Planting on public land

[boxerjake77]

Anyone know if you can plant on public land? Going to
deer hunt this year( with a bow ) for the first time. After
I do my scouting, and locate some deer, can I plant food
for them or set up feeders to drawer more in?

 

[M1911]

Wouldn't doing either activity be considered hunting over bait?

 

[boxerjake77]

The idea would be to drawer in more deer. The feeders would
be gone before the season. The only thing left would be the
vegitation that was planted.

 

[HTRN]

Wouldn't doing either activity be considered hunting over bait?

No, you can hunt over growing vegetation (rows of corn and apple trees if you like) and you can feed up until 2 weeks before the season opening (remember that Bow is the 1st season and it is illegal to bait where others may be hunting even if you are not.)

 

[economist]

Wouldn't doing either activity be considered hunting over bait?

I think it would. Planting anything with the intent to draw deer would be baiting. The only way to do it would be as an unintended consequence of farming. At least that was what I learned earlier this year in Mass hunter ed.

Edit to add (from HERE):

Prohibited: baiting deer, hunting over bait, or the placing of bait for the purpose of taking deer or attracting them to a place where they may be hunted. Bait includes any artificial or natural substance, including but not restricted to salt, corn or other grains, apples or other fruit, vegetables, or any product or substance which constitutes a nutritional attraction or enticement to deer. A baited area is any area where bait has been placed and remains a baited area from 10 days prior to the opening of the archery season to 12:00 noon on the day following the close of the primitive firearms season.

 

[M1911]

I think it would. Planting anything with the intent to draw deer would be baiting. The only way to do it would be as an unintended consequence of farming. At least that was what I learned earlier this year in Mass hunter ed.

That was my impression as well, but IANAL and I'm not that familiar with the hunting regulations and their interpretation.

 

[Talon3]

Prohibited: baiting deer, hunting over bait, or the placing of bait for the purpose of taking deer or attracting them to a place where they may be hunted. Bait includes any artificial or natural substance, including but not restricted to salt, corn or other grains, apples or other fruit, vegetables, or any product or substance which constitutes a nutritional attraction or enticement to deer. A baited area is any area where bait has been placed and remains a baited area from 10 days prior to the opening of the archery season to 12:00 noon on the day following the close of the primitive firearms season.


The answer is there "A baited area has to 1. be 10 or less days to archery open date. 2. Ceases to be a baited area on 12 noon on the day after primitive season ends.

Example Archery open date is 10.11.10, and primitive firearms closes 11.15.10 THEN: you could plant apples, corn whatever up until 10.01.10 you better REMOVE all bait placed by 10.01.10 You cannot replace the items until 12:01PM on 11.16.10

If you don't remove every scrap of items placed then yes that would be hunting over bait.

***The dates above are for illustrated purposes only***
*** Consult the actual season dates as posted by Mass Fish and Wildlife.***
***Not a lawyer, this is the internet, just my observations...etc Hold harmless ... etc etc***

 

[Another_David]

me thinks feeding the wildlife is not such a good idea in eastern Mass. they're more likely to end up on my windshield than at the end of your arrow.

just my selfish opinion.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Anyone know if you can plant on public land? Going to
deer hunt this year( with a bow ) for the first time. After
I do my scouting, and locate some deer, can I plant food
for them or set up feeders to drawer more in?

Good information on baiting was provided in this thread by previous posters. The planting of food plots on public land is another issue. Before planting on public land you need to call DFW and ask if it is legal. I saw nothing in the abstracts, which are only a "plain language summary" of the laws, it would not surprise me if planting a food plot on public land was interperted by an EPO as "vandalism" as you are changing the habitat. Nothing surprises me anymore in this state, call first.

Bob

 

[Fixxah]

While it may or may not be legal, the chances of the deer being there come hunting season are pretty slim unless it is private, posted, and nobody else spoils the fun. Once the rut is on all bets are off. You will get pics of bucks that you helped grow big racks but may never see them when the time to kill them arrives.

 

[Plural of Mongoose]

You need to find what they are naturally feeding on during the season and hunt those food sources.
Here for example , those foods would be privet hedges, green lawns, pumpkins on porches, flower beds and bird feeders, with an occasional drink out of the bird bath .