Baiting and Supplemental Feeding of Game Wildlife Species

By: Dustin Zetwick

Since early history humans have baited animals to capture or harvest them. Thousands of years ago humans depended on wildlife for survival. Baiting is still used today whether it is for hunting, trapping, or viewing. Baiting wildlife for capture and reintroducing a species where it once was has been very successful.  Many people have different opinions on this subject of baiting wildlife whether or not it is for hunting. Many believe it is unsporting and unlawful to hunt while having the advantage of bait. Others believe that baiting does not give you an advantage by saying it is just a food source in the environment. Most states allow hunting over bait, each state has specific rules and regulations. Some states allow baiting prior to the hunting season and only a few do not allow any feeding during anytime.

Baiting and or supplement feeding wildlife has positives with it. If a wildlife agency is trying to do research and test a species for a disease then using bait to attract that animal and capture it is only benefiting that species and potentially other species. Bait can be used to lure in a nuisance animal into a trap and safely relocate the animal without causing harm to itself or anyone else.

Baiting and or supplement feeding can cause several wildlife and management issues. One of the biggest concerns is the spread of diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease and Tuberculosis. The feeding of wildlife can cause them to be less scared of humans and this can be especially dangerous if people are feeding bears. Bears can lose fear of humans and get used to being fed and they may begin to hang around your home and eventually they may cause property damage or can harm people.

The feeding of deer can cause more harm than good. Deer are a foraging animal and if there is a consistent use of bait it can reduce their home range and natural movement, it may cause them to become nocturnal. Many land owners want to help the deer herd during harsh winter months so they will feed them. In the west corn is usually abundant through the winter months from fall harvest in fields so their stomachs are used to it. Corn used as a food source in the east can actually kill deer in the winter months because a deer’s stomach is designed to take in woody material. If large amounts of corn are all of a sudden brought in, the deer’s stomach may not be able to adjust to the new food source and it can shock its system and cause death.

Figure 1

If people decide to feed the best way to do it is by slowly introducing the new food source in small amounts. The use of food plots is not considered to be baiting or supplement feeding. They are an additional food source that can be beneficial because they provide nutrition and a deer’s stomach is still adjusted to a higher energy food source. Alternatives to baiting are providing natural food sources for wildlife with doing cuttings that will allow the buds from trees to be consumed. Cutting will provide openings and in the growing season will produce new seedlings which provide a food source. Prescribed burning is another way to improve the habitat and allow for new seedlings to grow. The question I will leave for you is should the use of baiting and supplemental feeding be allowed or outlawed? (Approved by Council March 2007. Expires October 2017)

Work Cited

Baiting and supplement feeding of game wildlife species.2007. The Wildlife Society. the wildlife society http://wildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/PS_BaitingandSupplementalFeeding.pdf  Accessed 1,Mar. 2017

"Don't Feed the Deer: How Corn Can Be a Killer." Field & Stream. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2017. <http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/whitetail-365/dont-feed-the-deer-how-corn-can-be-a-killer?page=0%2C1>.

"A Whitetail Buck's Favorite Wild Foods [PICS]." Wide Open Spaces. N.p., 02 Dec. 2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2017. <http://www.wideopenspaces.com/whitetail-bucks-favorite-wild-foods-pics/>.