Feeding and baiting defined

As stated in the gun deer season outlook story on this page, baiting and feeding of deer in Oneida and Vilas counties is still banned. These bans are statutorily regulated. When a cervid such as a white-tailed deer is harvested or found dead subsequently tests positive for CWD, the county in which it was killed will be under a three-year feeding and baiting ban. Any county within a 10-mile radius of that site will also be under a feeding and baiting ban, for the length of two years. That clock essentially “resets” with each new finding of CWD in either the wild or captive herd, continuing that ban for the stated number of years.

What is feeding and baiting?

The DNR defines baiting and feeding as unnatural placement of foods for consumption by animals, in short. It does not include natural vegetation and plantings.

“No person may place, use, or hunt over bait or feed material for the purpose of hunting any wild animal except deer, bear, or wolf,” in the state, according to the DNR website. In counties were CWD has been found, or found within a 10-mile radius, this takes deer out of the equation. In these counties, “placing bait to hunt deer or feed for recreational viewing of deer is illegal.”

Feeding wild animals for non-hunting purposes is prohibited in the state with the exceptions of birds and small mammals. Material may be placed solely for the purpose of attracting these species with some special considerations.

Feed must be placed in a bird feeding device or structure that is high enough in the air and of sufficient design to prevent access by deer. Feeding must also be done within 50 yards of a “dwelling devoted to human occupancy.”

When deer, bear, elk or other wildlife are found to be gaining access to these structures as a food source, owners must then take action to enclosed the structures in such a way that those animals no longer have access, or   elevate those structures to a higher point. If neither of these is successful in limiting access, the structures must be removed.

Placement of water for drinking or as a bird bath is allowed. Water should be changed frequently and the watering station cleaned with a bleach-water solution on a regular basis to prevent spread of disease. Ideally this would mean a bi-weekly cleaning schedule at the least. In colder months, heaters can be used to keep water from freezing to continue to provide that drinking water source.

Scents are legal to use as a deer attractant. However, they must be placed in such a way that they cannot be consumed by the deer. Scents must also be removed at the end of each hunting day.

For more information, go to the DNR website dnr.wi.gov and input “feeding and baiting” into the search bar.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].