New “bait” law ?

[Freedom]

So the new “bait” law states that you cannot bait for the purpose of “taking” or harvesting a big game animal…this seems fairly clear. What is not clear is if you can specifically bait for the purpose of getting pics on your trail cam. It seems to me that this should still be legal…it does not say anything about it. Yes, I get it that if you hunt there, that would be illegal. What do you all think?

 

[Sallaberry]

I’m pretty sure the Bible is against baiting as well…

 

[desperatehills]

If you bait in a unit that you possess a tag in I believe you would be poaching. What is the sense in getting pictures of deer in a unit you hunt if you can't hunt them? I think you are reaching a bit.

All the guys in Arizona are thinking the same way about their game cameras. I can still run a camera on a water hole so long as I don't hunt that water hole. I don't think so.

 

[wyoflythrower]

You can’t bait during hunting season- UT DWR has been clear with recent emails and FAQ’s on this. Baiting is legal during the summer scouting and legal when just for picture purposes.

From the UT DWR ?

Can I bait during the summer months while scouting an area I plan to hunt in the fall?​

Yes, in many circumstances you can. Before your hunting season begins, the bait must be removed. Just make sure the area where the bait was placed is no longer luring big game animals to that location. Important: The area is still considered to be baited if it's manipulating the big game animal's behavior.

Can I bait big game if I don’t plan to hunt or have a permit?​

Yes, the prohibition on baiting only applies to big game hunting activities. It is illegal to use bait while hunting — or attempting to hunt — big game animals. Using bait to simply view or photograph wildlife is acceptable under the law.

 

[elkantlers]

So my question is what if I have a tag for a Premium deer unit (which I do) and someone has a bait site with a camera in a good area I was planning on hunting. Can I still hunt that area since I am in no way associated with the baiter? Is that area now off limits?

There sure seems like there is a lot of room for interpretation and shenanigan, specially by certain Hunting guides who shall not be names but their initials are WLH.

I wish the Wildlife board would just grow a set and just come right out and say NO baiting after August 1st.

 

[wyoflythrower]

This is all the FAQ’s say about that - I believe hunting over any non-agricultural producer placed bait will be illegal whether the Hunter placed the bait or someone else did. I agree it would be much simpler if it just stated no baiting period for any reason after a certain date.

Can I hunt over salt blocks that were placed by agricultural producers for their animals?​

Yes, you can, but only if the agricultural producer placed the salt blocks as part of their normal agricultural practices for the use of their animals.

 

[Freedom]

You can’t bait during hunting season- UT DWR has been clear with recent emails and FAQ’s on this. Baiting is legal during the summer scouting and legal when just for picture purposes.

From the UT DWR ?

Can I bait during the summer months while scouting an area I plan to hunt in the fall?​

Yes, in many circumstances you can. Before your hunting season begins, the bait must be removed. Just make sure the area where the bait was placed is no longer luring big game animals to that location. Important: The area is still considered to be baited if it's manipulating the big game animal's behavior.

Can I bait big game if I don’t plan to hunt or have a permit?​

Yes, the prohibition on baiting only applies to big game hunting activities. It is illegal to use bait while hunting — or attempting to hunt — big game animals. Using bait to simply view or photograph wildlife is acceptable under the law.

Thank you…I have not seen this before…this makes it all crystal now.

 

[Bigwiffy]

I found somebody's bear bait this summer and ate 3 dozen donuts off of it. They were mostly maple bars which are my favorite! I'll bet the trail cam pics are framed somewhere.

 

[elkassassin]

I Can Hear it Now:

Ya,That is My Cam!

But That Ain't My Bait!

Somebody-else must have Put the Bait in Front of My Cam!

 

[ridgetops]

Here we go again!!

 

[Bwht4x4]

So the new “bait” law states that you cannot bait for the purpose of “taking” or harvesting a big game animal…this seems fairly clear. What is not clear is if you can specifically bait for the purpose of getting pics on your trail cam. It seems to me that this should still be legal…it does not say anything about it. Yes, I get it that if you hunt there, that would be illegal. What do you all think?

You need to see what UDWR's definition of "take" is. In CA the definition of "take" is:

“take” is defined by Fish and Game Code section 86 as hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill.

 

[hossblur]

Freeway sign says 70mph. I set the cruise at 73 because "no cop is is going to get me for 3mph".


In the rearview I see red and blue. Not the cops fault, I knew the law, and the intent of it.

"Trying to get a pic" in July is WAYYYYYYYY different than getting a pic in September.

Let's not pretend

 

[elkfromabove]

Freeway sign says 70mph. I set the cruise at 73 because "no cop is is going to get me for 3mph".


In the rearview I see red and blue. Not the cops fault, I knew the law, and the intent of it.

"Trying to get a pic" in July is WAYYYYYYYY different than getting a pic in September.

Let's not pretend

Yes, let's not pretend that the Big Game baiting law was written on a sign with one number and two or three words which even a child could understand, 'cause it isn't!

 

[hossblur]

Yes, let's not pretend that the Big Game baiting law was written on a sign with one number and two or three words which even a child could understand, 'cause it isn't!

If your a full grown man and don't understand what carrying food into the forest, then piling it up is, there is no hope.

The same guys who play stupid about "what bait is", can tell you the ballistics of every gun, the horsepower and torque of their truck, the Ram of their phone, but somehow don't understand that apples, salt, mineral blocks are bait. Let's get real, any 5 year old knows what bait is.

 

[ridgetops]

So the new “bait” law states that you cannot bait for the purpose of “taking” or harvesting a big game animal…this seems fairly clear. What is not clear is if you can specifically bait for the purpose of getting pics on your trail cam. It seems to me that this should still be legal…it does not say anything about it. Yes, I get it that if you hunt there, that would be illegal. What do you all think?

Your right, it is legal if your not hunting over or around the salt you put down. No matter how hard hossblur tries to muddy the water on this subject. It is still legal to do while scouting or just trying to get pictures.

 

[grizzly]

Your right, it is legal if your not hunting over or around the salt you put down. No matter how hard hossblur tries to muddy the water on this subject. It is still legal to do while scouting or just trying to get pictures.

The people trying to muddy the waters are the ones looking for the exceptions and loopholes...

"What if I don't hunt over it?"

"What if it's before the season?"

"What if I find somebody else's bait?"

"What if it's a rancher's salt?"

"What if it's a Trophy Rock?"

"How far do I have to be from bait when I hunt?"

"It's too complicated to understand."

____________

It's the only game law I can think of that people openly try and flaut.

 

[ridgetops]

The people trying to muddy the waters are the ones looking for the exceptions and loopholes...

"What if I don't hunt over it?"

"What if it's before the season?"

"What if I find somebody else's bait?"

"What if it's a rancher's salt?"

"What if it's a Trophy Rock?"

"How far do I have to be from bait when I hunt?"

"It's too complicated to understand."

____________

It's the only game law I can think of that people openly try and flaut.

Why don't you answer those questions correctly for those folks asking?

 

[grizzly]

Why don't you answer those questions correctly for those folks asking?

Sure.

DON'T HUNT OVER BAIT!

The rancher exception wasn't put in there to give a sliver of a way to hunt over bait, it was put in there to ensure that ranchers could still put out mineral blocks. So honor the spirit and intent of the law and DON'T HUNT OVER BAIT!

And if somebody wants to really show their hunting prowess while finding game before the season starts they can find a game trail, a wallow, or a spring to put a camera on instead of relying on manipulating the activity and diet of wildlife by placing artificial food sources.

For something that the baiters said didn't work anyway, they're sure combing the verbiage of the law and the DWR FAQ page trying to figure out how far they can go.

 

[hossblur]

Your right, it is legal if your not hunting over or around the salt you put down. No matter how hard hossblur tries to muddy the water on this subject. It is still legal to do while scouting or just trying to get pictures.

The muddy waters come from long, multi word sentences.

And pretending that we don't know the difference between a salt lick out for cattle, and C'mere deer.

If you don't run cows, ANY salt you haul in is for bait.

If you hunt an apple orchard, then the apples on the ground ain't bait. If there ain't an apple orchard within 50 miles, you might be baiting.

Let's face it. The DWR knows it's an issue, they have data, and memos discussing it. The baiters know they are successful, because they have horns to prove it.

There isn't some grey area. If YOU PACK IT IN, it's bait. Where is the mud?

 

[Bigwiffy]

I don't have a tag this year I'm eating all my leftover bear bait. I like Utah laws they let you be the boss, more like guidelines. Just don't let Hoss Fife or Grizz Paul Blart see ya!

 

[grizzly]

I like Utah laws they let you be the boss, more like guidelines.

 

[hossblur]

View attachment 45764

It is true. I mean you can shoot sheep on closed units. You can harass Island deer. You can back in peterbuilts filled with apples.

And, you can expect the WB to try to create ambiguity, to give lots of grey areas.

Might cost you a guided bear hunt, or a billboard sized cardboard check, but hey, who cares,....... Right?

 

[elkantlers]

If I know of a great big buck that I don't want to get killed can I litter the area with baits and cameras for the purpose of getting pictures thus making the area unhurtable?

 

[hossblur]

If I know of a great big buck that I don't want to get killed can I litter the area with baits and cameras for the purpose of getting pictures thus making the area unhurtable?

It's Utah. Doyle's been watching it on cams for 3 years already. Ain't no secrets

 

[Bigwiffy]

It's Utah. Doyle's been watching it on cams for 3 years already. Ain't no secrets

Who is Doyle's?

 

[elkassassin]

Ranchers Haven't Had to set Salt out in TARDville for Decades Now!

You Gonna Make them Start Buying & Packing Salt in?

 

[notdonhunting]

Sure.

DON'T HUNT OVER BAIT!

The rancher exception wasn't put in there to give a sliver of a way to hunt over bait, it was put in there to ensure that ranchers could still put out mineral blocks. So honor the spirit and intent of the law and DON'T HUNT OVER BAIT!

And if somebody wants to really show their hunting prowess while finding game before the season starts they can find a game trail, a wallow, or a spring to put a camera on instead of relying on manipulating the activity and diet of wildlife by placing artificial food sources.

For something that the baiters said didn't work anyway, they're sure combing the verbiage of the law and the DWR FAQ page trying to figure out how far they can go.

I don't think livestock owners needed any permission from the State of Utah DWR to place salt out for their livestock that are grazing on Federal property.

 

[grizzly]

I don't think livestock owners needed any permission from the State of Utah DWR to place salt out for their livestock that are grazing on Federal property.

Correct. And the state baiting law made clear they weren't trying to change that.

 

[elkfromabove]

If I know of a great big buck that I don't want to get killed can I litter the area with baits and cameras for the purpose of getting pictures thus making the area unhurtable?

Yes you can, along with animal rights crowd, treehuggers, hunters who don't want any does killed,, and residents in the Extended Archery areas who don't like hunters or hunting.

 

[ridgetops]

Correct. And the state baiting law made clear they weren't trying to change that.

And the DWR made it very clear that you can legally bait in the summertime before the hunts start.

 

[ridgetops]

Yes you can, along with animal rights crowd, treehuggers, hunters who don't want any does killed,, and residents in the Extended Archery areas who don't like hunters or hunting.

And if that was really going to happen it would already be happening with our upland game but it's not and it won't happen with the big game either.

 

[grizzly]

And the DWR made it very clear that you can legally bait in the summertime before the hunts start.

There is zero evidence of benefit to wildlife by baiting. There are numerous studies available showing adverse effects due to consolidation of wildlife resulting in increased predation and disease spread.

But, you're correct, if somebody wants to get pictures over salt or apples in the summer then they can legally do so according to DWR.

Footnote: I've heard that it's illegal to place apples on USFS land, as they're a non-native species that do replicate off apple seeds, but I've not looked into it further.