Gonna try out a small food plot this year.

What did you plant?

 

Premixed, rye, brasica, clover.

 

I am putting in a acre of rye grain with clover mixed in-hope the clover will survive and give me several years. Putting another half acre in some sort of a brassica blend.

 

6 days and the rye has really popped up. Deer will probably mow it down again before next weekend.

 

Looking good

 

Is that an old gas or oil well?

Do yall put plot saver up or malorganite out on those beans? Down here they will eat a half acre of beans the first week they sprout. It's worthless around here to plant a half acre of beans since they eat it before any ThING happens unless you exclude them till the beans can tolerate grazing.

 

I must be thick. Maybe it is because I don't hunt. I never considered it was a foot plot to lure in animals. I think around here they set out salt licks and dump a few bags of apple drops.

 

Apples or corn use to be illegal in my part of the state. I beleive that law changed about 2 years ago. You can now bait for deer.

Food plots are allowed cause it's basically a farming practice...it just happens to be a hobby and never intended to be harvested by anything other than deer. So it would be hard to say you can't plant a crop when Joe farmer has 400 acres of beans planted next to you and oh by the way shots the deer as they walk into it. Or telling someone they can't hunt their grassy woods trail that the deer just happen to browse in.

 

"Baiting" like salt licks and apples is illegal in PA. Food plots are ok. Honestly, I just did it for fun. I had an area the was torn up pretty badly a few years ago when the former owner did some logging. I figured I would clean it up and plant it for the wildlife instead if the crummy invasives that were taking over.

 

Even pure salt licks are illegal? Even here when bait was illegal salt blocks were legal. That stuff you buy in bags at walmart was not legal though....I guess unless ot was pure salt.

 

Anything you carry into the woods is illegal, solid salt, granular mineral, corn, apples, etc. Food plots are o.k. and scents are o.k. Here's the summary from the PAGC Hunting and Trapping Digest.

Baiting Baiting is allowed in the Southeast Special Regulations Area by permit only. Elsewhere in the state, it is unlawful to hunt in or around any area where artificial or natural bait, food, hay, grain, fruit, nuts, salt, chemicals or minerals, including their residues, are used, or have been used within the past 30 days, as an enticement to lure game or wildlife regardless of the type or quantity. Hunters are responsible for ensuring that the hunting area has not been baited before they begin hunting. They should physically inspect the area and question landowners, guides and caretakers. This section does not pertain to hunting near areas where accepted farming or habitat-management practices are taking place (example: hunting near food plots on game lands is legal). Any natural or manmade nonliving bait can be used to attract coyotes for hunting or trapping.

Later on, it mentions artificial baits (e.g. plastic corn piles) are also verboten.

So not only are baits, salt, minerals, etc. illegal to hunt over, the hunter is responsible to ensure that the area has been clear of such attractants for 30 days prior to hunting! So, in theory (and practice), if you put out minerals or feed in the off season, you have to go and pick it up at least 30 days before you hunt! Actually, you are responsible for "the residues" of feed and minerals, too. If a landowner puts out feed and doesn't tell you and you don't do your due diligence, you are still responsible and will get severely dinged.

 

Since you mentioned it. I have heard that scents and urine (urine mostly probably) is possibly going to be banned by some states here in the near future as more fear of CWD and other herd illness spread and threaten deer heards around the country.

 

I am glad I don't have to worry about it because I don't hunt, but for those who do, it is always much better to do it within the state's rules and regs. So, now I wonder if it is legal to hunt in an apple orchard?

 

In a state like that it would be legal to hunt in an apple orchard. As long as you do not bring in or relocate apples into a pile I would assume. The orchard is basically an ag area a modified field with trees. Just like it's not illegal to hunt in an oak grove or stand of oak trees when they drop their acorns.

We as hunters look for the old homesteads that still have a few apple or pear trees left in them.