Learning the hardway.......closure!

bigshark · 11-06-2001, 12:59 PM

Well its a heck of a way to learn not to do something. Learned this morning that one of the grand old S.I. clubs got closed down. The problem was baiting. None of us would feel bad if it were done on purpose but I just don't know that was the case. The people who are more in the know than I am don't think the hunters who forked over
their money to hunt the property knew what was happening. It was a matter of wanting to change something so the farmer just chops the corn and lets it lay there. The typical closure is two weeks after all food is gone for unintentional
feeding. If the birds don't hit it soon and it takes weeks for them to find it they will lose most of their season. I would hope they could get the farmer to plow it under before the ground gets too soft and they could call the fed to start the "food gone" time asap. Well I can't tell you the facts because I don't know them. But, it is a bummer anyway it came about...nobody wins, and if the hunters didn't have the slightest idea what was happening and was just something the farmer thought would do his boys some good, he needs to refund some of that money. It is thought to be a new farmer on the place and is a new group of guys. I remember my first membership in a private spot and how the wife tried to help make room in the budget so that I could have a place to go. I hope this all works out ok for them. If nothing else, this is a reason for the club to act as just that, a club. Everyone being involved and sharing the work and knowledge, might have prevented this. If you leave all the work to someone else, even if its the work required between the ears, you will in time pay a price. Thats my 2 cents anyway.

Labsforme · 11-06-2001, 01:51 PM

Bigshark,who got shut down? :depressed:

bigshark · 11-06-2001, 02:16 PM

Labsforme, I would prefer not to give the name because I think that group of men may not be guilty of a darn thing. As I said I don't know the facts and my post was to bring to light what can happen when we don't share responsibilities. I learned of it at breakfast. Then had it confirmed by the state cop at the store. I realize
its none of my business, but what if it me and I didn't know what to do? I am in hopes that someone on the board knows one of them and tells them how to get the place back hunting. Plow it under today!

Tilla · 11-06-2001, 05:16 PM

I think the deal is that they can hunt two weeks after the food is removed. I guess discing i would work or get the trucks in there and start loading.

Capin' Dan · 11-07-2001, 12:47 AM

If its the case that food is left on the plot that was planted I didn't thinkthat they called that baiting. How does sauvies Island hunt there areas they plant them every year and then do not harvest much of crops. I though baiting was when they brought additional food into the plot.
Here is what the regs say. "A baited area is considered to be baited for ten days after complete removal of any abit. Baiting includes placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of salt, grain or other feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for game birds to, or over areas where hunters are attemrting to take them."

This sounds kinda fishy I'd be hopping mad I think it doesn't seem like someone intentionally threw bait out for these bird.

Tilla · 11-07-2001, 03:32 AM

Dan, I think he Feds go more details on this.

Bait O' Eggs · 11-07-2001, 07:06 AM

Dan - I would guess the term that might apply from your description of baiting is "exposing" assuming they chopped the corn and left it. Somebody is probably not happy right now with their guns stowed.

When I was in the Ochoccos elk hunting a few weeks ago, I found a location that had been recently baited. A couple years ago we stumbled upon a couple elk wallows in the middle of no where. While standing there looking at the elk activity we noticed a couple tree stands over our head. Quite elaborite with rebar ladders, huge platforms, camo netting, chairs, magazines etc..... Somebody did a lot of work making this little oasis in the middle of the forest, up a tree. When scouting prior to season I walked into this area to see if it had been used by elk recently. I found a pile of apples that had been dumped under a tree stand. It looked a few weeks old and I assume somebody had put it there for the prior deer season. It looked like they put a bunch of apple leaves in with the apples. I know this wasnt off a local tree since it is all firs and pines and in the area. That was a classic definition of baiting.

Lured In · 11-07-2001, 07:48 AM

BOE, last I checked in the regs, baiting for elk was legal and baiting for deer was not.

There has been some discussion of this in outdoor rags. Let's say I don't know a field has been baited, am I still responsible? According to the law, yes.

I am not saying these guys did this on purpose, but it does raise the question of are we aware of what condition the food crops we hunt in look like?

I have seen guys out on the East Side SI throwing shucked corn into the water while birds are working and couldn't believe my eyes. The birds just bombed out of the sky onto the corn cobbs. I told the guys at the check station, but I don't believe anything ever came about from it.

I do agree that perhaps the regs could me more clear on this. Anyone ever check with ODFW to get their opinion on this?

Labsforme · 11-08-2001, 04:49 AM

I think that the rule goes that you may hunt a harvested field 10 days after the last grain/crop
is gone.So if the geese have'nt cleaned the field totally and there is visible grain it's not huntable.But if you leave it standing that is not considered as baiting.Hopefully they'll be able to clean it up and get back to hunting.