What is "BAIT" for big game/ungulates ?

[Okotokian]

Intent? He proposes that the dugout is intended to attract animals for hunting. That's clear.

You can legally use attractants to lure deer to your stand. Urine, etc. is quite legal. So the act of creating something to attract deer isn't in itself illegal.

The only thing that is illegal is using bait, and the Act describes bait as a food attractant, including minerals or any representation of a food attractant (which I would assume to include chemical creations that smell like food).

So is water food? I can't see any circumstance where it would be. If a bar is required to serve food, I don't think supplying customers with something to drink satisfies their license requirements.

Now I expect that F&W will, as is their way, reply with some sort of gobbledygook that will leave you as confused as ever. They would LIKE you not to do this, but they can't come out and say it's illegal, nor do they want to confirm that it's legal.

[Sledhead71]

This subject has been beaten to death. Habitat improvement is not considered baiting for the purpose of hunting, being water or planted substance.

Look no further than the project at Ross Creek, specifically planted for habitat and hunting purposes by many joint conservation groups.

Happy hunting

[bucksman]

if you plant food or give water all year long to the deer im pretty sure you would be improving habitat for wildlife and given a pat on the back and I believe the title for it is "wildlife stewardess"

[densa44]

To those who know, are there lots of varieties of this early forage corn, some the deer like better than others? I had a look at my neighbour's 1/2 section to-day and I didn't see any deer, but the other fellow had a crop where there was standing room only. Now it was after hunting season and the cows had finished with it, but I'd never seen as many deer in one place.

Oh BTW I asked how a hunter could get permission (I don't hunt deer but I have friends who do) he said "you have to be born or marry into the family".

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by densa44

Oh BTW I asked how a hunter could get permission (I don't hunt deer but I have friends who do) he said "you have to be born or marry into the family".

is she/he good looking at least?

[sanjuanworm]

Originally Posted by waterninja

I read the act.

Now read his post.

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by sanjuanworm

Now read his post.

?????

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by J0HN_R1

More specifically, WATER... Is a water-hole, placed there by a hunter, considered bait ?

My interpretation is, water is NOT food. IMO, they are 2 totally separate entities like "space & time" or "earth & fire".

From the horses mouth - http://albertaregulations.ca/hunting...ml#definitions




I've already asked F&W, waiting for a response from an officer. What's your opinion ?


Like this --- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YXNTcHie1A

My opinion is, if you are intending to dig a water hole for your livestock or some other non hunting related purpose, you are not baiting.

If your only intent is to attract wildlife for the purpose of hunting then you are baiting and you know it and are only trying to get us to silence your conscience.

It is nearly impossible for the law to cover every possibility. It is the responsibility of every person to consider both the word of the law and the intent of the law.

When anyone looks for ways to sidestep any law we all suffer.
Laws are written for the benefit of everyone, not just for those clever enough to circumvent what is written.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

If your only intent is to attract wildlife for the purpose of hunting then you are baiting and you know it and are only trying to get us to silence your conscience.

.

So Keg, you are trying to argue that water is legally food? Am I understanding you correctly? Bait is defined in the wildlife act as a food attractant. If water is not food his intent is irrelevant.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

So Keg, you are trying to argue that water is legally food? Am I understanding you correctly? Bait is defined in the wildlife act as a food attractant. If water is not food his intent is irrelevant.

Some would see it that way, I do not. But that's just my opinion. He did ask for opinion did he not?

I've already asked F&W, waiting for a response from an officer. What's your opinion ?

As I read it, this law is about attractants that would result in habitual returning to a location. Water would do that. Scents and decoys do not.

My understanding is the law says food, it does not mention water therefor by the letter of the law it would be legal, but what is the intent of the law?

More importantly, what is the intent of the intended activity. Is it to enhance wildlife habitat or to stack the odds in flavor of one hunter.
To me that's the more important question.

Laws are meant to level the playing field so all have as close to equal opportunity as possible. Doing an end run around the law does us all an injustice. In my opinion.

That being said, there are a lot of laws that, In my opinion, do more to give advantage to one class or one group then to level the field.

I still follow those laws to the best of my ability even though I don't agree with them, or perhaps, it is with the wording of them.

I believe that is what a gentleman does. But that is just my opinion.

[J0HN_R1]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

So Keg, you are trying to argue that water is legally food? Am I understanding you correctly?
Bait is defined in the wildlife act as a food attractant. If water is not food his intent is irrelevant.

Thank you... This is my opinion/position on the subject also.

WATER is NOT food !!!





To the negative/disrespectful comments, Karma is a bitch.

[deercamp]

The biggest thing of all this conversation is who really cares?? I honestly would love to see a guy kill a buck over a dugout with that intent instead of pounding the roads like most guys. We are so regulated to never bait and all it's done is keep people from ever leaving there truck. If your legit going to bait a deer you realistically have permission and put time in to sit and watch , invest some time and money . . Instead we pound the roads and break every other rule out there. I'm fortunate to have a large land base to use at my discretion but the lions share of deer are killed out of a truck window in this province .

[Passthru]

Originally Posted by deercamp

The biggest thing of all this conversation is who really cares?? I honestly would love to see a guy kill a buck over a dugout with that intent instead of pounding the roads like most guys. We are so regulated to never bait and all it's done is keep people from ever leaving there truck. If your legit going to bait a deer you realistically have permission and put time in to sit and watch , invest some time and money . . Instead we pound the roads and break every other rule out there. I'm fortunate to have a large land base to use at my discretion but the lions share of deer are killed out of a truck window in this province .

The smart ones stay away from the roads. Deer and hunters

[Ranch11]

If Alberta was really serious about CWD in ungulates, they would put a total ban on baiting. However, as the law states, it is legal to bait up until two weeks before the big season and for camera/photo opportunities only.
I see it as a joke, and a big form of hypocrisy.

[FCLightning]

Originally Posted by Ranch11

If Alberta was really serious about CWD in ungulates, they would put a total ban on baiting. However, as the law states, it is legal to bait up until two weeks before the big season and for camera/photo opportunities only.
I see it as a joke, and a big form of hypocrisy.

The ban on baiting was on the books before CWD was even invented as an acronym.

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by Ranch11

If Alberta was really serious about CWD in ungulates, they would put a total ban on baiting. However, as the law states, it is legal to bait up until two weeks before the big season and for camera/photo opportunities only.
I see it as a joke, and a big form of hypocrisy.

Where are you getting your info about this 2 week limit on baiting? It is not in the regs, or in the Wildlife Act. There have been many different interpretations and opinions about baiting including time limits, distance from bait, changing trail patterns, type of crops grown, etc. etc. Where did you get your information from? I have never heard or read about this 2 week limit, but I would love to see something in writing, from an official source, that might pertain to baiting regulations in AB.

As for CWD, thats another topic. Deer are herd animals. They will naturally group up around a food source, whether it is natural or man made. You can't blame CWD on baiting out in the field. Having them penned up in deer farms however, is another story.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by deercamp

The biggest thing of all this conversation is who really cares?? I honestly would love to see a guy kill a buck over a dugout with that intent instead of pounding the roads like most guys. We are so regulated to never bait and all it's done is keep people from ever leaving there truck. If your legit going to bait a deer you realistically have permission and put time in to sit and watch , invest some time and money . . Instead we pound the roads and break every other rule out there. I'm fortunate to have a large land base to use at my discretion but the lions share of deer are killed out of a truck window in this province .

I Agree.
Less wounded deer due to taking running shots and less conflicts with landowners too.

[Bub]

So funny thing happened today while looking for elk that is kind of related to this topic.

Have been out for a couple of hours calling and listening and whatnot, hunting in other words. A couple of full plastic water bottles (1 litre each) were left behind to be picked up and drunk on the way out. All quite in the bush, hardly any response, nothing interesting, really. On the way back, with strong back wind, not expecting to see anything in front of us, obviously, what do we find? A couple of cows chewing on the plastic bottles. Of course they took off right about when we saw them, otherwise at least one would go down. Yes, they sucked the water out of one of the bottles. The other was half full.

What do you know, the op might be on to something

[Nikanit]

I wonder why they sell bait at Wolverine?

[Hfp1422]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

So Keg, you are trying to argue that water is legally food? Am I understanding you correctly? Bait is defined in the wildlife act as a food attractant. If water is not food his intent is irrelevant.

Yeah I've never seen any definition of food that includes water...always 2 separate things.

[WillyOneStyle]

Just figure out where the natural water is and set your stand/blind there. We spend too much time trying to kill things in a spot that we can back the pick-up to. Pretty lazy. It's not like the deer that you baited into your half-burried bath tub was going thirsty were it not for you. The joy of all of this is going out and finding them, killing them and cursing for hours as you drag them over logs and up hills.