KS POSSIBLY REMOVING BAIT- I support, here’s why…

[ordnance83]

I’ll probably catch a lot of flak, but I don’t care. 1st post but been a member of this forum for 2-3 years and have learned a lot and have taken advice from these forums that I have employed on my ground in KS. I was stationed in Iowa from 2020 until July 2023 at Fort Des Moines. I am a Kansan resident and own parcels in 2 counties and have shot deer in probably 10+ counties in KS using a variety of methods- rifle, muzzy, bow, Xbow. Baiting obviously congregates deer to a specific area, but so does the farmer or ag manager that leaves a couple combine swaths worth of standing corn or beans along a heavily wooded bedding area. While one is perfectly legal, the other is largely shamed in some circles. It’s true that one is more pinpoint (feeder) while the other (200 bushel/acre corn in rows) has the same general effect and no one gives a crap. Overall, I think it’s very subjective. I have personally not seen the quality (big bucks) or quantity of deer (total #s) go down in over 20 years in NE or NC KS. EHD has probably been the biggest factor in annual deer harvest and quality of mature bucks. There are definitely outfitters who will key in on feeders and make money toting pics and booking hunts, but I don’t think eliminating ‘baiting’ in KS will dramatically improve overall herd size or increase the number of mature bucks. I’ve ran feeders for ~10 years and I’ve shot 2 deer (1 doe / 1 buck) because of the influence of the feeder.

 

[tall@wide]

I’ll probably catch a lot of flak, but I don’t care. 1st post but been a member of this forum for 2-3 years and have learned a lot and have taken advice from these forums that I have employed on my ground in KS. I was stationed in Iowa from 2020 until July 2023 at Fort Des Moines. I am a Kansan resident and own parcels in 2 counties and have shot deer in probably 10+ counties in KS using a variety of methods- rifle, muzzy, bow, Xbow. Baiting obviously congregates deer to a specific area, but so does the farmer or ag manager that leaves a couple combine swaths worth of standing corn or beans along a heavily wooded bedding area. While one is perfectly legal, the other is largely shamed in some circles. It’s true that one is more pinpoint (feeder) while the other (200 bushel/acre corn in rows) has the same general effect and no one gives a crap. Overall, I think it’s very subjective. I have personally not seen the quality (big bucks) or quantity of deer (total #s) go down in over 20 years in NE or NC KS. EHD has probably been the biggest factor in annual deer harvest and quality of mature bucks. There are definitely outfitters who will key in on feeders and make money toting pics and booking hunts, but I don’t think eliminating ‘baiting’ in KS will dramatically improve overall herd size or increase the number of mature bucks. I’ve ran feeders for ~10 years and I’ve shot 2 deer (1 doe / 1 buck) because of the influence of the feeder.

I respect your opinion, but disagree. Anytime you make hunting easier such as baiting or crossbows, it means more immature bucks will be shot. This decreases the age structure. In reality more young, great genetic bucks will be shot because they are more apt to visit bait in daylight hours .

 

[ordnance83]

KS has allowed baiting and Xbows for a long time now and it hasn’t really changed the quantity or quality of deer IMO. Been around prior, and after all regulations have been enacted. Every year, there are articles of huge bucks taken in the state. If the current situation is that bad, don’t you think there’d be a lot more fuss from KS hunters?