# Bait pile distance.



## Oct.1 (Jun 29, 2000)

O.k before everyone jumps on me about another baiting question let me insure you I preformed a search the best way I know how.
Question:
How close can bait piles be to each other?
I understand the 10x10 and 2 gal. thing but can a 10x10, 2 gal. bait pile be 20 foot apart?


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

The rule in the hunting guide says "The volume of bait at any hunting site cannot exceed two gallons."

So now your question is what is a hunting site and how close can those be to each other.


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

I would define a 'hunting site' as an area that is with in my range to take animials - and this actually has been asked before - 

When bow hunting it would be safe to say that two baiting location at a 100 yard distance would be acceptable; however, given the terrain, the same would not be true for rifle hunting - where you would have to have the 'other' baiting location outside of the effective range of the rifle.

Make sense?

ferg....


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

Ferg said:


> I would define a 'hunting site' as an area that is with in my range to take animials -
> 
> ferg....


Oh goody. Now all I have to do is convince a CO that my range with a bow is less than 20 yards. (just kidding, I prefer hunting over my food plots)


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

As Ray has said many times - it's best NOT to leave these 'interpitations' up to the officer in the field 

Maybe I should have said 'what would commonly be accepted as the range of a bow' 

ferg....


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## Oct.1 (Jun 29, 2000)

Think of it this way,
I have 10 acres,
Both my neighbors have 10 acres.
We are all bow hunters.
The width our propertys is 330 ft.
If the three of us are set up in the middle of the property we are 110 yards apart.
However, if one decides to set on the fence line we are only 55 yards apart.
If two decide to set on the fence line back to back we are only 10 yards apart.
Ten acres is not a lot of land but do-able if all partys work together. We can acknowledge certain hunting days agree to set up in certain locations on our property, or just nod and say good morning. The question is what is the law on the distance between bait piles? Or is there one?
My understanding by your responces is that would be determined based on the definition of a hunting site. If Im correct because we are on different propertys that each tree stand, although 10 feet apart is considered a different hunting site. Therefore bait piles divided by the fence row would be legal. Even though they are 10 inches from each other. Correct?
Yes I am nitpicking but this is based on the facts.


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

If I was the CO on the scene - bait piles on clearly different properties, properties that you do not have permission to hunt upon. (Assumption on my part) - then my answer would be yes - legal.

If I knew you could or had permission to hunt the other properties I would say no, illegal.

ferg....


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## Oct.1 (Jun 29, 2000)

Now I understand.
What has taken place is my neighbor has moved a tree stand and I dont believe he is aware how close I am to him.
I will discuss it with him this weekend when I am up there.
I want to hunt this weekend and the rest of the weekends this year. I will be out early Saturday morning before I can let him know where my stand is. However it puts his broadcast feeder about 30 yards from where I sit. I have about 2 sugar beets, 4 carrots and an apple. I use this for determining if the deer are passing through day or night. However legally it is a bait pile which sits close to my neighbors.
I think I understand enough now to keep out of trouble.
Thanks again.


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## grouly925 (Dec 6, 2006)

I have a similar question to add to this about hunting on state land. I have bow hunted the same tree for almost 4 years now. I have had some success in the past and obviously one of the locals found out and constructed a natural ground blind about 40 yards away from me. He only rifle hunts, so we don't have any hunting conflict, but he does begin to bait on the first of october. I like to bait early on in the season to get a nice doe in range to fill my freezer that gets pretty empty over the summer. So if I have a baitpile I am hunting over, and he decides to go put a baitplie by his blind to ready it for rifle season, am I hunting over/around too much bait? Given his blind is 40 yards away and his baitpile is usually 50-60 yards away. I usually only put out a couple beets, some carrots and a few apples for the smell, on the other hand he is at or just above the feeding limit. I can see his bait from my tree but there is no possible way that I could shoot anywhere near it and truthfully, I have never seen a deer on his pile while hunting. It does get hit, but mine is first in line on the runway. What do you think?


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

I would say, if I was to come upon that situation, I would 'tend' to think that 40 yards might be an acceptable shooting distance, given the correct set of factors, and that I would consider you hunting with excess bait in that situation.

It's best NOT to leave anything open to the CO's 'judgement', because when you do, you might not see eye to eye with him and he'll win every time.

ferg....


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

grouly925 said:


> ...I can see his bait from my tree but there is no possible way that I could shoot anywhere near it and truthfully, I have never seen a deer on his pile while hunting. It does get hit, but mine is first in line on the runway. What do you think?


Because its state land and the situation along with your statement above, I think you are OK.


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

Here's how the DNR defines it from their Q & A section of their website:

http://midnr.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/M...bnl_JnBfcHJvZF9sdmwyPX5hbnl_JnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

To take this just a little farther - M1's link is addressing the two gallon limit and that is all well and good - 

I guess my next question would have been - if I take a two gallon bucket full of, say apples, and lets say that is 25 apples total, can I put 5 apples in each of 5 shooting lanes from my stand ????

My answer to this question would be yes - legal.

ferg....


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

Ferg, it also I think clarifies "hunting site" and that the 2 gallon limit still applies, even though as you said, it can be split up:

_A "hunting site" is not further defined by law and therefore takes on the ordinary meaning of the terms. In this instance it would mean the spatial location of a place, scene or point used for the hunting of deer. It would be unlawful to place 2 gallons of bait in more than one shooting lane of a single hunting site because the bait would exceed the 2 gallon limit at this site. The intent of the law is to restrict a hunter to no more than 2 gallons at each site at which they hunt. If you hunt over 2 gallons or less at your blind or stand, you are within the legal volume limit._ 

To me that specifically says that if you can hunt from that spot, it is your "hunting site" and cannot exceed a total of 2 gallons.


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