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Georgia DNR Passes Deer Baiting Proposal
Hunting deer over supplemental feed now legal statewide in Georgia on private land.
Daryl Kirby | June 27, 2018
The DNR Board this morning voted to approve a DNR proposal that legalizes hunting deer over supplemental feed with no distance restriction on all private land in Georgia. The new regulation will be in effect for this coming 2018-2019 deer season in Georgia.
The DNR voted specifically to move the Northern Zone line to include only the Chattahoochee National Forest in extreme north Georgia — baiting deer is illegal regardless on all public land in Georgia — so this move makes baiting deer legal on all private land in the state.
Previously, hunting deer over supplemental feed with no distance restriction was legal only in the Southern Zone. In the Northern Zone, deer hunters were ticketed and fined if caught hunting deer within 200 yards or within site of placed feed.
In April, after the state legislature failed to take action on the deer baiting issue, Governor Nathan Deal issued an executive order telling the DNR Board to take a look at the issue. The Board can’t change the baiting law or do away with the Northern/Southern Zone line—only the legislature can do that—but the Board can change where that line is drawn.
“The proposal was to increase parity for hunters across the state by making the Northern Zone the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Southern Zone would be anything outside of that,” said Wes Robinson, the director of Public and Governmental Affairs at Georgia DNR.
GON will soon have more details on the DNR Board’s action and tallies of public comment leading up to today’s vote.
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The bottom line is if the DNR is against it, then I’m for it. Now go back to sniping hogs by the hundreds that you won’t let us hunt, you bureaucratic morons.
It a travesty that the Governor, by Executive Order, took the decision on baiting out of the hands of professional biologists and put it in the hands of a board (appointed by a governor). To no one’s surprise this board came to a decision based on political pressure and not biological facts.
I’M GLAD THE GOVERNOR DONE RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE. THE POLITICAL PRESSURE CAME FROM GROUPS LIKE QDMI AND GA, WILDLIFE FEDERATION IN CONGRESS. THE SENATE PASSED IT OVERWHELMINGLY. BUT LATE NIGHT NINETH HOUR ARM TWISTING CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. I RATHER HAVE THE ACTUAL HUNTER DECIDING THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SOUTHERN ZONE HAVE DOING THIS FOR 7 YEARS AND NO PROBLEMS. IF ANYTHING THE MINERALS AND SUPPLEMENTS USED WILL MAKE OUR HERD HEALTHIER . GOOD FOR FAWNS AND ANTLER DEVELOPEMENT FOR BIGGER BUCKS. TURKEY POULTS WILL HAVE VERY GOOD NOURISHMENT FOR EXTENDED SURVIVAL. ALSO AS A BONUS YOU MIGHT GET A COYOTE OR HOG TO GRILLE UP–UUUMM!!
Round: If having “the actual hunter deciding” the best management practices for our deer herd was fully implemented, as you seem to endorse, spotlighting deer would be legal in a nanosecond. That’s why the DNR employs wildlife biologists to make such determinations. The fact that the politically appointed DNR board members defied the recommendation of the DNR wildlife professionals, using a loophole to get around the legal authority of the DNR (and the legislature), speaks volumes about the political corruption that is apparently rampant at the state capitol. And, as for your ending comment about the potential benefits of supplemental feeding, that is not this issue. Supplemental feeding, if properly balanced, can have positive benefits for deer health and antler development. However, there is a big difference between “supplemental feeding” and “baiting.” Your equating of the two is misleading. Legalizing the shooting of deer over bait encourages the improper balance of artificial food sources to natural food sources, as the laziest of “hunters” look for a shortcut.
I’M GLAD WE FINALLY ARE GETTING TREATED FAIR. I CHECKED LAST YEARS HUNTING REGULATIONS ABOUT BAITING. IF WE IN THE NORTH GOT CAUGHT KILLING AN ANIMAL OVER BAIT WAS $5,000.00 AND 12 MONTH JAIL TIME. I BELIEVE MOST MINERALS AND SUPPLEMENTS HAVE SALT IN IT AS WELL. ACCORDING TO THE BAITS THAT ARE LISTED THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION TOO.
BIG INTEREST GROUPS LIKE THE QDMI AND GA. WILDLIFE FEDERATION BUNGLED UP CONGRESS THIS YEAR AND WE RUN OUT OF TIME. THE SENATE HAD ALREADY APPROVED IT. I DON’T THINK HUNTERS IN THE SOUTH ARE LAZY, JUST THE OPPOSITE. I THINK SOME WANTED TO TAKE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN OUT TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT HUNTING AND ETHICS OF MANAGING SIZE OF ANIMALS AND WHAT TO LET GO FOR NEXT SEASON.
WE SHOULD AT LEAST TRY IT FOR A WHILE LIKE THE SOUTHERN ZONE DID AND IT DEFINITELY IMPROVED THEIR LAND MANAGENT AND SOME BEAUTIFUL TRAIL CAMERA PICTURES TO BOOT.
Round: First, just what are the “interests” of QDMA and the Georgia Wildlife Federation other than preserving our wildlife resources? Second, how is it possible to teach hunting ethics to children by shooting deer over a corn pile? Third, this is now settled, there is no more debate to be had about it, our corrupt governor and his DNR board of political cronies (who are, by the way, serving the financial interests of the corn producers, the feeder manufacturers, and big plantation owners) have taken care of that.
DUDLET DOORIGHT- I’M GLAD ITS SETTLED AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN OVERWHELMINGLY. EVEN PAST DNR SPECIALIST CAME OUT AND PROMOTED FOR IT. I GUESS MOST PEOPLE DON’T USE CORN–IT’S USUALLY MIXTURE’S AND MINERAL COMBINATIONS. THE MAN AT THE FEEDMILL WAS VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT TODAY. I’M GLAD I GOT A PLACE TO PUT THEM BAD APPLES IN MY YARD AWAY FROM MY GARDENS AND KEEP THE BABY DEERS AND ME HAPPY. I’LL RAKE A PILE OF THEM IN THE BUCKET OF THE TRACTOR TOMORROW AND PUT EM FRONT OF A TRAIL CAMERA.
THIS WILL DEFINITELY HELP THE ECONOMY AND FARMERS IN SO MANY WAYS. THANK YOU IN THE SOUTHERN ZONE FOR SEVEN YEARS SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW COMMON SENSE BAITING PRACTICES HAVE BROUGHT US ALL GEORGIANS TOGETHER AS ONE ..
Look guys I don’t know what the problem is. To me feeding the deer helps keep the does from wiping out your food plot’s after they drop. Do it the right way, mineral licks, protein pellets things that helps your heard. The only time I’ve ever seen a shooter at a feeder is usually around 2-3 o clock in the morning. Take this opportunity to help your heard not wipe it out. I have always follow the rules and hated the fact that the property beside me was breaking them. This is a opportunity to grow so massive Buck let’s take it and run with it.
Supplemental feeding, which is what you describe above, has never been illegal. This discussion is about shooting deer over bait, not supplemental feeding. The incentives for supplemental feeding are much different than those for hunting deer over bait. The former being positives, and the later being negatives.
SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING IS THE SAME THING ALSO. I NEVER HEARD YOU COULD HUNT OVER IT IN THE NORTHERN. USUALLY THE SUPPLEMENT HAS SALT IN IT AND DEFINITELY A NO GO. THESE ANTI-HUNTERS SO TO SPEAK HAVE BEEN BAITING DEER TOO- TO SHOOT A PHOTO OF THEM. THIS CRAZY THEORY OF BAITING MAY CAUSE CWD IS A JOKE TOO. DEER BED TOGETHER, DRINK FROM SAME WATERING HOLES, AND PERSIMMON TREES, AND FRESH FALLING WHITE-OAK ACORN TREE AND CATCH ANYTHING-MAYBE EVEN A COLD. I THINK COMMON SENSE FROM THE ACTUAL HUNTERS AND 7 YEARS OF DEER BAITING IN THE SOUTHERN ZONE IS PROOF THAT IT’S OK AND GIVE US A CHANCE TO PROVE IT…
Your confidence in your opinions, over those of the DNRs degreed wildlife biologists, is impressive… for lack of a better word.
I guess they could get CWD and blue tongue from eating acorns, natural foliage, food plots, grandmas flowers and other things too. hmm, makes sense.. Deer extinction is right around the corner guys.
Baiting is not the magical thing people think it is. It is not a magnet to bring in that trophy buck either. But, it can cause CWD and blue tongue. You will get does, and when you shoot them, you will get nothing.
Me personally don’t think corn has a complete nutrition alone for a deer bait , is why a make a mixture of animal feeds into a so called block which all food’s that I use are 14 – 16 percent protein that give the deer or hogs and turkey the nutrition that helps with their growth . As far as the baiting law goes I think it’s a personal preference to hunt over bait or not should be left to the individual and we as brotherhood of hunters shouldn’t be bashing each other whether you do or don’t use bait so with that being said I hope everyone a safe and successful year in the outdoors this year
Dudley, one thing is for certain. I will never consider someone who has such a narrow minded view on hunting a fellow hunter. I hunt on a family club in south Georgia that is under QDM, we plant food plots, and some in my family hunt over corn. While I personally do not feel a need to hunt over corn, I by no means pass judgment on those that do. To your other question, no I really don’t worry too much about what non hunters or anti hunters feel. Their beliefs and opinions are typically misguided by their lack of knowledge of deer hunting just like your beliefs and opinions on baiting are misguided by your lack of knowledge and experience with baiting. Plus, wildlife conservation efforts are funded by hunting license sales….not non hunters. Hunting over bait is not the horrible act that you make it out to be. If you believe everything the Wildlife Federation has to say, then you are believing in a group that had a strong political agenda to keep hunting over bait illegal in north Georgia as most of their argument was not based on facts and they had very little documented proof to back up what they were saying. Baiting could possibly aid in the spread of disease if disease is present but it is a theory. It is a theory that makes sense but it hasn’t been proven. Everything else that the Wildlife Federation argued about is a joke and any knowledgeable hunter should see that.
Baiting has been legal in parts of South Carolina for over 40 years. In those areas, deer are not dying of disease, there is not an increase in car wrecks, there is not an increased number of coon, hogs, etc. that eat corn, food plot are not planted less, deer are not on a corn heavy diet, deer are not becoming more nocturnal, and hunters are not a bunch of morons that can’t tell the difference between a white oak and a sweet gum. This is what Mike Worley and compnay at the Geogria Wildlife Federation would lead us to believe is going to happen in Georgia. In fact, hunting in South Carolina is better than it ever has been, everyone plants food plots, and most hunters still know how to hunt. What people seem to forget is that baiting has never been illegal in Georgia. Hunting within 200 yards of bait ONLY was illegal. With the popularity of trail cameras increasing, the amount of corn being sold at Wal-Mart, Tractor Supply, etc. has also increased dramatically. Yes, this new law will increase the amount of corn used by hunters even more, but it will not be the doom and gloom as many try to lead us to believe. Those who want to use corn will. Those who prefer food plots, and other ways of hunting will not. I’ve been hunting in South Georgia and South Carolina all my life. Nothing mentioned by the naysayers, and nothing mentioned by Mike Worley in his article has ever become true where hunting over bait is legal. It simply gives folks another option when hunting. Plus, we should never concern ourselves with what non-hunters will think. If we do that, the non-hunters are winning because they do not want us to hunt at all. I personally do not hunt over corn, but I will never have a problem with my fellow hunters being allowed to hunt over corn. Chronic wasting disease has never been confirmed in the state of Georgia, and until someone can show hard facts where baiting has caused disease to spread rapidly, or until Chronic wasting disease does show up in Georgia, then hunting over bait should be legal. All I’ve ever heard is that baiting could possibly lead to the spread of the disease. That is a theory that thankfully has never been proven. If Chronic wasting disease is ever found in Georgia, then all baiting should be banned which includes putting out bait in front of your trail cameras, etc. Trying to tell a fellow hunter that hunting over bait makes them a moron, or that baiting will cause all these problems makes that person a hypocrite. It’s been going on in South Carolina for many decades without any issues.
So, you don’t care what non-hunters think? Keep in mind that most non-hunters are not anti-hunters. However, many will likely be now. And when we need them to support wildlife conservation methods in this state that use hunting as a management tool, we might not be able to count on their support like we used to. Why because THEY will view you not as a sportsman, but as a deer executioner. As for your opinions on the risks of baiting to our deer herd, I think I’ll side with the wildlife biologists at the DNR. And, by the way, anyone who shoots deer over bait does not qualify as a “fellow hunter.”
What a sad day for deer hunting in Georgia. That the politically appointed DNR board members would defy the recommendation of the wildlife professionals at the DNR is disgusting. This move was opposed by everyone at DNR, past and present, who had the professional credentials to weigh in on it. And yet, Governor Deal does the bidding of his political cronies to find an end around — bypassing the DNR professionals and the legislature. Now, our state’s “hunters” will be viewed by non-hunters as a bunch of feeder sitting morons and our next generation of “sportsmen” won’t know the difference between a white oak and a sweet gum. Even worse, we’ll have our deer herd exposed to an increased threat of chronic wasting disease. Food plots, which feed deer year round and at any time of day, will be planted less as “hunters” divert their dollars to feeders and the corn to fill them, forcing our deer herd onto an unnatural and unhealthy corn heavy diet. But hey, now its “fair” because feeding is legal in the southern and northern zones. Brilliant logic that is — the wrong thing was done in the southern zone, so we must do the wrong thing in the northern zone. Thanks a lot, Governor. Good thing you can’t run for reelection.
I’M SURE PROUD OF MY GOVERNOR DEAL. HE HAD THE INSIGHT TO LET US DO WHAT THE SOUTH HAD BEEN DOING THE REAL PEOPLE OUT IN THE WOODS, NOT BEHIND A DESK AND THINKING GROUPS THAT OPPOSE ANYTHING NEW IS REAL BAD. YOU DON’T TO BAIT ANYTHING IF YOU DON’T WANT TO. SIMPLE AS THAT. IT’S BAD TO FINE A HUNTER IN THE NORTHERN ZONE AND POSSIBLE JAIL TIME FOR THEM WHILE JUST ACROSS A IMAGINARY LINE THE SOUTH COULD JUST HAVE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THEIR WAY.
ITS BEEN DONE FOR 7 YEAR’S ALREADY, NO COMPLAINTS. THE QDMI AND GEORGIA WILDLIFE FEDERATION ARE REALLY THE POLITICAL BUNCH THAT SLOWED THE LEGISLATURE DOWN. BOTH MEETINGS TO DISCUSS BAITING HAD 99% IN FAVOR. GLAD MAJORITY WINS THIS TIME–THANKS FELLOW HUNTERS!!
You should say, “thanks fellow deer shooters.” People who shoot deer over bait are shooting, not hunting.
I FOUND OUT FROM THOSE HUNTING OVER BAIT IS THE DEER BECOME EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS WHEN COMING TO BAIT. I CALL THEM VERY EDUCATED ESPECIALLY IF HUNTING NEARBY. SOME SAY THAT IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER, BUT OTHERS DISAGREE THAT ACTUALLY DOES IT. I GUESS LEAVING YOU’RE SCENT AROUND AND EDUCATES THESE DEER.
I LIKE THE CHALLENGE OF HUNTING THESE EDUCATED DEER THIS YEAR AND BRINGING A KID TO GIVE THEM SOME EDUCATION TOO.
THANK GOD THEY FINALLY DONE THE RIGHT THING. IT WASN’T EVEN CLOSE IN THE TWO MEETING THE DNR HAD WITH THE PEOPLE WHO WANTED THE RULES TO BE THE SAME STATEWIDE. ALL PUBLIC COMMENT AND PAST POLLING OF GA. HUNTERS WE’RE OVERWHELMING. IF YOU DON’T LIKE BAITING -DON’T BAIT-SIMPLE AS THAT. ITS STILL YOU AND MAYBE YOU’RE HUNTING CLUBS DECISION. IT’S GOOD BE ONE STATE AGAIN-THANKS BROTHER HUNTERS.
Too bad you guys in favor of “the rules to be the same” did not push to roll back baiting in the southern zone. Then the rules could have been the same without all the harmful side effects of baiting. But hey, I guess most “hunters” are now like everyone else in our society. They want everything the easy way.
HEY DUDDLEY DORIGHT- TIME TO START PUTTING OUT THE GOOD STUFF LIKE A TRACTOR BUCKET FULL OF APPLES-GOLDEN DELICIOUS. EVEN THE BABY SAWTOOTH DEER CAN GNAW ON THEM. TIME TO QUIT TALKING AND START CHECKING THE CAMERA’S AND SHOWING YOU’RE NEPHEWS AND NIECES SOME OF THEM BIG VELVET HORNS. I THINK ALL OF THE ABOVE IS GOOD HUNTING AND SOME HUNTERS QUIT BARKING AT OTHERS ABOUT THEIR WAYS. WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME WOODS AND LET’S GO HUNTING!!
Just because its legal doesn’t mean you have to participate. I refuse to hunt over bait, but will supplemental feed year round with quality protein feed, not corn, to improve deer health and quality in addition to planting food plots. Based on what I’ve read and experienced it has little effect on increasing success, just makes the corn industry happy.
Good Hunting!
I am a hunter. Unless I am seriously concerned about going hungry, I will never hunt over a trough.
Yay!
I’m 53 and Have hunted Georgia since I was 9 years old. Bow only for over 20 years. Kill several deer per year in different counties.
Never hunted over food plots which made me determine seasonal food sources, travel routes, bedding areas, etc..
Baiting creates lazy – non educated hunters !
This is now deer harvesting.
This is about higher deer harvest numbers = insurance companies and easier on DNR.
This is not and has never been solid biological deer and game management.
I need to sell corn dispenser machines !
Ray
I’M 60 YEAR OLD HUNTER AND ITS LIKE MY RELIGION TO ME. BEEN HUNTING FOR AT LEAST 45 YEARS. I’VE ALWAYS FED DEER IN THE OFF SEASON AND NOTICED MORE BIGGER DEER AND RACKS. FAWNS WOULD GET A BOOST IF ADDING MINERALS. I HAVE SEVERAL TURKEY HATCHES AND THEY LOVE THE EXTRA BOOST IT GIVES THEM AND THEY WILL DEFINITELY HANG AROUND FOR NEXT YEAR.
ITS A GOOD TOOL TO SHOW THE FAMILY DEER TRAIL CAMERA PICTURES AND SEE WHAT KIND OF STRANGE CRITTERS THATS AROUND YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT. IT CREATES A YOUNGER GENERATION OF HUNTERS TO AT LEAST SEE SOMETHING AND GET SOME EDUCATION FROM MAYBE THEIR GRANDPA SITTING BESIDE THEM
It increases the health of the herd by helping to keep the buck to doe ratio where it should be and helping to limit the size of the herd. You are mistaken if you believe it is not solid biological game management. I know several game biologists who specialize in deer herd management who are all for it.
Now the question becomes what about turkey season. We want to run a feeder for the pigs but don’t want to hurt the turkey hunters