.

[CL3]

Wow.

I wonder if it matters, simply because you can only control what's happening on your own property?

That being said, both parties should have bait removed 30 days prior to hunting, right?! So why would it matter?

I read it as no baiting going on at all anywhere on your property within 30 days of the hunt.

[ReconLdr]

your answer is... it depends. The terrain and if the bait is having an effect on the travel patterns of the animal and if the hunter is taking advantage of it.

Your best bet is to contact your WCO, they can clairify the situation as well as work with you.

I definately wouldn't be taking advantage of my food/bait. It's way too far and on the other side of the hill from my stand. That food will be gone in a matter of days. If it comes down to it, I could just skip the first week of the season and move my stand up there.

With Archery Doe season starting in a month, I want to make sure I'm in compliance with the law. It's not worth risking my hunting privledges....

[Chazman321]

I believe it's 250 yards in a radius that the PGC will close if they come upon a bait station. So your corn (or whatever) being 300 yards away would be ok, but his would be in violation with your stand and come into connection with your 250 yard limit... If that makes any sense...

If your feed is 300 yards away, and his is 70 yards farther than that, that's 870 linear yards of area that is closed to hunting... Unless someone is hunting with a Barrett... lol


-Chaz

[ReconLdr]

I believe it's 250 yards in a radius that the PGC will close if they come upon a bait station. So your corn (or whatever) being 300 yards away would be ok, but his would be in violation with your stand and come into connection with your 250 yard limit... If that makes any sense...

If your feed is 300 yards away, and his is 70 yards farther than that, that's 870 linear yards of area that is closed to hunting... Unless someone is hunting with a Barrett... lol


-Chaz

The neighbors feed is along the lateral boundary of the property my feed is toward the far end. See pic:

RED = Property line
BLUE = Gun/Ladder stands

Note the distance across the field where the line is drawn is 137 yards. (I shot a buck there 2 years ago during gun season)

I hope this clarifies things a little bit.

[CL3]

I love maps.

Let me play devil's advocate; how do I know you didn't dump that bait pile onto your neighbor's property?

That setup in the woods looks to me like you're playing your neighbors field.

[gnbrotz]

Your best bet is to contact your WCO, they can clairify the situation as well as work with you.

Another example of government run amuck. The notion that one should have to rely on a WCO to make a ruling on such an issue is ridiculous. They are neither attorneys, nor legislators. Any law that includes such ambiguity (regardless of the focus) should not exist. Better to choose an arbitrary limity (a distance, in this case), and live with the consequences of the odd case where someone can game the rules than to leave everyone clueless and vulnerable to being a violation of a law that sets no clear restriction.

[Chazman321]

That makes a heck of a lot more sense now... lol I would go with the "possible new archery location" to be safe. It looks like it's in a good area. I'm assuming the long white scribble on the south end is a house? Your house? either way, on the edge of that field I would place some enticement on that south edge to utilize that funnel you have going there. Even if the deer hit your neighbor's pile, they'll move on to yours then follow the edge to go to your pile #2, which would place them right in front of your stand...

But that's me...


-Chaz

[ReconLdr]

I love maps.

Let me play devil's advocate; how do I know you didn't dump that bait pile onto your neighbor's property?

That setup in the woods looks to me like you're playing your neighbors field.

I can see how you might think that way but...

1) What the map doesn't show is the deer path(s) all converge on my dads side of the line and have been that way all summer. The neighbor has 1 path.... there are 6 that converge exactly 20 yds from my planned position.

2) The property line is 70yds from my planned tree stand. If I were "playing his field" I'd need to be much closer to the line. I'm pretty good with my bow but 70 yd kill shots are WAY, WAY beyond my skill level.

3) During archery season, there are still crops in the fields. I try to stay away from the crops while hunting. Once the crops are harvested, then full use of the field(s) goes back to my parents.

FWIW, I wouldn't have known the neighbor even put bait down if I didn't have pics of him on my game camera. I had to go back out and look for it.