# Baiting of Feral Swine



## Lunkhead (Mar 7, 2010)

Can anyone point me to *ANY* Michigan Compiled Law that prohibits the use of bait in the taking of Feral Swine on private property? This would include either shotting over bait or in trapping. By bait I am talking about corn, grain, fruits, vegitables, and other simular items.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

You should be fine if you comply with this wildlife amendment. 

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/intrim1_246970_7.pdf


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

Lunkhead said:


> By bait I am talking about corn, grain, fruits, vegitables, and other simular items.


 Better not use anything that a deer might eat! All of those seem probable that a deer would eat them, then you'll be feeding the deer which can get you a ticket.


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## Lunkhead (Mar 7, 2010)

Luv2hunteup said:


> You should be fine if you comply with this wildlife amendment.
> 
> http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/intrim1_246970_7.pdf


 
That's not a Michigan Compiled Law, but thanks for the link. A quick look at the document points to 324.40107 and 324.40113a. I haven't found anything in those laws yet (quick look) that, by applying common sense, prohibit the baiting of Feral Swine. That's a lot of studying though.

*wartfroggy*, I believe you are refering to 324.40111a. That one I have studied already and I don't see how it applies. Am I missing something?


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

Lunkhead said:


> That's not a Michigan Compiled Law, but thanks for the link. A quick look at the document points to 324.40107 and 324.40113a. I haven't found anything in those laws yet (quick look) that, by applying common sense, prohibit the baiting of Feral Swine. That's a lot of studying though.
> 
> *wartfroggy*, I believe you are refering to 324.40111a. That one I have studied already and I don't see how it applies. Am I missing something?


Just saying, if a guy can get a ticket for deer eating from his bird feeder, I would think you throwing out corn, grain, and vegetables would be pretty risky.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Try posting here, you'll get the proper answer.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=41


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## Lunkhead (Mar 7, 2010)

wartfroggy said:


> Just saying, if a guy can get a ticket for deer eating from his bird feeder, I would think you throwing out corn, grain, and vegetables would be pretty risky.


Keep in mind that I'm not a lawyer, just applying common sense.

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-324-40111a
(2) *As used in this section*, "deer and elk feeding" means the depositing, distributing, or tending of feed in an area frequented by wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer and elk *to prevent them from starving or for recreational viewing*.

Not doing that. I understand your view though. Thanks.


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## Lunkhead (Mar 7, 2010)

Luv2hunteup said:


> Try posting here, you'll get the proper answer.
> http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=41


Thanks, I'll try that one also.


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## Wildwood_Deckers (Sep 9, 2005)

wartfroggy said:


> Just saying, if a guy can get a ticket for deer eating from his bird feeder, I would think you throwing out corn, grain, and vegetables would be pretty risky.


From what I have seen, that case was thrown out of court..... due to the rule being too vague...

Clyde


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

Wildwood_Deckers said:


> From what I have seen, that case was thrown out of court..... due to the rule being too vague...
> 
> Clyde


 True. But that was only a 3 county area. And it also goes to show to what extremes some of the officers or DNR in general will take the law as it is written. Also keep in mind that it has cost that guy alot more in legal costs to fight it than the fine would have been.


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## Lunkhead (Mar 7, 2010)

I was attempting to apply some common sense to the feral swine problem and balance that with the threat of CWD in Michigan. My thoughts are that we have no evidence that CWD is in the wild deer or elk in Michigan and we have documented evidence that the feral swine are carrying disease here in Michigan.

They say that CWD could be present for five years without showing signs. If the baiting or feeding of deer and elk were to resume, we could have a problem we don't want. On the other hand we already have a problem with feral swine we don't want. No matter what is done, we don't want a CWD and a feral swine problem here.

With that in mind, I'm trying to come up with some methods and suggestions where the threat of the spread of CWD is kept to a minimum while every method of controlling the population of feral swine could be used. At present we are limiting ourselves in the methods and other states are doing much more and at best are controlling the numbers. I'm afraid by limiting ourselves we are not controlling the numbers and they are gaining every year.

The baiting/feeding ban could continue and an exception could be made for the baiting of feral swine within accepted methods other then just attractants like it is now. I live on agricultural property and at this point have no problem and would like to keep it that way. I for one may never use the methods or ever attempt to kill a feral swine here in Michigan. It's not some selfish thing I'm doing here, it's a concern for the numbers and damage getting much worse before we can use the methods that it could take to control the numbers.

One thought is to allow the use of these baits with some method like burying the bait where it would exclude or at least hinder deer from feeding while the Feral Swine would still be drawn in. That in combination with attractants is being used in other states with better results then just using attractants as we are doing here. Allowing the shooting at night over baits with artificial light is another method that works very well.

So, in order to offer suggestions, I was reviewing all the laws in order to see what options would be available and researching what was being done elsewhere and the results they achieved with different methods used.


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## HTC (Oct 6, 2005)

While living in Texas I learned this little trick for baiting hogs and avoiding deer. Fill a large plastic trash can or 55 gallon barrel 1/2 full of shelled corn. Fill 3/4 of the way full of water and leave it in the sun. By the 5th or 6th day it will smell pretty bad, your wife will even demand you get rid of it, but it is not ready. By day 8-9 postal service will cease delivery at your address. By day 10 it is ready, you can go longer though as it only gets better with age. We used to feed it in a 55 gallon drum cut in half length wise and burried flush with the ground. Don't get any on you or your clothes in this process. Pigs would do swan dives into it and the local raccoon population held swim meets there however deer would not touch it. A 4 x 8 sheet of plywood painted white placed right behind the feeding barrel serves as a nice backdrop when the full moon is out.


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## Lunkhead (Mar 7, 2010)

Good deal and something else I could pass along as a method of baiting. Thanks...


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## ZMAN79 (Dec 17, 2008)

Would you be able to bait the same for bear, such as fish scraps, donuts, fudge etc. That deer would not eat, say as in a barrel that a deer could not tip over(given the pigs eat everthing). What about other restaurant scraps that a deer would not eat, just a thoght.

-ZMAN


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