# baited field ?



## tsj (Jul 22, 2006)

not sure if this is a condition ? or not. im just wondering if there are alot of field in the medina area that didnt get harvested and are conidered baited? not trying to ruffle any feathers. thanks.


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## striped1 (Aug 17, 2005)

if the field was not harvested and was only plowed under, it is considered baited.

There are a lot of these out there this year.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

tsj,

I hunt north of there alot and havent ran into it at all yet but east of jamestown there are several fields i have noticed that were disced under

Lindberg


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

I would be interested in knowing at what point such a field is no longer considered baited. For example once the leftover grain is sprouting and the field turns green the birds are no longer feeding on the grainitself but the sprouts.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

If the field was disced or plowed under without running a combine through the field IT IS BAITED. it can not be hunted for waterfowl for the year until it is planted again next spring....that means Spring snow goose hunting in 2007 too.

As far as I'm concerned there is just as much corn in a combined cornfield as in one that is disced under and in most cases only the USFW guy can tell the difference.


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## Mark Hays (Feb 8, 2006)

Do you know specifically what code or regulation makes a field that was not harvested, ut plowed under considered baited?

I do not know if the average hunter would know the difference between a field that was harvested and then plowed vs. a filed that was just plowed under.


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## tsj (Jul 22, 2006)

are these feilds marked with signs or are you just supposed to know


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

They are not marked. They are tough to tell and there is a fed office in Jamestown as well. Find the farmer and ask what was done with the field would be your best bet!!!!


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## MrSafety (Feb 22, 2005)

How 'bout this: We have a farmer in SD that had a cornfield hailed out in August.........he said he's just going to chisel plow it............baited??


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

Yes


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

The loophole is that if he doesn't plow it under or do anything with it I you can hunt it as it is considered a standing crop. At least that is how the regs read. Tell me how much sense that makes!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

None!!! ABout as much sense as they can flood fields down south to hunt them with standing crop but we cannot hunt a field here that is done under normal ag practices. The only good news is that there was a "guide" from xxxx, ND that did this to many fields and he didn't know he couldn't hunt them and now they are full of birds, but off limits to him as well!!! :lol:


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## Dedicated870 (Sep 25, 2006)

I have been having this same discussion with fellow hunters and MN game wardens for the last year. Last year we were hunting a corn field that was chopped, and we got checked by a warden after filling out our limit. He didn't even stop to look at our guns or our birds, he just kept his head down and said that there was a lot of corn on the field. I tried to talk cival to the warden about his observations of corn being in the field, and he really wouldn't look me in the face, or tell me wether it was baiting or not. I asked him if we could hunt the field again in the year, or if we should just stay off it, and hunt something else. He didn't say anything more, and I got the point just to stay off the field for the year.

This August I saw the same warden working at the MN gamefair and I stopped to talk to him. I asked him if he remembered us and if he could elaborate on the baiting topic a little more for me. He said that what he saw was considered baiting, and if he were a federal warden he would have written me a ticket for baiting that day. He also said that if a field is not harvested under normal agricultural circumstances it is considered baiting, and if you are within 2.5 miles of where the birds are feeding on a baited area, it can also be considered baiting. (In my mind, that makes everyone of us a baiter) However, since I am not the farmer or the landowner, and it was harvested under normal agricultural procedures there was nothing he could could hold against me in court to fight it.

This year, 2nd weekend of duck hunting, we had about 5,000 Mallards, and over a 1,000 geese landing into 3 of our chopped corn fields again. I chose not to the hunt the fields due to the the unspecified bating regulations. It does say that baiting in MN can be up to a $15,000 fine, and 3 year hunting privledge revocation. Doesn't seem worth it for 3 geese and 4 ducks. I also called a local warden on opener and talked w/him on the phone about the situation. I told him that it was a chopped corn field, and that it wasn't dug yet, and he told me to call the US department of agricultural management. They supposedly can tell you wether the field has/hasn't been harvested in normal agricultural ways. However, they were backed up for 2 weeks, and it didn't seem worth it to me, because by the time they came out, the field would be dug. Then the warden told me that if the field is/was considered baiting and we dug or disced it, it would still be considered baiting until all bait was removed from the area. It doesn't make any sense to me and I wish somebody could address the problem, and set some guidlines as to what is baiting.

I did not chop the field, I did not hunt the field, I did not get a straight answer out of two MN game wardens, and we still have birds in our fields. I guess we just consider it our private little refuge and let the birds keep feeding.

Any more feedback from other people's encounters would be appreciated.


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

djleye said:


> None!!! ABout as much sense as they can flood fields down south to hunt them with standing crop but we cannot hunt a field here that is done under normal ag practices. The only good news is that there was a "guide" from xxxx, ND that did this to many fields and he didn't know he couldn't hunt them and now they are full of birds, but off limits to him as well!!! :lol:


I just recieved a phone call from a friend that told me that guides son is hunting the disced corn right now.I told him to turn him in!


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

djleye said:


> None!!! ABout as much sense as they can flood fields down south to hunt them with standing crop but we cannot hunt a field here that is done under normal ag practices. The only good news is that there was a "guide" from xxxx, ND that did this to many fields and he didn't know he couldn't hunt them and now they are full of birds, but off limits to him as well!!! :lol:


How is disking, rolling, or burning corn a normal ag practice. These put the food on the ground. There is a big difference between standing corn and disked corn. Standing corn is not on the ground and not as easy pickings. These birds in migration will keep coming to these fields for the amount of food on the ground. No matter how much they are shot up. 
This law prevents guides, outfitters, and others from leasing land paying the farmers to just disk the corn have extremely successfull hunting and make a killing off of the pay hunters.


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## Dedicated870 (Sep 25, 2006)

Is chopping corn normal agricultural harvesting?


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

Dedicated870 said:


> Is chopping corn normal agricultural harvesting?


I would believe so if you wouldnt have explained the reactions of the wardens I would not have thought twice about it. But if they are unsure and weary I would act with caution. 
Is there an extreme amount of corn on the ground.


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## Dedicated870 (Sep 25, 2006)

Not really in clumps or groups. It is just spread randomly throughout the field. You can picture what a chopper normally does to a ear of corn. few pieces here and there. That's what I don't get. If it is considered baiting, set a guidline as to how much bait per square foot and then tag the field as baited. It's a hairy situation.


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

My thoughts on this is this is a normal practice, they would have to prove that this isnt normal. Unlike, disking, a majority of the crop is removed from the field. I think theywould have an awful hard time citing you for hunting that field.

I would try contacting a federal officer, if there are any refuges or US fish and wildlife offices nearby or call the special agent.

Here is a link to him 
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/StPaul/


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## Dedicated870 (Sep 25, 2006)

There is a federal office stationed in Fergus Falls, MN. I'm not far from there, so I think it is worth a shot. The only problem is that after rain, and a couple weeks of wind the corn continues to disapear in the fields. I just want a straight answer concerning hunting or not hunting the fields. If they even think it is close to baiting, I will continue to stay off it. If they think it's ok, then we go have a good hunt.


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Target,
All I am saying is that they recieved a federal crop payment on the land for hail damage, then they have to disc it. To me that is normal. If someone grows it just to disc it that is another story.


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## FLOYD (Oct 3, 2003)

Dedicated870,

I guess in my opinion if a warden checked you in that field, and didn't tell you it was baited, didn't write you a ticket and didn't warn you not to hunt it again, I don't know how anyone could have held it against you if you hunted it again. If it was a baited field, its his job to make sure you know it when he's standing right next to you. It tells me that he wanted to be able to say it was baited, but he knew he couldn't because he'd be lying.

Just my opinion.


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## Dedicated870 (Sep 25, 2006)

Floyd

I also agree w/you that the warden should have been more clear on the topic, and that he didn't have enough to write me a ticket that day. It just makes you more paranoid then anything. Everytime I go out into the decoys now, I am looking for bait and whatever might be considered bait because of the unofficial ruling. Thanks for your imput.[/quote]


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## target (Aug 10, 2006)

djleye said:


> Target,
> All I am saying is that they recieved a federal crop payment on the land for hail damage, then they have to disc it. To me that is normal. If someone grows it just to disc it that is another story.


I agree, but it can be very difficult to prove this in some situations. And it still has the same effect on the waterfowl they will be flocking in there like mad. Just to easy to wipe out a large amount of birds. I think you would also find these guides and hunters with money searching for damaged cropland to lease.

Don't get me wrong I understand your side and have also lost some good spots this year do to hail and it not being harvested "normally" but I also see the side the USFWS takes on this.


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