[CBB]

So reading the baiting, hunting over crops section of the digest it doesn't clearly state hunting over plots is legal.
I have been in the belief that it is legal, based on the fact that I have permission from the landowner to hunt the standing crops, and I am the caretaker.


Input?

 

[MaddiesDad]

Legal, end of discussion... just don't brush hog the corn and soybean fields and then hunt, cause that is not a standard farming practice

 

[dmccoy1]

True, and I believe what constitutes it being legal or not is 1) is it a "normal farming practice"
2) if it is left for the wildlife, it cannot be "manipulated", ie. can't cut the crop down and just leave lay, etc.

I have a farmer leave me small patches of corn for goose blinds. I normally cut some of that corn, and slide a blind inbetween the rows. Any of the corn stalks I cut down, either to put the blind in, or if I cut some down to tie it onto the blind.....I have to take the "ear" of corn off the stalk, and take it out of the field, since that is the "food" part of it. Any of the other standing corn that is left there, that I haven't "manipulated" or messed with, can stay put with the ears on it still. That is direct from the WCO that used to be in my area.

Problem comes in when you purposely make it easier for the wildlife to get to, then it becomes baiting. Common sense, if you cut it, trample it, etc. your baiting in their eyes, imo.

 

[oliver88]

what if you clean the combine out at the end of the day is that considered baiting or normal farming practices?

 

[Samuel]

Are you cleaning it 100yrds in front of your tree stand or when you get back to the barn before you put it away. I would think it would be fairly cut and dry to determine what your intention is ......... Just saying

 

[DennyF]

Bait is bait, food plots and crop fields are something entirely different.

My cousin's son has two small food plots on my camp property. Deer frequent them in late summer, early and late fall.

To date, I have seen precisely one deer near either one of them, while I was milling about in rifle season and that was a one horned spike.

But I can trudge up over the ridge behind camp and see deer in a neighboring corn field that is almost always picked by rifle season.

There are hundreds of acres of corn fields near camp and some still have standing corn in them during rifle seasons, depending on how soft the ground is for the corn picker? Not unusual for farmers to wait until the ground freezes, to get at them.

Even at that, got a hunch the deer are mostly in them after dark? So no one should be hunting when the deer are out, right?

 

[bobdoo]

So here in NJ, baiting is the legal normal way. So I'm not familiar with the technicalities of what is or isn't baiting in Pa. Why is it ok to grow plots that have no human crops?

 

[outofstater]

Why not brush hog etc.? If its a planted growing plot on my property I feel I can do as I wish with it. Who would set the standard of good practice or not? Since we all have different opinions I could have my practices. But as far as baiting yes I know dumping something out is illegal.

 

[zeek]

I agree. I see no issue with brush hogging. Where is the guideline on normal farming practice for the PGC? I have seen farmers mow off corn because it wasn't worth picking due to bear and deer damage.

 

[cspot]

Yes. Even if cited for brush hogging, I would think you could win that in court. Now if you pick the corn and then unload the wagon 30 yards from your treestand that I would consider "not normal farming practice".

 

[dmccoy1]

Brush hogging is called out by the USFWS as things not acceptable for waterfowl, not sure if that would be for areas like Md. and De. where baiting for deer is legal.

PS. They clarify it for migratory birds, as bush hog is legal for doves, just not waterfowl. Can leave it stand, and it's ok if it naturally falls down, which is what normally happens by Jan. and Feb. So it's readily available to the birds, and legal. I think the key work here is "manipulation" of the crops.

 

[oliver88]

what if you mowed it with a sickle bar or a disc mower or a drum mower? is that alright different method than brush hogging

 

[bux&dux]

Brush hogging is called out by the USFWS as things not acceptable for waterfowl, not sure if that would be for areas like Md. and De. where baiting for deer is legal.

PS. They clarify it for migratory birds, as bush hog is legal for doves, just not waterfowl. Can leave it stand, and it's ok if it naturally falls down, which is what normally happens by Jan. and Feb. So it's readily available to the birds, and legal. I think the key work here is "manipulation" of the crops.

This how they get away with it in MD and DE for waterfowl. They brush hog the crop, then then as soon as they plow the field under. (now that makes it normal farm practice) is legal. They just set the disc depth for 1" and they are good to go. Still tons of crop left but its been plowed so its ok.

Now far as deer go. U can drive a tri axle out to your stand and dump it and hunt over it. We are the only state left around that u cant bait that i know of.