Question on feeder

[bigblueswami]

I just got a new programmable spin feeder to put out corn for deer and turkey. But someone told me that this year, that feed must be removed 60 days before the start of turkey season instead of 30 days like last year. Anybody know if this is the case. If so, its not worth putting it out until after turkey season is over.

[Boss Gobbler]

I could be wrong but I think you can put it out you just cant hunt within 100 yards of it.

[Multidigits]

Boss is wrong. You can not hunt within influence of the bait. That could be a mile or more, depending on the mood of the CO. For as I know, the bait has to be removed 30 prior to hunting.

[Boss Gobbler]

That is kinda strange. You probably cant " legally" hunt turkey anywhere in ky then. Alot of farmers feed grain and corn late winter and early spring. My neighbor also has a bird feeder the turkeys are hanging around. I guess I should not hunt my farm. Not being a smarta55 just wondering.

[wasp]

If you got land,and the land next to you is being baited, then you cant hunt it..it sucks because, we all pay taxes on our land and cant hunt it.and more then likely the one next to you will not take there feeders down in time..... my 2 cents

[.300Savage]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Boss Gobbler</i>
<br />That is kinda strange. You probably cant " legally" hunt turkey anywhere in ky then. Alot of farmers feed grain and corn late winter and early spring. My neighbor also has a bird feeder the turkeys are hanging around. I guess I should not hunt my farm. Not being a smarta55 just wondering.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I believe that this was brought up before. I think I remember that as long as corn, grain, etc. was being put out to feed livestock, and the turkeys were eating what was spilled, left over, or whatever, then it was no considered baiting. Maybe someone can help me out on this one.


Rocco

[Hammer]

That can't be right, wasp. Nobody's going to tell me I can't hunt turkeys because my neighbor is baiting. How would u even know your neighbor is baiting unless u were trespassing on their land? I rarely even see the owners of the neighboring farms much less talk with them, and when I do, I don't ask them if they are baiting. If the COs are walking through people's farms and woods looking for corn piles this Spring, I think they are wasting the salaries being paid them. I'm sure there are many more violations taking place on the lakes, rivers, and streams during turkey season than people hunting over corn.

[Hammer]

.300 savage, that's a normal agricultural process, so it's not baiting. One of the best dove hunts I ever had was where a farmer was feeding hogs.

[Multidigits]

I've been told that the yellow corn really shows up from the air. That should tell you something. Hammer they will cite you. Same applys to waterfowl hunting.

[Hammer]

I'm not talking about ducks, multi. How am I supposed to know if my neighbor is baiting?? Get real!

[BluegrassTom]

This law as all other laws have to be applied with common sense. Im sure the game wardens are reasonable about this issue. I feel that I only control my land and what happens on it. Im not responsible for my neighbor or their actions.

[Multidigits]

You guys may be in for a reality check. The "area of influence" works the same for ducks and geese as it does with turkeys. CO sometimes DO NOT apply the common sense that you think would be required. The law is clear, that if the animal in question is being drawn or is even leaving the baited site, you can't shoot it. I know guys that were warned no to, and later did shoot waterfowl at least a mile from the only open water source in the area. The geese were being fed at the open water by a do-gooder. They set up and pass shot the low-belly geese and were cited for hunting over bait. The fine money total over a thousand dollars for the group. It would have cost more to defend themselves against these charges.

There are probably lots of laws on the books you might not like. Just because you don't like the law, doesn't mean you can disregard it and that the CO will let it slide. They won't. Your only alternative would be to work to change the law.

[Hammer]

again, I'm not talking about ducks/geese. I might have even agreed with the example u cite as I don't have much time for pass shooters anyway. Please, I want u tell me how I'm supposed to know if the neighbor has out a corn pile. Thanks.

[HardinCountyHunter]

In the short time I have been posting on this site, this subject has gotten a lot of discussion. As I have told some of you before, I have only been hunting turkeys a few seasons. However, I don't think baiting is much of a problem in the spring. The problem seems to me to be with fall bow and shotgun hunts becuse of all of the deer baiting which is going on at that time. I know the COs have to enforce all of the laws, but I think there are larger problems in the spring than baiting to worry about. My hunting partner and I hear roost shots just about every morning and that worries me more than baiting. I'm talking about shots before day light and shortly thereafter when it is too dark to shoot. That is the real problem along with tresspassing. I sure do hope the COs are not putting much time trying to work a measuring tape to see if we are hunting too close to a neighboring farms old bait pile that we might not even know about!

[Multidigits]

Hammer-You might want to ask him??? If he says no when he really does, then it might help you if your caught. At least you tried to be straight. BTW-the area of influence could be more than the bordering farm. It could be any place that the turkeys are travaling to because of the bait. Here's an example that could and probably has happened to justify the law, even though you may not like it. Say a guy knows his neighbor doesn't hunt and likely wouldn't see any bait. Instead of putting the bait on your own property, you might think it's wise to put across the fence, and hunt on your side. Plead ignorant if your caught and get away with it.

[bigblueswami]

Boy did I ever open a can a worms! [:)] okay, just as long as its not 60 days. And for those of you taking kids, just to be safe, don't forget youth hunting comes in earlier.

[schuyler olt]

The "with the aid of" language does leave a ton of room for interpretation, and someday I'd like to see them go to a distance standard. In theory, the birds could be travelling to and from a bait site a mile or more away from you. At some point, there are so many things that could alter their path, especially in the spring, that the current reg gets just too vague.
One thing about feeding with corn. If it's infected with aflotoxin, you stand the chance of wiping out your flock. Even in weather like this, the birds don't need supplemental feeding. Also, turkeys feed to and from the feeder, and by the time spring rolls around, they've picked your area clean. Many times I've heard guys complain that they had birds all winter, then nothing. When you ask them whether they were feeding, the answer is almost always, "yes." I recommend you think twice about it.

[grouseguy]

I would agree wholeheartedly with the implementation of a distance standard. I would also like to see that distance standard to say that it would stop at the property line. That way a non-hunter could not affect the property rights of his hunting neighbor.

The current interpretation of this reg just leaves the hunters confused and vulnerable, while giving the KDFWR a PR "black eye" that makes them seem almost "anti-hunter".


"If I went hunting and discovered I'd forgot my dog, I'd go back home. If I'd forgot my gun, I'd go hunting."

[bigblueswami]

I'm not worried about losing any turkeys in the spring. I've got 3 acres of clover and several fields and edges I burn for nesting.

[wasp]

HAMMER,,,I do not trespass,, i guess you no your neighbor is baiting when you see him going to he's land with a truck load of corn,,and he does not have any livestock........

[Hammer]

wasp, I don't live on my land, and I do not see my neighbors except for on rare occasions. There's no way for me to know. I wasn't implying that u trespass, sorry if u took it that way. GL!

[wasp]

Hammer,,, I understand what your saying,ever place is diff......wasp

[Boss Gobbler]

With only taking two turkeys being the limit would making baiting legal be a big deal? Seems to me that to much effort is put into something that isnt really a problem.

[INKYHUNTER]

Let's not go there![xx(]