Indiana Deer Hunting Legalities for Bow Hunters?

[bd1024]

Try as I might, I can't get in touch with anyone at the DNR----So I'll throw it out here. --Per Indiana deer hunting regulations, one cannot hunt over a deer / turkey feeder. ---- This I understand, and agree with. -- My question is this, --On a 40 acre tract, If I am bow hunting from my tree stands, or blinds, is a feeder legal, if it is not within range of my stands or blinds? --- say 100+ yards from my tree stands, or blinds. ----- If I give the deer a reason to come to the 40 acre woods, I stand a better chance of having one to come into the kill zone. --- I do not have any water, such as a pond or stream, just woods, crops do not surround any side of the property, just more woods. -----Giving the deer and turkey a reason to visit the woods makes sense to me......... 100+ yards from, and out of bow range----- (This question does not apply to gun hunting, as I realize that a 100+ yd. shot is possible.) Appreciate your input. Thanks!

 

[hammer24]

I would think it would be up to the officer's discretion. Generally, they don't like feeders during season. The general rule they follow (as told to me by a CO) is "Would a reasonable person have reason to believe that the bait/ feeder would aid the hunter in his/her taking of a deer." That leaves a lot of gray area including trails that could possibly lead to or from the feeders.

--- say 100+ yards from my tree stands, or blinds. ----- If I give the deer a reason to come to the 40 acre woods, I stand a better chance of having one to come into the kill zone.

^^^^You may have answered your own question here. ^^^^^
So if I had feeders on properties that I hunt , they would be down 10 days before the season started. I would think that you'd need at least a few hundred yards between you and a feeder.

Your best bet is to contact your local CO and ask him or have them walk the ground with you.

 

[JimH]

Like hammer24 said,contact your C.O. I think it's usually a judgement call,so better safe than sorry.

 

[MRP2003]

Personally I would take it down asap and keep it down until the end of the season. Even if it is empty and has not been operating for a while, it is too easy for a CO to consider it as being active. It is just not worth the trouble as I have read many stories of where a COs seem to look for a reason and will make the "gray" black and white in favor of a violation.

If the feeder is influencing deer to go to or by your stand, then it is baiting.

just my 2 cents

 

[bd1024]

Personally I would take it down asap and keep it down until the end of the season. Even if it is empty and has not been operating for a while, it is too easy for a CO to consider it as being active. It is just not worth the trouble as I have read many stories of where a COs seem to look for a reason and will make the "gray" black and white in favor of a violation.

If the feeder is influencing deer to go to or by your stand, then it is baiting.

just my 2 cents

Your logic does indeed make good sense. I have taken them down, in order to comply with the regulations, but I still wonder what distance from a stand would be considered legal per the letter of the law. Corner to corner of 40 acres is a pretty respectable distance. --- Really appreciate the replies, Thanks!

 

[hammer24]

but I still wonder what distance from a stand would be considered legal per the letter of the law. Corner to corner of 40 acres is a pretty respectable distance.

There is intentionally no specified distance. It is up to the officer to investigate the situation and decide if the bait was an "aid" to you, that is why I suggested contacting your CO. He is likely the one to be doing the deciding.

Here is a link to put you in contact with your local branch of the DNR law enforcement division. http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm

 

[Willie]

Hammer has given you excellent advice.

in hunting regulations IF you have any doubt - don't do it..

 

[M4Madness]

...if the bait was an "aid" to you...

This is pretty much all that needs to be considered. If a feeder anywhere on the property increases your odds of seeing deer (attracting deer that normally wouldn't be there), then it is bait.

 

[DEC]

Call your C.O. as others suggested. Get their personal take on your situation. Every C.O. kind of uses their own discretion (at least the ones that I talk to say this). I teach Hunter Ed classes and in every class this topic comes up. There is always a C.O. there during the Q&A part of the course on Indiana Regulations. Every C.O. seems to have a slightly different take on this subject. So again you would be best to contact your local C.O.(s) and get their direct input on your situation.

 

[Onebad06vtx]

You wouldnt stand a chance on only 40 acres.

 

[MRP2003]

If you do contact CO, let us know what they say

 

[Bert]

put the bait on your neighbors side of the fence .

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I've talked about this issue with the COs in my area and the answers are sometimes different depending on the descretion of the officer you talk to. If there are trails that lead to the bait and you are hunting those trails - in the discretion of the officer - then you are hunting bait even if the bait is on your neighbor's land. I've even been told if you move naturally occuring food - like persimmons - that's baiting. True story. I moved some persimmons from under a persimmon tree less than 10 feet to stop deer in front of my ground blind and the CO I talked to said had he caught me he would have cited me for baiting. Not kidding.

Bait must be cleaned up - meaning no residue whatsoever - for 10 days in order to hunt that area and/or trails.

Our baiting laws are FUBAR.

 

[Willie]

I'll bet you could pick out any trail in Indiana and if you were a real good tracker you could connect to every trail in Indiana..

Ive got some stuff on my PC ill post later..

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

I'll bet you could pick out any trail in Indiana and if you were a real good tracker you could connect to every trail in Indiana..

Ive got some stuff on my PC ill post later..

Exactly. If we're going to have a baiting law, then it should be written better. Right now it's almost exclusively left up to the discretion of the CO, so it pretty much means what ever they want it to mean. Actually had a CO tell me he has cited people for baiting when the bait was located on adjacent property. So stupid.

Acorns = Bait
Persimmons = Bait
Water = Bait
Corn = Bait
Scent Attractants = Bait
Decoys = Bait
PawPaw's = Bait
Sex Attractants = Bait

It's all bait. Let's randomly pick some that are legal and to muddy the waters more, lets leave the definition so open that the CO can pretty much do what ever he wants.

 

[greg]

Exactly. If we're going to have a baiting law, then it should be written better. Right now it's almost exclusively left up to the discretion of the CO, so it pretty much means what ever they want it to mean. Actually had a CO tell me he has cited people for baiting when the bait was located on adjacent property. So stupid.

Acorns = Bait
Persimmons = Bait
Water = Bait
Corn = Bait
Scent Attractants = Bait
Decoys = Bait
PawPaw's = Bait
Sex Attractants = Bait

It's all bait. Let's randomly pick some that are legal and to muddy the waters more, lets leave the definition so open that the CO can pretty much do what ever he wants.

Everything you got listed is NOT bait......they all are natural to Indiana and only become BAIT when moved from natural setting to enhance your hunting!!!

Sex Attractants are not BAIT......they are not eaten!!!!!

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

An attractant is an attractant. Bait, in the open sense, attracts. Sex attractants do that. Water does that. Doesn't have to be eaten to be bait - that's my point. I think it's disengenuous to make laws that forbid one kind of bait and not another. A decoy is an attractant - bait.

Like I said, I moved persimmons ten feet - still under the tree from which they fell - and it's still bait.

If you pile up acorns under the tree they fell - BAIT - by Indiana law.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

If bait has to be "food" - not naturally occurring - not moved if naturally occurring - not too much or "suspicious" if dropped by agricultural means....

How is a food plot not "bait"? It didn't get there naturally and it's not for agriculture.

How is a food attractant smell not "bait"? Just because the deer doesn't know it's not an apple by smelling it, he's not baited because he's not smart enough to know it's not an apple?

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Webster's definition:

"bait (noun): something (such as a piece of food) that is used to attract fish or animals so they can be caught."

 

[greg]

An attractant is an attractant. Bait, in the open sense, attracts. Sex attractants do that. Water does that. Doesn't have to be eaten to be bait - that's my point. I think it's disengenuous to make laws that forbid one kind of bait and not another. A decoy is an attractant - bait.

Not by Indiana Law...

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...8zrrzqIF34_97E32PyZsQXA&bvm=bv.53077864,d.eWU