Hunters & Fishermen (fisher-people)
- Thread starter muskrat89
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Since we are talking about hunting and bears, what are peoples thoughts on baiting. I come from BC and work in Alberta, and see the number of lazy people on quads and such checking baits instead of looking for animal signs. It just kills me to see this! come on peolple walk the land, and I garuntee you will see the bears! You dont need to bait! It isn't sporting! How would you like it for someone to leave steaks etc for your family enjoyment, and then have one or two members shot! I am pro hunting but not baiting !
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Baiting is done mostly for bears. Depending on the State or province, baiting for other species may be legal, but usually it is bears, that people are baiting for. I've never done it, but I can tell you it's no "gimme" either.
Here's a snippet from the International Association for Bear Research and Management:
The bottom line is that the goal of a State or Province's Hunting or Trapping program is not only to provide opportunities for sportsmen, but to manage the populations. In the case of bears - baiting is the single most effective way to do this. States that have banned baiting have ended up with tremendous over-population problems, bear/human problem encounters, nuisance bears, and other problems. Generally, the biologists support it.
As a lifelong outdoorsman, and an outdoor writer, booking agent, etc., I have followed arguments like these, a long time. I belong to about 2 dozen message boards like this, that are dedicated to hunting and fishing. One of the reasons I fear for hunting's future is that while anti-hunters are united, the hunting community is not. Some are against baiting. Some are against the use of hounds. High-powered rifles. Scopes. The archery community feuds regarding the use of compound bows versus traditional long bows, or the use of crossbows. There are many "ranches" now, where hunters pay huge fees to kill everything from bison to exotic sheep, deer and other critters. These debates get very heated. I hunted a 45 acre plot of land growing up - yet, a 10,000 acre ranch in Texas isn't sporting, because it has a fence around it?
I support whatever methods of taking game that are legal. Whether or not a hunter employs those methods is a choice that they will have to make. There are a ton of misconceptions out there. I ran a trapline in high school and college. I never saw the terrible things that anti-fur people talk about. Talk to someone who's hunted mountain lions with hounds - they'll tell you it was probably the toughest hunt they've been on. Some people only hunt things they can eat.
Earl - There are many, using your point of view (not necessarily incorrect) that would say the only way to hunt "like a man" is dressed in a loin cloth, crawling through the bushes and carrying a spear.... Remember, the "men" years ago, used to stampeded herds of buffalo over cliffs.... hmmm
Anyway, my 2 cents
Here's a snippet from the International Association for Bear Research and Management:
The bottom line is that the goal of a State or Province's Hunting or Trapping program is not only to provide opportunities for sportsmen, but to manage the populations. In the case of bears - baiting is the single most effective way to do this. States that have banned baiting have ended up with tremendous over-population problems, bear/human problem encounters, nuisance bears, and other problems. Generally, the biologists support it.
As a lifelong outdoorsman, and an outdoor writer, booking agent, etc., I have followed arguments like these, a long time. I belong to about 2 dozen message boards like this, that are dedicated to hunting and fishing. One of the reasons I fear for hunting's future is that while anti-hunters are united, the hunting community is not. Some are against baiting. Some are against the use of hounds. High-powered rifles. Scopes. The archery community feuds regarding the use of compound bows versus traditional long bows, or the use of crossbows. There are many "ranches" now, where hunters pay huge fees to kill everything from bison to exotic sheep, deer and other critters. These debates get very heated. I hunted a 45 acre plot of land growing up - yet, a 10,000 acre ranch in Texas isn't sporting, because it has a fence around it?
I support whatever methods of taking game that are legal. Whether or not a hunter employs those methods is a choice that they will have to make. There are a ton of misconceptions out there. I ran a trapline in high school and college. I never saw the terrible things that anti-fur people talk about. Talk to someone who's hunted mountain lions with hounds - they'll tell you it was probably the toughest hunt they've been on. Some people only hunt things they can eat.
Earl - There are many, using your point of view (not necessarily incorrect) that would say the only way to hunt "like a man" is dressed in a loin cloth, crawling through the bushes and carrying a spear.... Remember, the "men" years ago, used to stampeded herds of buffalo over cliffs.... hmmm
Anyway, my 2 cents
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I agree with Chipdudeman on this one. I used to live in BC for 13 years and my family has never once used bait, it was never needed. We have just as must success getting bears doing it the old fashioned way. Baiting is not a sport, it's basically like setting up a New mall with 500 shops in a city of 5000; where do you think they are going to do their shopping?
Hunting involves tracking your game, and calling it in in a natural environment. Now setting up a mall (bear bait) is not a natural environment.
Hunting involves tracking your game, and calling it in in a natural environment. Now setting up a mall (bear bait) is not a natural environment.
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I would argue that the use of calls, scents, etc., isn't much different than baiting. Like I said, personally, I am neutral on this. As a hunter, I believe we should support each others' legal methods of taking game. There are many traditional archers that don't believe modern rifles should be used - unfair advantage. Bowhunters get to within 40 yards or so. I would argue "Where is the sport in zapping some creature from 400 yards away? Scent-Lok suits? Binoculars? The success rates in hunting over bait are not 100%, nor even close.
Sundborg - I can guarantee that there is some form of hunting that you take part in - that someone feels is unfair or unethical.
Again, I personally haven't hunted over bait. Here in the west, hunting over waterholes is a preferred method. Is that ethical? What about "natural bait" such as orchards or cornfields? I guess we'll have to agree, to disagree on this one
Sundborg - I can guarantee that there is some form of hunting that you take part in - that someone feels is unfair or unethical.
Again, I personally haven't hunted over bait. Here in the west, hunting over waterholes is a preferred method. Is that ethical? What about "natural bait" such as orchards or cornfields? I guess we'll have to agree, to disagree on this one
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This is a topic that can be argued and argued again by eveyone giving their views. Everyone has their own opinions on what's ethical and what's not, and how certain things shouldn't be done. With regards to baiting, I just feel that is taking the "easy" way out; that is just my opinion on the baiting matter.
