Proposed Baiting Regulation Changes for ODWC

[AllOut]

That's a very poor outlook to have here. I hope people that think like you are the minority. Its like me saying since I don't have kids, I don't care if anyone else's kids are able to hunt.

Good call 264

 

[doctorjj]

We don't want Bermuda, Johnson grass, old world blue stem, etc etc on our public lands. The ODWC is already fighting tooth and nail to chase these plants off.

Again, I stand for the rule change and feel that there is solid science in it's initial proposal.

You don't want bermuda on public land? It's already there brother. It's everywhere. I didn't realize it was an unwanted invasive species anyway??

 

[doctorjj]

That's a very poor outlook to have here. I hope people that think like you are the minority. Its like me saying since I don't have kids, I don't care if anyone else's kids are able to hunt.

I apologize guys. My original comment came off wrong. I suppose a better way of saying it would be that this issue isn't on my radar and personally I won't be affected by it but I am against the regulation change and I'll go to the ODWC website to let them know.

 

[dennishoddy]

I support the rule change and voiced my opinion. I personally know the Biologist that suggested this rule change. It came from in house, not out of house.

I hunt public ground 99% of the time and the number of feeders/bait piles/feed stations that I encounter over the last few years has sky rocketed. So has the number of hunters out there that get the sense of "mine" when they throw bait on the ground. I have also witnessed plenty of confrontations between hunters for various reasons concerning a bait pile. I visited a WMA this past season that I have not visited in nearly 4 years. I literally could not walk more than 1/4 mile without seeing a feeder or stumbling across a bait pile. It pissed me off.

Yes baiting/food plots/food sources are essentially the same, but throwing bait on the ground raises the risk of disease substantially. Just imagine the area that is covered by one bait pile and then imagine all the critters that eat/crap/roll around in that pile (usually less than a 15 square foot area) Compare that area to the area of only 1/4 acre food plot(10890 square feet) and it is obvious that disease/sickness will be spread at a very escalated rate on the bait piles. No we have not had a huge outbreak of sickness in our deer heard but if it happened, I can guarantee you that baited lands will crash faster than any other.

Bait piles bring in unwanted plants. Every bag of bait you buy is only guaranteed to be so pure. After that, there can be a wide variety of different plants mixed in. We don't want Bermuda, Johnson grass, old world blue stem, etc etc on our public lands. The ODWC is already fighting tooth and nail to chase these plants off.

Again, I stand for the rule change and feel that there is solid science in it's initial proposal.

I respect your opinion, but do not agree.
I'm not sure what WMA your hunting, but in my area, talking to folks that hunt Kaw WMA exclusivly, as well as other local WMA's, they don't see the concentration of feeders and corn piles your encountering in your area.
In my private land food plots, I've had deer coming for years to the same plot, and in the ground that I farm, there is the same. Currently there is no scientific evidence that deer coming to feeders in Okla are spreading disease's of any kind. If there is evidence, I would like to see it posted in this thread.

As far as the "problem" with introducing some unwanted weeds in a bag of corn, its not really an issue. Any farmer, and I am one, will tell you that that the tags on the bags of seed wheat corn, or milo will list the percentage of weed seeds in the bag. There are very strict regulations in effect by the USDA on what can be sold as seed.
IF there are any scientific reports of invasive weed infestations caused by feeders or corn piles, please post them in this thread.

Johnson grass, old world fescue, and other invasive specie are easily spread by flood waters, other animals and birds ingesting the seed and depositing it elsewhere in their feces. Actually, driving through a muddy field of Johnson grass will cause some seed to be thrown and and attached to the fender wells, to only later fall off in another area. You can't stop it. Just control it.

 

[dennishoddy]

I support the rule change and voiced my opinion. I personally know the Biologist that suggested this rule change. It came from in house, not out of house.

I hunt public ground 99% of the time and the number of feeders/bait piles/feed stations that I encounter over the last few years has sky rocketed. So has the number of hunters out there that get the sense of "mine" when they throw bait on the ground. I have also witnessed plenty of confrontations between hunters for various reasons concerning a bait pile. I visited a WMA this past season that I have not visited in nearly 4 years. I literally could not walk more than 1/4 mile without seeing a feeder or stumbling across a bait pile. It pissed me off.

Yes baiting/food plots/food sources are essentially the same, but throwing bait on the ground raises the risk of disease substantially. Just imagine the area that is covered by one bait pile and then imagine all the critters that eat/crap/roll around in that pile (usually less than a 15 square foot area) Compare that area to the area of only 1/4 acre food plot(10890 square feet) and it is obvious that disease/sickness will be spread at a very escalated rate on the bait piles. No we have not had a huge outbreak of sickness in our deer heard but if it happened, I can guarantee you that baited lands will crash faster than any other.

Bait piles bring in unwanted plants. Every bag of bait you buy is only guaranteed to be so pure. After that, there can be a wide variety of different plants mixed in. We don't want Bermuda, Johnson grass, old world blue stem, etc etc on our public lands. The ODWC is already fighting tooth and nail to chase these plants off.

Again, I stand for the rule change and feel that there is solid science in it's initial proposal.

I respect your opinion, but do not agree.
I'm not sure what WMA your hunting, but in my area, talking to folks that hunt Kaw WMA exclusivly, as well as other local WMA's, they don't see the concentration of feeders and corn piles your encountering in your area.
In my private land food plots, I've had deer coming for years to the same plot, and in the ground that I farm, there is the same. Currently there is no scientific evidence that deer coming to feeders in Okla are spreading disease's of any kind. If there is evidence, I would like to see it posted in this thread.

As far as the "problem" with introducing some unwanted weeds in a bag of corn, its not really an issue. Any farmer, and I am one, will tell you that that the tags on the bags of seed wheat corn, or milo will list the percentage of weed seeds in the bag. There are very strict regulations in effect by the USDA on what can be sold as seed.
IF there are any scientific reports of invasive weed infestations caused by feeders or corn piles, please post them in this thread.

Johnson grass, old world fescue, and other invasive specie are easily spread by flood waters, other animals and birds ingesting the seed and depositing it elsewhere in their feces. Actually, driving through a muddy field of Johnson grass will cause some seed to be thrown and and attached to the fender wells, to only later fall off in another area. You can't stop it. Just control it.

 

[Bulls eye]

Im originally from Alabama where baiting is not legal. I have hunted 2 full deer seasons here on the Ft. Gibson wma. Ive walked a bunch of that land and have only come upon 2 corn feeders, both with ladderstands close by. I dont believe excessive baiting is a problem there. That being said, I dont bait and most likely never will. Just not my thing. Its legal here though and im not gonna bash folks that do.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Voiced my opinion as well. I voted in favor of baiting on public land. If its a turkey season or dove season issue, limit baiting on public land from October 1st to February 28th. If a neighboring landowner can put a feeder up to draw elk/deer/other game from WMA with restricted hunting, why can't somebody bait that may only have access to public land.

 

[fishfurlife]

You don't want bermuda on public land? It's already there brother. It's everywhere. I didn't realize it was an unwanted invasive species anyway??

I am not saying that these grasses are not on public lands already, I am saying they are unwanted. Bernuda is worthless, absolutely worthless to wildlife. Call any upland biologist and ask them for advice on your 160 acre field of bermuda. It won't be pretty.

Your oak tree only drops acorns for a few weeks a season. Thus giving the chance to spread sickness is very small throughout the year. A feeder/bait pile usually goes at least a few months out of the year and in most cases, 4-6 months.

Here you go Dennis, and your food plots alone that have fed deer for years are exponentially larger than a bait pile/spreading area of a feeder. The odds of direct contact with other animals/other deer is much higher a at a bait station of one form or another.

http://www.cwd-info.org/pdf/FeedingDeer.pdf

 

[fishfurlife]

Johnson grass, old world fescue, and other invasive specie are easily spread by flood waters, other animals and birds ingesting the seed and depositing it elsewhere in their feces. Actually, driving through a muddy field of Johnson grass will cause some seed to be thrown and and attached to the fender wells, to only later fall off in another area. You can't stop it. Just control it.

Now it probably makes a lot of sense as to why it is strongly advised to wash your boat off from lake to lake. Humans have spread unwanted species of all kinds like wildfire.

 

[ElkStalkR]

Well not hunting public land myself, I'm not sure what to think! I see their points and if thats what the public land hunters agree with then thats fine. If the public hunters want to keep feeders, thats fine too!! So long as they don't try to expand this to private land also!!! That I have serious issues with.

I agree the disease issue regarding feeders is all hype and panic. Until disease X hits that is directly linked to deer bumping noses at a feeder outlawing them for that reason is ridiculous as that diesease may or may NEVER occur!!