DNR officers look for illegal baiting with archery season in full swing

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Oct. 1 kicked off archery season for deer hunting in Indiana, which has lead to a multitude of Hoosiers hitting the woods and already harvesting more than 13,000 deer as of Thursday.

During that time, conservation officers around the state work to ensure all hunters are abiding by state laws in order to promote safe practices and the protection of wildlife.

A key issue conservation officers face is the use of baiting, which is illegal and involves using food or other types of products to lure in and hunt over deer. The tools used for baiting are defined in four ways by the DNR:

• A solid or liquid that is transported and intended for consumption
• Salt
• Mineral blocks
• Food that is transported and placed for consumption

Examples of objects that can be used for baiting include piles of apples and corn along with salt or mineral blocks. An area is also considered baited for 10 days after the removal of the aforementioned material and baited soil.

On Thursday, the DNR’s law enforcement division posted examples of illegal baiting on Facebook. The violations happened in District 1, which includes Kosciusko and Wabash counties.

Gannery Htoo, a DNR conservation officer who works with District 2, said hunters are allowed to utilize orchards or other landscapes with natural agricultural uses that may be attractive to deer.

He also noted that the DNR sees illegal uses of baiting each year and that the department wanted to remind Hoosiers of the rules regarding it with archery season in full swing and the firearms seasons on the way.

“We see it every year … and we do address it every year,” Htoo said.

One reason baiting is illegal is to prevent the congregation of large numbers of deer, which can lead to the spread of disease within a deer population. There is also an ethical component to it where hunters do not want to have an unfair advantage over an animal.

“It goes back into the ‘fair chase’ question that we have for our hunters. If we are allowing hunters to go out and we give the animal a disadvantage of baiting them or attracting them to us, that falls into the fair chase mentality,” Htoo said. “We want to give the animal a fair shot at coming to us naturally.”

For those unsure whether the tools they use to hunt are allowed, Htoo urged Hoosiers to visit the DNR’s website for a variety of resources. Curious residents can also call a DNR law enforcement district to learn more.

He also thanked Hoosier hunters who look for suspicious or illegal activity and report it to the DNR in order to promote fair hunting practices.

“There’s only so many of us in the state alone, and we do rely on the general public. If you see something, say something,” Htoo said. “It’s not fair to the general person who does everything right.”