Corn piles

[Nitro1970]

Now I've just started hunting the public woods and was just wondering if it is a common occurrence to find corn piles.

[hunt_tx]

Report it.

http://www.ogttx.com/reportpoaching.cfm

Poachers are stealing from you! Help stop the illegal hunting and fishing in Texas. If you have information which will assist game wardens in apprehending persons who are violating the hunting and fishing regulations of this state, Operation Game Thief needs your help!

Call immediately! Dial toll-free, 1-800-792-GAME (4263), any time, day or night and provide the following information to the Texas Parks and Wildlife police communications officer:
the nature of the violation
the location of the violation
the name and/or description of the violator
a description of any vehicle or boat involved in the violation
any other important information which will assist in apprehending the violator
If you wish to remain anonymous, a code number will be assigned to you. You do not have to give your name if you do not want to. The more information you can provide at the earliest opportunity will increase the probability of and arrest and conviction.

Report illegal hunting and fishing – call 1-800-792-GAME (4263).
"This information will not be used for any purpose other than to attempt to apprehend the offender being reported."

"If this violation is currently in progress,
please call 800 792-4263 (GAME) immediately."

[muddyfuzzy]

somebody is doing some baiting sounds like....... usually a no no there. you'll see it from time to time, i just move on, don't want any crow from the law dog about explaining that one.

[Texas Grown]

Nitro, it depends on the type of public land. I've hunted a lot of different types. Some allow baiting, some don't. It all depends on the hunting program. What type of public land is it? This makes my 27th year of hunting Public.

[bryan sandlin]

yes. do check the regs. dont hunt over one untill you know if you can do so.

[Wudstix]

This^^^^

[Saintgunner74]

I was hunting area 4 at Amistad last year, had a nice blind set up about 25' off the floor of a draw on a steep ledge rock outcropping giving me lots of places to shoot down into the scrub. I hung some bright orange scent wicks out so folks would realize someone was hunting there. I left about noon to run into Del Rio to grab fuel. Came back out about 2pm to find all the scrub cut down and used to brush in a pop-up. All my scent wicks re-hung in other trees and about 50lbs of corn spread on the ground. I had just talked to the Ranger about where I was hunting. Baiting is forbidden at Amistad, cutting brush is forbidden at Amistad, a pop-up without your permit number written on it is forbidden at Amistad... I called the ranger. Before he arrived I walked up on the idiots a couple valleys over using a chainsaw to buzz off trees for shooting lanes and baiting another spot. Ranger ended up ticketing them and they lost hunting privileges out there. They claimed they didn't know the rules... It happens, but what sucks is these guys had used popcorn instead of the normal field corn. They kernels are smaller and darker and really hard to see. If they hadn't mowed down half an acre of brush and put in a pop-up I doubt I would have even known the area was baited and I would have gotten my butt in a bind.

The fact is guys like those are going to ruin it for those of us trying to do it right. I don't hesitate to turn em in. Better they are reported by a considerate ethical hunter than discovered by the warden or a non-hunter.

[Nitro1970]

Nitro, it depends on the type of public land. I've hunted a lot of different types. Some allow baiting, some don't. It all depends on the hunting program. What type of public land is it? This makes my 27th year of hunting Public.

Well it's not a WMA if that's what ya mean by type. No program either. It's just put your orange on and go into the woods I reckon.

I did stop by the SO and the dispatcher called the GW and I told him where I found it. Thing is when the FS road ends it kinda turns into a jeep trail and it was just maybe 150yds down the trail.

If I would have had a piece of cardboard and a sharpie I might have made a "free food" sign.

[Texas Grown]

I hunt, will hunt, TP&W draw hunts, US Forestry Service land, Army Corps of Engineers (every project/lake has different rules), National Wild life refuges, and any where else I can get in . That is why I was asking about the type .

And I like the "Free Food" idea. No "Will work" involved .

[lunatic'hunter]

Amen brother! Follow rules, it's pretty durn simple. Got phone numbers on speed dial.

I was hunting area 4 at Amistad last year, had a nice blind set up about 25' off the floor of a draw on a steep ledge rock outcropping giving me lots of places to shoot down into the scrub. I hung some bright orange scent wicks out so folks would realize someone was hunting there. I left about noon to run into Del Rio to grab fuel. Came back out about 2pm to find all the scrub cut down and used to brush in a pop-up. All my scent wicks re-hung in other trees and about 50lbs of corn spread on the ground. I had just talked to the Ranger about where I was hunting. Baiting is forbidden at Amistad, cutting brush is forbidden at Amistad, a pop-up without your permit number written on it is forbidden at Amistad... I called the ranger. Before he arrived I walked up on the idiots a couple valleys over using a chainsaw to buzz off trees for shooting lanes and baiting another spot. Ranger ended up ticketing them and they lost hunting privileges out there. They claimed they didn't know the rules... It happens, but what sucks is these guys had used popcorn instead of the normal field corn. They kernels are smaller and darker and really hard to see. If they hadn't mowed down half an acre of brush and put in a pop-up I doubt I would have even known the area was baited and I would have gotten my butt in a bind.

The fact is guys like those are going to ruin it for those of us trying to do it right. I don't hesitate to turn em in. Better they are reported by a considerate ethical hunter than discovered by the warden or a non-hunter.

[Dude Briggs]

I see it alot and the land I hunt is no baiting. I dont think it gives them any edge over me though and I steer clear of it. It's just like people leaving stands out there all season. I carry my climber in and out everytime I hunt but you will see permanent stands all the time. Ive been hunting a certain spot for the last 2 years and somebody has put a hanging stand in there and now I hunt like 30 yards from this guy's stand. I havent seen him yet but I can assure you when he tries to tell me that's his spot I will have some choice words for him.

[ThunderChuck86]

Like most others have said, sounds like some poachers or illegal hunting to me. Just past by it. Make sure you don't see any corn piles around where you decide to hunt.

[manwitaplan]

OTR question kinda.....

What if you shoot a deer on these public no baiting lands. You drag the deer out and are in the process of cleaning it and the GW stops to check you. Opens the deer mouth and it has corn in the teeth....

Do you think you will have to show the GW where you shot it? Do you think it will bring a lot of questions on you?

What would or do you do?

Manwitaplan

[Dude Briggs]

OTR question kinda.....

What if you shoot a deer on these public no baiting lands. You drag the deer out and are in the process of cleaning it and the GW stops to check you. Opens the deer mouth and it has corn in the teeth....

Do you think you will have to show the GW where you shot it? Do you think it will bring a lot of questions on you?

What would or do you do?

Manwitaplan

I dont bait so if that happened I'd tell him the truth and he'd just have to live with it. What else could I do?

[jmoore2006]

to each there own. but i will not be caught hunting over corn. c'mere deer 3 day harvest seems to do the trick but it's still supposedly illegal and considered baiting. so i just hunt over known trails and scrapes. it usually pays off for a slick head.