Heres the backdrop I have a friend who is baiting which is illegal here..(but may not be if the new law goes through). He wants me to hunt with him but I will not if hes going to bait.. My question is where do you draw the line.. I feel many will say that I should turn him in but I have no intention of doing that.. I think in reality many people say they would turn anyone in but would they really? Would you turn in your father or brother for baiting? For me there is a gray area what about you?
I have the same dilemma. My brother-in-law doesnt always do everything by the book but I tend to turn the other cheek because he is family. But when he is with me he never does and I always tell him that when he gets caught he is on his own!!
Let him know how you feel, then let him think about it while you hunt elsewhere. Let him know it just isn't worth the trouble he might get in, or the friendship he may lose. Sometimes that's enough.
We have a husband and wife DNR team here in my county. The woman was our DNR rep for the safety course. I spoke with her at length about baiting. They've made many a case over illegal baiting. There's been much said about what is baiting and what isn't. In Illinois, it is considered baiting if it's edible. She said "I'm here to enforce the laws, and the laws are here to protect the game and hunting for everyone. I hunt too, and I don't want it ruined for me either."
"Guilty by association", has gotten a few folks the Death Penality.
I'm not trying to stand on a soap box or anything like that, but a responsible hunter would/should probaly first warn him, this is wrong if you are going to continue to do it I will turn you in.
The image of hunting has been in question for too long and is getting that way more and more. We need to do everything possible to help promote a clean law abiding image. that should start with policing or own.
I would not turn him in but I wouldn't hunt with him either. A positive example may be your best bet here. Let him know why you don't want to hunt with him.
Just to clarify I have let him know how I feel about it and that I wont hunt with him if he baits..
Personaly,I don't really have a problem with "baiting".....
People consider it totaly exceptable to hunt Bears over "bait".....
Why not Whitetails?????
People consider it totaly exceptable to hang a tree stand next to a corn field.....
People even plant "food plots" and hang stands next to them.....
In very dry areas people build ground blinds next to "watering holes".....
In Alaska,people hunt Brown Bears along the river during the "salmon run".....
Couldn't hanging a tree stand in a big White Oak than is heavy with acorns be condidered "hunting over bait".....
We are still hunting animals who's instinct to live is many times stronger than our ability to kill them.....
Yes My Friend.....It IS a VERY "gray area".....Only can decide what is right for YOU.....
May The Great Spirit Guide Your Arrows
QuoteOriginally posted by Inhimwelive:
Just to clarify I have let him know how I feel about it and that I wont hunt with him if he baits..
I think you did the right thing. :thumbsup:
Illegal is illegal. There is no gray area here. CWD makes it's way to Pennsylvania and you'll get a better understanding why baiting has become illegal in so many areas.