Buckjam @ Fleet

Isn’t buckjam considered bait based on MN hunting regs and illegal to use during deer rifle season? Its funny how in August/September when I was looking for a couple jugs of the stuff, Fleet Farm had one different flavor and only 3 jugs in inventory. Flash forward to the week before rifle opener, they have an entire isle dedicated to buckjam and other bait/attractants. I’ve been at fleet farm about 4 times in the last 2 weeks and always see people in line at the checkouts who are buying buckjam… Are they knowingly baiting during firearm season? Do they just not know its illegal? Its amazing how many people were buying it.

Yes, it’s considered bait in MN and it’s illegal. Fleet also seems to stock up on bagged corn and alfalfa cubes just in time for season as well.

I almost always see Master Baiters in Fleet right before and during MN deer season. Box of shells and a blaze orange hat in the top of the cart on top of a bag of corn and 2 jugs of Buck Jam.

They know it’s illegal. They just don’t care or think they won’t get caught. I think Master Baiters love buck jam because unlike a corn pile, it’s easy to conceal and very difficult to spot from the air.

I heard the DNR was busting corn pile hunters fast and furious opening weekend. They had planes in the air the week before spotting Master Baiter corn piles so they could pay a visit on opening morning.

Grouse

We had several planes flying over us on opener. Quite annoying, but I hope they caught alot of baiters.

I have a hard time with this stuff and feeding deer. Maybe tiny transmitters need to be placed in the bags and on bottle bottoms some gps cords can be recorded and if there’s anyone hunting within a half mile of the pile of dump site the get the screws put to them. Better yet, make it illegal to sell any of the pour-on slop in Minnesota.

I quite hunting bear because of the bait thing…like shooting a house dog at the food bowl. Same with deer being lured in with this stuff. People using the stuff are just plain chicken-schnits.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I have a hard time with this stuff and feeding deer. Maybe tiny transmitters need to be placed in the bags and on bottle bottoms some gps cords can be recorded and if there’s anyone hunting within a half mile of the pile of dump site the get the screws put to them. Better yet, make it illegal to sell any of the pour-on slop in Minnesota.

I quite hunting bear because of the bait thing…like shooting a house dog at the food bowl. Same with deer being lured in with this stuff. People using the stuff are just plain chicken-schnits.

sorry there Tom…………i’ll disagree and argue with you till the cows come hone over the bear baiting issue!

I think the ironic part is back in Aug/Sep when I wanted to legally use a few jugs of the stuff, there was hardly anything (+/- 3 jugs) on the shelves at Fleet Farm… then I stop in 3 days before rifle opener and there’s literally an entire isle of the stuff.

At least with corn and that stuff, they have pallets of the stuff at the store all summer long and not just during rifle season…

There’s no irony at all. The stores know what they’re doing, illegal or otherwise.

And Glenn, disagree all you feel you need to. It won’t change my mind. But I still think you’re a good dude.

The problem is that these products inhabit a gray area where it is technically legal to use them (in many areas of the state), just NOT during the hunting season and 10 days before.

Also, of course, you can’t ban corn, alfalfa cubes, molasses powder, etc, etc, etc. So cutting off the supply of buck jam would have little overall impact.

To me it comes down to enforcement and IMO our DNR on the enforcement end is woefully under-staffed. Again, I’d GLADLY pay $10 extra for each license purchased if the funds directly paid for more COs and sting operations. A hard, well-publicized crackdown and lots of perps paying big fines AND losing hunting privileges and the number of Master Baiters will go down quickly.

Grouse

I grew up in MN where baiting was not allowed and really enjoyed hunting there; especially during the bow season. 20 yrs ago I moved to WI where baiting was allowed and really struggled with the ethic’s, etc behind it. I always continued hunting without the use of bait, but it is really tough when hunting public or shared use private land which I often do. The amount of bait sites on these land types is crazy and really changes deer movement.

Now the locations I hunt in WI are CWD area’s and while I’m certainly not thrilled we have CWD, at least it did help to eliminate baiting and feeding. I really look forward to chasing deer in more natural patterns, but I’m skeptical how many hunters will actually follow the new no baiting/feeding law…… Hopefully I’m wrong, but I suspect it will take awhile and some years of people getting busted before most quit baiting.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

There’s no irony at all. The stores know what they’re doing, illegal or otherwise.

And Glenn, disagree all you feel you need to. It won’t change my mind. But I still think you’re a good dude.

oh i know. but there’s more to it then just dumping food out and da bears come!!!!! its cool, we are good.

we deer hunt up in itasca county, 2 different permit zones, my brother is 25 miles from the cabin and nowhere near a corn field. i know they dont bait but yet when my nephews buddy gutted his buck he found corn!!!!!!!!!!! so someone was feeding them.