Does Your Hunting Club Bait?

I understand what your saying. Improving your habitat will result in the best herd density for sure. I will even consider putting out a gravity feeder on my place this next year; but I'm likely the only guy in Mississippi that's going to use it year 'round without a stand even remotely close to it. It's just another habitat building block on making my own property the best it can be. I'm planning on planting 100 sawtooth oaks this month to make a contribution for the habitat in future years.

Like you, I don't see baiting (in most cases) doing too much more than serving a self benefit for the purpose of killing a deer. I think you harvest more deer than without it; but that incremental harvest has a detriment to the overall future of hunting on a specific property. To each his own as its legal and nobody is forced to resort to that kind of thing if they don't want to. I just would prefer a non-baiting arrangement if I can find it. I think people bait when their herd density is less than what they want it to be to see and kill more deer. I think it just excerbates a herd density problem which is probably the result on your own area observations.

My purpose in asking the question was to see to what degree the area clubs bait....I now see its about all of them. My club of so many years was very late to the baiting party (passed by 1 vote after years of trying a couple of years ago) and even now only a handful of folks bait. They understand that many members oppose it and don't like it. I guess when the MDWFP surveys were done years ago before passage showing about 50% of the hunters opposed the idea of baiting; they changed their mind

A fellow isn't bound to follow whatever everyone else does (as my momma told me about a zillion times growing up). It looks like the whole club scene has passed me by unless I find something truly different than the standard that is out there today. Rules that cover 20 pages from A to Z hardly instills confidence in a club by a prospective member. They wouldn't have that many rules if they didn't need to. Says a lot about the membership I think. I'm grateful to the few that said I could join, but I think they are running on 'zig' while I'm running on 'zag'. Probably best for all of us if I pursued a different path.

Public land rarely allows baiting but its never been my cup of tea as I don't like the drama that I have gotten into in the past from others who claim an area. Not to mention the occasional vandelism. I think I've been more unlikely than most in that regard.

Looks like I'll be looking for another tract of land to buy; a place where I can forbid baiting, firearm hunting, and a place where I can place my 'private' stands where ever want them without fear of another person being in the area. I like the tracts of land I own today, but they are scattered and they aren't large enough to hunt daily.

Admittedly, I guess I'm pretty selfish. I sort of wish in retrospect that I wasn't leaving my old club; as the old club was pretty much rooted in the old ways. I guess my age dictates a change regardless.

You guys have been helpful. I really appreciate it.

Rancher, I really have enjoyed my own places to hunt. I bought my current home with 86 acres back in October. It doesn't have hardly any pressure except on the western side (which isn't good deer hunting anyway) and has a small but beautiful deep clear lake on it. I enjoyed leaving the house by foot and having some easy hunts. I killed one deer, missed one, and almost got a good buck with my recurve on it. It's only downfall is that its too much open land and I'm planting in pine and sawtooth oaks in the next week or so. I might have a little benefit from the oaks when they produce acorns in 7 years; but I'm really planting them for the next owners one day given my age.

I really miss my old place in Newton County After the birth of one of my grandchildren in Jackson, my wife wanted to move so that's how I landed in Leake County. My old place (which is the best deal in the state and is still listed) had such a diversity of wildlife. Turkeys, deer, waterfowl and small game abounded on the 69 acre tract of land that I also got to hunt out my backdoor. I made one hunt there late in the year and missed a PIG. Never saw one there before. If anybody wants the deal of a life time, PM me

I might put a feeder out this year on the new place but nobody will hunt it. I've only ever killed one deer in a food plot in my entire life so its pretty unlikely I'm shooting one over corn. I plant plots and rarely hunt them.

I have had really bad luck on public land. I've had my friends tires slashed and I had to go get him at midnight, had the air let out of my tires, been told to go back and hunt something closer to where I live.... and been cussed out for being to close to someone else's spot even though I was there first. My efforts in going to the sheriff lead to a camp out by federal agents....where they were subject to guns being shot over their heads. It all ended in the suspects (3) arrest and a federal conviction. It made the papers several years ago.

I realize I'm rambling. I will add that owning land is a big joy but keeping it yours as opposed to the tresspasser's is a constant worry. Its always better if you live on it versus having it at a distant location.