# Bait/Attractant question



## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

I have been seeing products out on the market that are called deer attractants, i.e. Buck grub, deer Coke, etc. and are not what one would call the traditional baits (corn, carrots, beets, etc). I have never used them and don't think I ever will but what do the CO's or law think of products like this in use in the TB zones since they are not bait, at least by the packaging claims? I'm bored at work and was thinking about the differences between "what is bait" and "what is an attractant".


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## Beave (Aug 26, 2002)

I would think that if the deer ingests it, it's bait. I was under the impression that a salt block was considered bait, and as such, was not allowed in TB areas.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

If the product is made and intented to be ate, it is bait. If the product is intented to attract just by smell (buck lure scent etc.) or visual (decoy deer, etc.), then it is not bait.


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

Never thought of salt as bait but I guess it is. One of those 50# mineral blocks would fit in a two gallon container I'm guessing, making it legal I assume. Let me know if I'm wrong.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

A salt block would be illegal. Two gallons spread over a 10 x 10 foot area so you would have to break up the block. Salt doesn't work much in the fall anyway, works better in the spring.


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

Assuming the 50# mineral block is less than 2 gallons why would it need to be broken up? Wouldn't that be like a large sugar beet?


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

No a sugar beet is not the same as a salt block. You don't grow salt blocks and I have yet seen a sugar beet the size of a 50 pound salt block. Working in the thumb for 11 years I have seen a lot of sugar beets too.

Sec. 3.100. (4) For the purposes of this section, "bait" means a substance composed of grains, minerals, salt, fruits, vegetables, hay, or any other food materials, whether natural or manufactured, which may lure, entice or attract deer....

Sec. 3.100. (6)(c) The bait is scattered directly on the ground by any means, including mechanical spin-cast feeders, provided that the spin-cast feeder does not distribute on the ground more than the maximum volume allowed as described in subdivision (d) of this subsection. "Scattered" means that the bait is dispersed or thrown over a minimum of a 10 foot by 10-foot or equivalent area so that individual pieces of bait are separated and not placed in piles. The purpose of scattering is to mimic natural feeding conditions.


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## Craig M (May 17, 2000)

Thanks for the clairification boehr


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

Ok. I guess my question now is how small of pieces should one break a mineral block into?


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

As small as you can get them. Using a hammer at home and busting the block up you should have no trouble making small pieces out of it. If the chunks are very big then it will be left to the officer's discretion if one happens to check you.


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

boehr said:


> As small as you can get them. Using a hammer at home and busting the block up you should have no trouble making small pieces out of it. If the chunks are very big then it will be left to the officer's discretion if one happens to check you.


From the DNR website: 

Q. Can I use salt and mineral products or salt blocks to bait deer? 

Yes. The regulations specifically state that any type of food material may be used to bait deer. This includes salt and mineral blocks and other salt products. Although recommended, there is no requirement that large food materials such as salt blocks be broken and scattered. 
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_10856_10905-103097--,00.html#q17


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## WALLEYEvision (Dec 5, 2003)

Yikes!


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

As in anything, things change. You notice that the last post day was October 2003 and it is now 2004, a year later.

So a salt block is now legal, which can be found in another thread that was posted within the last 2 months. We will lock this one up so it doesn't confuse people since it is now legal, at least for today.


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