Proposed Baiting Regulation Changes for ODWC

[Shadowrider]

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.

I read the comment in the Oklahoman on this and think their line of thinking is pure hogwash. If someone like me goes out and finds a good looking spot to setup for dove, doesn't have the time to scout out whether a deer hunter has spread bait on the ground, and gets cited for hunting over bait, it will be a cold day in hell before they get another penny in tags or licensing from me. It seems that the "silly season" has spread to the hunting regs now. Ticketing a hunter for UNKNOWLINGLY hunting over SOMEONE ELSE'S bait is just plain bull$h!*. I say if the Feds interpret it that way on migratory birds, let them do all the enforcement, screw 'em.

 

[AllOut]

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.

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

We have strips of bermuda planted in some of our wheats fields. They are normally cut and bailed for cattle in sept-oct.
The deer flock to it for a couple days after it's been cut and stay on it til it's bailed. Happens on the same spots every year.
As for oaks... I still have deer hitting them in the front yard. They have been hammering them since the week before muzzleloader. Thats been what about 3 months now?

 

[dennishoddy]

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

I read that report. Its about the CWD problem they have/had in Wisconsin. To date we don't have that problem here. It also states there is not one difinitive resource that gives the answer to feed stations and their relationship to CWD in that state. Its a compilation of "theorys" about how bait stations could possibly pass the prions that contribute to CWD.
I don't think we need to legislate anything in Ok that has not had an effect on our wildlife.
Texas with their high fence hunting areas and feeding stations that have hundreds of deer feeding at the same place daily, doesn't have CWD problems. In reading the report, the climate, and local temps that freeze the bait stations contribute to the deer thawing the frozen food source with their breath, thereby transfering prions in their saliva and mucus.

I don't know if you have been in that area, but I have, and their idea of a bait station is to dump a pickup load of sugar beets in one spot, and let the deer work their way through them during the winter. Much different than what we do here with throwing a little corn out on the ground.

 

[fishfurlife]

We have strips of bermuda planted in some of our wheats fields. They are normally cut and bailed for cattle in sept-oct.
The deer flock to it for a couple days after it's been cut and stay on it til it's bailed. Happens on the same spots every year.
As for oaks... I still have deer hitting them in the front yard. They have been hammering them since the week before muzzleloader. Thats been what about 3 months now?

Your definition of hammering and mine must be two completely opposite definitions. Not arguing, just my opinion. There is no oak grove in the state that is seeing the same use as it was in late Oct after the first freeze (or whenever your first freeze was).

 

[fishfurlife]

Dennis, where I live, they buy corn by the semi load. That is a good bit more than a little corn on the ground.

So we are all against taking precautionary measures to ensure our herd stays healthy on lands that aren't private???? CWD has made it to SE NM into a heard of animals that is much less dense than our herd.

 

[dennishoddy]

I buy corn by the ton as well. I don't see where that has anything to do with the baiting/cwd issue in Ok. I'll stand on my comments.

 

[dennishoddy]

BTW, thanks to everybody for keeping this as a civil discussion.

I've been on other forums where the same subject has resulted in a whole lot of name calling, etc. Congrats guys.

 

[Okie4570]

New Mexico Game and Fish web site states that CWD had occured in Oklahoma......... is this true???


http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/documents/CWD_QandA.pdf

 

[Okie4570]

Seems there is controversy...........

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/cwd.htm

 

[264Magnum]

Maybe I missed it, but why should baiting be illegal only on public land and not private as well? If we're trying to save the herd, shouldn't baiting be completely outlawed?