Baiting ungulates clarification required

[caddisguy]

Never really had any luck baiting deer, at least passed August. They don't seem interested in my offerings of salt, apples and PB... just walk by, not even a sniff.

I wouldn't shoot a bear within proximity (in my case 100 yards of something I left out) Distance might vary depending on area. My 100 yard rule is for an area you can only see 20 max. In an open area I'd give it a lot more room... like 500 yards from bait.

As for salt, I'm not sure I would consider it an attractant. I have hundreds of videos of bears walking right by salt. Never had a single one touch it. I'm not saying it never happens. I'm not very interested in shooting fall bears. I let one walk a couple weeks ago, but if I did want one and it happened to be near salt, I might be inclined as my experience has been that salt isn't a bear attractant.

Apples, COB, PB, gutpile or whatever, definitely bait. Doesn't matter what the intent of the bait was. Shooting a bear near it would definitely be illegal. Even knowingly shooting a bear near someone else's gutpile or even a natural kill / carcass is totally illegal.

[100MileGord]

...

If you ever misunderstand or just doesnt make sence to you a email or phone call to a CO will always clarify any of your questions . Some things can be confusing in the way they word things

Mc

and if you don't like the answer, email a couple of other COs; answers may vary.

A couple of years ago, a rookie CO was giving me a hard time about my defender (pistol grip) shotgun being illegal before his partner came over and got him to calm down. The kid had never seen one before.

We have also been given different opinions on unmarked road closures in the Kootenays.

COs don't know everything: they just think they do.

[J_T]

and if you don't like the answer, email a couple of other COs; answers may vary.

A couple of years ago, a rookie CO was giving me a hard time about my defender (pistol grip) shotgun being illegal before his partner came over and got him to calm down. The kid had never seen one before.

We have also been given different opinions on unmarked road closures in the Kootenays.

COs don't know everything: they just think they do.

Agree with this. I've also had similar occurrences....

To answer the OP. If you are sitting on your stand, looking for deer and using your desired method of attracting them and a bear comes through, but you are concerned about the legalities, don't shoot the bear.

Long story very short... My brother-in law was hunting moose, got attacked by a grizzly, battled with it until it left. In the hospital the CO's wanted to charge him with baiting the grizzly. He didn't know it, but there was moose gut pile 100 yards away. They pursued an investigation until they found out he was the Superintendent of Vancouver Police. But only then, did they back off.

[caddisguy]

and if you don't like the answer, email a couple of other COs; answers may vary.

A couple of years ago, a rookie CO was giving me a hard time about my defender (pistol grip) shotgun being illegal before his partner came over and got him to calm down. The kid had never seen one before.

We have also been given different opinions on unmarked road closures in the Kootenays.

COs don't know everything: they just think they do.

I think that emailing the Ministry is probably the best way to get an authoritative answer, though sometimes it's just as muddy as the wording of the law itself.

Things like shooting grouse with slingshots, using bait for crayfish in lakes with bait bans, etc. have been clarified by the ministry in the passed while CO answers vary. If you can get a clear answer, ministry will be authoritative... and you can print out the reply and keep it in the glove box.

That way it is not up for interpretation by CO's and potential subsequent interpretation of a judge... soo, it helps you out and it helps the CO's out. Win all around. The way some of our laws are written make it difficult for hunters and CO's alike.

[bownut]

Just hunt and leave the bait at home

[HighCountryBC]

Just hunt and leave the bait at home

Just hunt and stop bitching about legal methods some hunters may or may not use.

[S.W.A.T.]

Pretty sure there is some sign's some place that say its unlawful to feed wildlife

[Iltasyuko]

Just hunt and stop bitching about legal methods some hunters may or may not use.

Yep!

Sooner or later baiting ungulates will be illegal too - just give it time. We keep adding laws on top of laws, rules on top of rules and restrictions on top of restrictions, all in the guise of conservation - meanwhile the resource continues to decline despite the endless rules apparently enacted to save it.

[ACB]

I think you can put out salt/mineral blocks legally, right?

Sure you can, but I wouldn't shoot a bear over it if I was you. SHOOTING bears over bait, a big NO NO in B.C.! The Reg's aren't that hard to understand.

[ACB]

Never really had any luck baiting deer, at least passed August. They don't seem interested in my offerings of salt, apples and PB... just walk by, not even a sniff.

I wouldn't shoot a bear within proximity (in my case 100 yards of something I left out) Distance might vary depending on area. My 100 yard rule is for an area you can only see 20 max. In an open area I'd give it a lot more room... like 500 yards from bait.

As for salt, I'm not sure I would consider it an attractant. I have hundreds of videos of bears walking right by salt. Never had a single one touch it. I'm not saying it never happens. I'm not very interested in shooting fall bears. I let one walk a couple weeks ago, but if I did want one and it happened to be near salt, I might be inclined as my experience has been that salt isn't a bear attractant.

Apples, COB, PB, gutpile or whatever, definitely bait. Doesn't matter what the intent of the bait was. Shooting a bear near it would definitely be illegal. Even knowingly shooting a bear near someone else's gutpile or even a natural kill / carcass is totally illegal.

You should try an Saskatchewan food plot, a bale or two of alfalfa and a bag of oats for fussy dear, but I wouldn't shoot a bear over it in B.C.