# Is there any law against feeding waterfowl?



## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

There is a lady in my sub. I like to refer to her as the crazy cat lady...who feeds the ducks, sandhill cranes, and geese in her yard and sub common areas. This obviously leads to quite the mess all over the roads. Seems like there would be a possible spread of disease as well. 

Anyone know of any law preventing this?


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## HunterHawk (Dec 8, 2005)

not sure.. i think its only illegal to hunt over bait.. however... some subdivisions, or citys sometimes have ordienences or something like that

sounds like shhhhty situation scott:lol:


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Not aware of any, although as was said, there are some municipal ordinances. Heck, college kids feed 'em on MSU's campus. And think about all the public parks where people feed 'em. Yep, they do cause a mess


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Only illegal if it changes the habits of the waterfowl and you try to hunt them. i.e. if you try to shoot them as they fly over your yard on the way to her feed station:lol:


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## wavie (Feb 2, 2004)

Heck, they feed them all fall in the managed areas


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

TSS Caddis said:


> Only illegal if it changes the habits of the waterfowl and you try to hunt them. i.e. if you try to shoot them as they fly over your yard on the way to her feed station:lol:


hmmm....you may be on to something here...would I be in violation or would the baiter??


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## peaker power (Oct 30, 2004)

I do not think there is a direct law, but indirectly maybe. The state posted signs on m-13 by crow island a few years ago to stop people feeding the geese there, it was a public hazard. Geese were getting on the road and , well. Also if the mess is bad enough it could be a public nuiasance. I would try the locals city or township and see if they can help. If that dose not pan out call the DNR districe office and see what they saw or you can repost down in the law forum and see what the resident CO's say.


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## eyecatcher (Feb 2, 2004)

srconnell22 said:


> hmmm....you may be on to something here...would I be in violation or would the baiter??


You would and you don't even need to know they are being baited. 
You can not shoot waterfowel over bait or use bait to attract them, shooting in that situation is illegal, Its not necessary that you know the area is baited.


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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

eyecatcher said:


> You would and you don't even need to know they are being baited.
> You can not shoot waterfowel over bait or use bait to attract them, shooting in that situation is illegal, Its not necessary that you know the area is baited.


Thanks...I was obviously just kidding...I dont think the neighborhood would be too thrilled with me lighting up some honkers at daybreak.


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## wavie (Feb 2, 2004)

eyecatcher is correct!

Scenerio: Some one has baited an area, hunted and left. The next day you see lots of ducks using the same area and decide to hunt it. You have a great shoot and the CO checks you out and determines that the area has been baited. You will get a ticket even if you were unaware that the area was baited previously. You think the CO will believe you that you didnt know there was corn (or what ever) on the bottom of the pond. I'm not a CO, but have seen people ticketed for this offence. .

Unless you are hunting the required distance from a baited area you are legal. There are some more legalities, but the birds would be long gone if you were to hunt the originally baited area.


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## duckhunter382 (Feb 13, 2005)

I like it when people feed them at the parks in the summer, I like to think they are fattening them up for the fall harvest. just wondering though has anyone tried something that looks like bread as an attractor. sounds like it might work. also a baited area is considered baited ten days after the bait is gone, that would be horrible if you hunted the wrong place after someone baited it and you were unaware.


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## hunting man (Mar 2, 2005)

I thought you wait till the people in the blind down wind of you leave, then bait it and report them the next time they try hunting it. :yikes:


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## smoke73 (Jun 4, 2006)

duckhunter382 said:


> just wondering though has anyone tried something that looks like bread as an attractor. sounds like it might work.


*Non-food imitationsfor example,​plastic corncobsare not prohibited.
*


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## warrenwaterfowler (Aug 31, 2007)

duckhunter382 said:


> just wondering though has anyone tried something that looks like bread as an attractor. sounds like it might work.


 
Wonder bread bags filled up with air and staked to the ground!


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

warrenwaterfowler said:


> Wonder bread bags filled up with air and staked to the ground!


that or empty cheese curl bags:lol:


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

srconnell22 said:


> *Is there any law against feeding waterfowl? *
> 
> 
> > Nope. I feed waterfowl to my family on a regular basis. :evilsmile:evilsmile:evilsmile


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## Ken Martin (Sep 30, 2003)

I have spoke to Conservation Officers on this many times. There is no law against feeding waterfowl. If non-hunters are feeding ducks in a hunting area to eliminate hunting they can be cited for littering. That's about it unfortunatly. Come to the CWAC meeting in August because I am going to bring up this subject to the waterfowl workgroup and members about bringing legislation to the NRC. 

Ken Martin


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## Zorba (Jan 24, 2007)

In the waterfowl guide it says, "you may not hunt over a baited area until 10 days after the removal of the bait." Does that mean I can bait an area, wait till it's gone, and in 10 days hunt it? Am I the one who's suposed to count the days? If the rules are so strict, then why can I go to a managed area and hunt in flooded corn? I know people who purposly plant grain on thier property just so it can be flooded in the fall for duck season and no one ever gives them a hard time.


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## Shlwego (Sep 13, 2006)

Zorba said:


> In the waterfowl guide it says, "you may not hunt over a baited area until 10 days after the removal of the bait." Does that mean I can bait an area, wait till it's gone, and in 10 days hunt it? Am I the one who's suposed to count the days? If the rules are so strict, then why can I go to a managed area and hunt in flooded corn? I know people who purposly plant grain on thier property just so it can be flooded in the fall for duck season and no one ever gives them a hard time.


The corn strips in the managed areas, and private plantings that are flooded are not considered "baiting." It is considered "standard agricultrual practice" like hunting in a cut corn field after the combines go through. But it's not quite the same thing, is it? The rationale I have heard for allowing hunting in flooded fields is that the flooding mimics the natural flooding in these areas that used to occur before people began to put dams and levys on the rivers to control their flow. As long as the crop remains standing it is "agricultrual" and not baiting. Is this a loophole? Yeah, maybe it is...... but it's legal.


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## Decoy Player (Oct 29, 2007)

Nope. I feed waterfowl to my family on a regular basis. :evilsmile:evilsmile:evilsmile[/quote]

 That is AWESOME!! :lol:


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