Marion County wildlife officer Russell Vandergriff with an elaborate illegal bait station he located. Additional photographs below.
TWRA's Greg Atchley empties an illegal bait station.
Hamilton County wildlife officer Jarod Coxey said he was involved in 12 or 15 cases involving illegally placed bait in Hamilton County last year.
In this case a hunter had illegally scattered several bushels of apples around his deer stand.
This corn had been poured on top of a board to make it easier for the deer and other wildlife to reach it.
Russell Vandergriff at an elaborate illegal bait station located in Marion County.
I just paid a visit to my friendly neighborhood Academy Sports & Outdoors. I like Academy. They carry an outstanding array of stuff outdoorsmen need and want. I spent $56 and change.
But the entire time I wandered the hunting section I was shocked by the prominent display of deer feeders, large pallets of "deer corn," and shelves full of other bait. You are likely to find similar displays at Walmart and other major retailers.
For those who don't know, in Tennessee and Georgia it is illegal to hunt over bait. Some chemical concoctions are legal, but for virtually anyone who shops at Chattanooga retailers, hunting over any grain or mixture containing grain is illegal. Area wildlife officers say it is the most common violation they find in the deer woods... especially during the archery season.
"It makes you wonder where it's all going," exclaimed Hamilton County Wildlife Officer Jarod Coxey. "Our baiting laws haven't changed any. It's always been illegal and it's still illegal to hunt over corn you've poured out on the ground."
It is NOT illegal to sell feeders and deer bait. I repeat, the retailers are not doing anything illegal. And it is legal in most cases to put out bait for wildlife observation and photography.
But all this stuff is being sold in the "Hunting" sections of these retailers... and they only make their appearance immediately before deer hunting season. I'm just sayin' ....
I must wonder about the wisdom of openly and prominently selling the tools needed for hunters to break the law.
"I know they have to make money but as far as I'm concerned it's the same as knowingly selling components to make meth," said Bradley County Officer Brian Letner. "Personally I believe they should post disclaimers telling customers that 'improper use of feeders and bait can be illegal."
Every year wildlife officers make numerous cases of illegal baiting.
"I was probably involved in 12 or 15 different baiting cases in Hamilton County last year," said Coxey.
Bledsoe County Wildlife Officer Mark Patterson said he and Sequatchie County officer Shawn Edgemon made five or six illegal bait cases last year on opening weekend alone.
In many, if not most of those cases, the illegal hunters forfeit their guns, bows, treestands or other equipment in addition to paying significant fines.
Right now is when Tennessee wildlife officers are hitting the woods looking for illegal bait.
"We usually start ten days before the (Sept. 25) season," said Coxey. "The law says that bait must be totally removed from an area for a minimum of ten days before you can legally hunt there."
Coxey says they already have a couple of baited spots they know they will be visiting on opening weekend.
So while it bothers he and other wildlife officers to see feeders and illegal bait displayed and sold, he jokes that perhaps the retailers are simply doing their part for his job security.
I'm just sayin'....
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I just read the article "Deer Corn For Sale -What's Up With That? written by Richard Simms and posted on September 16, 2010. I am amazed by the lack of research that went into this article.
Mr. Simms is correct that it is against the law to hunt OVER bait, including corn. As stated in the article by Hamilton County Wildlife Officer Jarod Coxey, "The law says that bait must be totally removed from an area for a minimum of ten days before you can legally hunt there."
However, it is not against the law to use a feeder or bait/food in an area that will not be hunted. On our lease, the area is divided into 6 separate sections. Having a feeder in section B would not be violating any law as long as no one hunted OVER the corn/bait.
My husband and I have been purchasing corn since our first visit to Academy when the store opened in Hixson earlier this year. As Mr. Simms stated, you are likely to find similar displays at other major retailers like Walmart, Sportsman's Warehouse, Dick's, etc. And, if you visited these stores on a regular basis throughout the year while preparing for hunting season, you would notice that these displays do not just "make an appearance immediately before deer hunting season." I'm just sayin'...
I must wonder about the wisdom of a person who would consider selling corn and feeders to people who are passionate about hunting "openly and prominently selling the tools needed for hunters to break the law."
We are all born with the tools needed to break the law. Most of us are just ethical enough to behave ourselves. Just because a store is selling corn, feeders and other bait does not mean that anyone who buys these items is setting out to break the law. Some of us just want to attract deer to an area we may be interested in hunting sometime in the future.
Mr. Simms article says that it bothers Mr Coxey and other wildlife officers to see feeders and "illegal bait" displayed and sold. It bothers me more than I can express that Mr. Simms would consider a bag of corn "illegal". Perhaps instead of saying "illegal bait" he could have said the illegal act of hunting over bait bothers the wildlife officers.
It is not the retailers "doing their part for Mr. Coxey's job security". It is the few hunters who believe they wont get caught who keep the wildlife officer's busy.
Remember, just like in most parts of society, it is the few rotten apples that spoil the bunch.
I'm just sayin'...
Yvonne Varwig
Chattanooga