oupa
Active Member
- Apr 6, 2011
- 859
Rather than continue with the hijack of the camera thread I thought I'd start a new one devoted to this controversial subject.
Now... There will NEVER be a solution to this except that which each of us resolves in our own hearts. The fact though that this came up, with such vehement opinions against it, on a thread about photos taken (most at least) over bait and most of those posting those photos will be sitting over the same bait on opening day, is just too ironic and hypocritical for words.
I have NO ISSUE with hunting over bait. Its legal and has now become "tradition" in this state. ...except for migratory fowl, where it was deemed unethical almost 100 years ago and bears more recently.
How many of you have ever, or would go on a RSA hunt for pen reared game birds?
How about going to Maine or Canada to sit over a metal drum full of stale donuts?
Even if you're not hunting right over the bait, if there is bait or some other something on the property where you hunt to artificially entice game to use that property, how is that better? If you sit by the trail to the feeder, how's that more ethical than sitting on top the barrel?
Deciding what another's "ethics" should be is a very slippery slope! I'm not denouncing any of the things mentioned above but when someone makes a comment about ANY high fence being unethical, without qualification, I see red.
You see, I've hunted fenced ranches. They were larger than most of our WMA's with ONE FENCE around the perimeter. It was all on foot, spot & stalk. No feeders or even stands.
Most whitetails (for instance) will never travel more than a mile or two from where they were born. If they're born inside a fenced ranch of thousands of acres, the deer might never realize it! Is that unethical? Something you'd never do because the deer doesn't have the option of taking off cross-country one day?
To each his own. Whether you agree or not, makes no difference to me but I urge you to think carefully before you decide on such things. Today, RSA hunting is essentially the only upland bird hunting around (no, I've never been on one, but I'd go if invited). If its not your cup of tea that's fine with me but if YOU decide someone else can't do it either... consider that train of thought in regard to other things, say someone who has no interest in firearms deciding that nobody else needs them either.
Now... There will NEVER be a solution to this except that which each of us resolves in our own hearts. The fact though that this came up, with such vehement opinions against it, on a thread about photos taken (most at least) over bait and most of those posting those photos will be sitting over the same bait on opening day, is just too ironic and hypocritical for words.
I have NO ISSUE with hunting over bait. Its legal and has now become "tradition" in this state. ...except for migratory fowl, where it was deemed unethical almost 100 years ago and bears more recently.
How many of you have ever, or would go on a RSA hunt for pen reared game birds?
How about going to Maine or Canada to sit over a metal drum full of stale donuts?
Even if you're not hunting right over the bait, if there is bait or some other something on the property where you hunt to artificially entice game to use that property, how is that better? If you sit by the trail to the feeder, how's that more ethical than sitting on top the barrel?
Deciding what another's "ethics" should be is a very slippery slope! I'm not denouncing any of the things mentioned above but when someone makes a comment about ANY high fence being unethical, without qualification, I see red.
You see, I've hunted fenced ranches. They were larger than most of our WMA's with ONE FENCE around the perimeter. It was all on foot, spot & stalk. No feeders or even stands.
Most whitetails (for instance) will never travel more than a mile or two from where they were born. If they're born inside a fenced ranch of thousands of acres, the deer might never realize it! Is that unethical? Something you'd never do because the deer doesn't have the option of taking off cross-country one day?
To each his own. Whether you agree or not, makes no difference to me but I urge you to think carefully before you decide on such things. Today, RSA hunting is essentially the only upland bird hunting around (no, I've never been on one, but I'd go if invited). If its not your cup of tea that's fine with me but if YOU decide someone else can't do it either... consider that train of thought in regard to other things, say someone who has no interest in firearms deciding that nobody else needs them either.
Last edited: