Baiting laws by state

Applies to: Deer

A Bait Privilege License is required and is valid only for white-tailed deer and feral swine on private land or leased lands. It is prohibited on public land, including Wildlife Management Areas. Hunting with the aid of bait is prohibited on public lands including WMA, SOA, USFWS, USFS, TVA and Corps of Engineers lands, and on public and private land within the CWD management zone.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Without the Bait Privilege License the guidance is to keep feed more than 100 yards away and out of line of sight because of natural vegetation or natural terrain. There are no exemptions provided in the legislation, so it applies to all ages and to landowners.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Alabama has no open season for black bear, so bears may not be hunted by any method, including over bait.

Source

Use of bait is prohibited, except for bears under specific conditions and for wolves and wolverines under specific conditions.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Anyone wanting to register a bait station in any GMU in Alaska must have successfully completed an ADF&G approved bear baiting clinic and be at least 18 years old, with a maximum of two stations per regulatory year. IBEP is required for bowhunting in Units 7 and 14 through 16. The conditions allowing bear baiting vary by unit and were not fully enumerated.

Source

Applies to: Big game

A.A.C. R12-4-303: a person shall not place edible or ingestible substances for the purpose of attracting or taking big game, with limited exceptions for water, salt and livestock-related materials. Bear is big game and no separate bear allowance was found. Baiting is also expressly prohibited on National Wildlife Refuges.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Code 20.05 makes it unlawful to possess, place, deposit, or scatter any grain or other feed so as to constitute a lure, attraction, or enticement of wildlife, or to take wildlife using bait on any WMA or NWR. In the CWD Management Zone placing feed is unlawful, except that deer and elk may be hunted over bait there on private land only, during an open season within a defined window.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Hunters may bait and feed deer on private land outside the CWD Management Zone. Inside the CWD Management Zone, bait may be used to hunt deer and elk on private land only from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. Baiting or hunting over bait is prohibited on all WMAs.

Source

Applies to: Bear

In the CWD Management Zone bear baiting is allowed on private land from 30 days before the opening day of the first bear season until the last day of the last bear season.

Source

14 CCR 257.5: resident game birds, game mammals, and exotic game mammals may not be taken within 400 yards of any baited area. An area stays baited for 10 days after complete removal. Exceptions cover licensed game bird clubs, standing crops or naturally scattered grain from agricultural operations, and bona fide farming or wildlife-management practices on site.

Source

Applies to: Big game

2 CCR 406-2 number 209.E: it shall be unlawful to hunt big game over bait, regardless if the person hunting over such bait personally placed the bait or not. CPW also states for mountain lion that bait is illegal.

Source

Applies to: Bear

C.R.S. 33-4-101.3: it is unlawful for any person to take a black bear with the use of bait, or with the use of one or more dogs, at any time during any calendar year. Bears are treated separately and more strictly than other big game.

Source

Applies to: Furbearers

Furbearers may be baited under 2 CCR 406-0 number 004.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Bait is prohibited in Deer Management Zones 1 through 10 and on state land in Zones 11 and 12. Bait is any food, mineral, or chemical product designed to be eaten by deer. In Zones 11 and 12 on private land only, minerals and salt licks and natural foods such as hay, grains and fruit are permitted. Under a new rule, all use of natural deer urine products is prohibited because of CWD.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Connecticut has no bear hunting season. State law bans intentionally feeding potentially dangerous wildlife, including bears.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Bait may be used to hunt deer on privately-owned lands. Bait is any nontoxic food material, compound or mixture of ingredients which wildlife is able to consume. A baited field remains baited for 10 days following complete removal of all bait.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Delaware has no black bear hunting season. Using bait to hunt any game is prohibited, except that bait may be used to hunt deer on privately owned land.

Source

It is prohibited to take game on lands or waters where corn, wheat, grain, food, minerals, or other substances meant to be consumed have been placed, except that non-migratory game may be hunted in proximity of year-round game-feeding stations on private lands, provided the feeding station has been maintained with feed for at least six months. Baiting is prohibited on public lands.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Feeding deer within the CWD Management Zone outside of deer season is not allowed.

Source

Applies to: Bear

It is illegal to feed bears in Florida, and bait or feed for any wildlife is prohibited on WMAs. On private land, bears may be taken near a year-round feeding station for other game only if it was set up at least 6 months earlier, and no processed food products may be used.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Bait means corn, wheat, other grains, salts, apples, and other feed that has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered so as to constitute a lure, attraction, or enticement to game animals or game birds. On private land, deer and feral hogs may be hunted over bait with the landowner's permission.

Source

Species other than deer and feral hogs, such as turkey, may not be hunted upon, over, around, or within 200 yards of bait, and require 10 days after complete bait removal. On public land it is unlawful to hunt any game over bait or place bait on any State or Federal managed lands, with penalties up to 5,000 dollars and up to 12 months imprisonment for big game other than deer.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Hunting bears over bait is prohibited statewide in Georgia. It is also unlawful to kill a female bear with cubs or a bear under 75 pounds.

Source

Not verified. Neither the game mammal rules (HAR 13-123) nor the game bird rules (HAR 13-122) posted by DLNR contain a baiting provision; the bird rules do ban live decoys for doves and dogs, electronic calls and live decoys in the spring turkey hunt. Confirm with the official regulations before you hunt.

Source

Applies to: Big game

The use of bait is prohibited for hunting any big game animal except for black bear. Mountain lions, bears and wolves may be taken over a carcass or gutpile present by coincidence, provided the hunter did not place it or add substances to it.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Black bear baiting is allowed but requires a permit, which is purchasable only at Fish and Game offices.

Source

Applies to: Deer

You cannot legally feed deer at any time and/or take deer by the use or aid of bait or baiting of any kind. There is no bear season in Illinois.

Source

Applies to: Deer

It is against the law to use snares, salt, or bait to attract and harvest deer. An area is considered baited for 10 days after bait removal and may be hunted on day 11. There is no bear season in Indiana.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting is prohibited for deer. Bait means grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay, salt, mineral blocks, or any other natural food materials transported to an area to attract wildlife. Iowa has no bear season, so no bear baiting rule applies.

Source

Although strongly discouraged for biological reasons, it is legal to bait deer, turkey, and other non-migratory game animals on private lands. Baiting, for any purpose other than furharvesting, is prohibited on public lands and Walk-in Hunting Access, WIHA and iWIHA, areas.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Hunting deer over bait is permitted on private property only and is prohibited on public land. Bait is defined as a substance composed of grains, minerals, salt, fruits, vegetables, hay, or any other food materials. Additional restrictions apply in the CWD Surveillance Zone.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear baiting is illegal. Hunters may not use bait or other substances capable of luring bears, and garbage counts as bait.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Bait is defined as any substance used to attract game via ingestion. Baiting, hunting over bait, or possession of bait is prohibited on all WMAs, although bait may be kept in a vehicle traversing or parked on a WMA road. Private land is not covered by that prohibition, so baiting deer on private land is permitted, and that reading is by omission and worth a direct pamphlet confirmation.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear hunting is by lottery permit only. Hunting over raw or processed bait and using a scent lure are allowed during the bait period the department sets by rule each year, but raw sweet potatoes and chocolate may not be used as bait or scent.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting or feeding of deer is prohibited during the summer through mid-winter period set in the regulations. The bait placer must have landowner permission, label the bait with a 2 by 4 inch tag bearing name and address, and clean up within 20 days of last use or on request.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear bait may be placed up to 30 days before the bear bait season opens and no later than October 31, and bait areas must be cleaned up by November 10. You need the landowner's permission (a permit on wildlife management areas and Public Reserved Land), and the stand or bait area must carry a 2 by 4 inch tag with the baiter's name and address. Bait must be at least 50 yards from a drivable travel way and more than 500 yards from an occupied dwelling unless you have written permission, and no medicinal, poisonous or stupefying substance may be used.

Source

Applies to: Deer

It is legal to bait deer except on state-owned or state-controlled properties.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bait, scent attractants and electronic calls are prohibited for bear hunting, and any bait must be removed at least 10 days before bear hunting. Placing bait for hunting on state lands is also illegal.

Source

Baiting migratory game birds, wild turkey, bear, or deer during or within 10 days of the start of their specific hunting seasons is prohibited.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Deer bait means any natural or artificial substance. Standing crops planted and left as wildlife food plots do not constitute baiting.

Source

Applies to: Bear

It is illegal to bait bear. Bait includes the use of lure, scents, or any other substance that may attract a bear.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting rules differ by peninsula. In the Lower Peninsula baiting and feeding are prohibited. The sole exception is that hunters with disabilities who meet specific requirements may use bait in the Lower Peninsula during the Liberty and Independence Hunts only.

Source

Applies to: Deer

In the Upper Peninsula baiting is permitted during the fall and early winter period set in the regulations, with extensions for eligible hunters. Bait volume at any hunting site cannot exceed two gallons, bait dispersal must be over a minimum 10-foot by 10-foot area, and bait must be scattered directly on the ground.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Recreational feeding in the Upper Peninsula is restricted to two gallons per residence per calendar day, and feed may be no more than 100 yards from a residence. Supplemental winter feeding must be one-quarter mile or more from the nearest paved public highway and at least 1 mile from livestock and commercial crops.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear bait stations are allowed from the start of the bear baiting period, 31 days before the open season in that bear management unit, through the end of the bear hunting season, with up to 2 gallons of deer and elk attracting bait where deer baiting is allowed. You cannot use chocolate or cocoa derivatives, melatonin, or any other stupefying substance, drug or anticoagulant at a bait station.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting deer is illegal. Bait is placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering bait capable of attracting or enticing deer, and includes grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay or other food placed by a person. Liquid scents, sprays, salt, and minerals are not bait if they do not contain liquid or solid food products. All bait must be completely removed for 10 days prior to hunting.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Agricultural crops from normal farming, forest management, wildlife food plantings, orchard management or similar land management are not bait, but concentrated piles of crops where hunting occurs do qualify as illegal baiting. Penalties are a one-year license revocation on a first offense and three years on a second conviction within three years, doubled for trophy deer scoring 170 or more.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear baiting is legal and registered. A person may not place bait for bears unless the person has a current year bear license or is operating under the direction of a person with a current year bear license, and bait stations must be registered.

Source

It is illegal to hunt or trap any wild animal or wild bird with the aid of bait. Supplemental feeding is a separate, private land only regime. Mississippi has no open bear season, so no bear baiting rule applies.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Miss. Code section 49-7-33.1 directs the commission to allow the taking of deer with supplemental feed on private lands only. Under Reg. 40 Miss. Code R. 2-4-2.4 it is lawful to feed wild animals year round on private lands, and feeders may be placed no closer than 100 yards from the outermost boundary of an area of sole ownership or exclusive hunting rights.

Source

Applies to: Deer

From the opening day of deer archery season to the close of spring turkey season, hunters must be both 100 yards away from and not within the line of sight of feed or a feeder which contains feed. Feeding sites may not be hunted for 10 days following complete removal of all feed.

Source

Applies to: Deer

It is illegal to hunt any wild animal or wild bird with the aid of bait. Supplemental feeding is regulated by MDWFP: all feed and feeders must be at least 100 yards from the nearest property line, and deer hunters may hunt near a feeder with no minimum distance. MDWFP may set added timing and method rules, so check mdwfp.com before hunting over feed.

Source

Supplemental feeding of wildlife, including feeders, salt licks, and mineral licks, is banned within any MDWFP-defined CWD Management Zone.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Use of bait, which includes grain or other feed placed or scattered so as to attract deer or turkeys, while hunting is illegal. An area remains baited for 10 days after the feed is removed.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Using bait to hunt black bears is illegal. Bait means any food placed or scattered to attract bears; scents and minerals are not bait, but mineral blocks with food additives are. An area stays baited for 10 days after all bait is removed.

Source

MCA 87-6-401 makes it unlawful to use any snare, set gun, projected artificial light, trap, salt lick, or bait when hunting game animals or birds. There is no bear exception; bears are treated the same as other game animals.

Source

Applies to: Big game

It is illegal to hunt big game or turkeys within 200 yards of a baited area: any place with grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay, minerals including salt, or other food that may attract them. An area stays baited for 10 days after all bait is removed. Scents alone, normal farming and ranching, and food plots do not count as bait.

Source

Applies to: Big game

NAC 503.149: a person may not bait big game mammals for the purpose of hunting, or knowingly hunt big game mammals that were baited by another person.

Source

Baiting is permitted under a baiting permit, with limits. No bait may be placed during the spring and summer closed period set in the regulations. A baited area shall be considered an active bait site until any and all bait material is completely removed.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Only persons holding a Disabled Veteran License or Paraplegic License may bait deer, statewide, during the period set in the regulations. Products that are 100 percent salt are prohibited as deer bait.

Source

Applies to: Bear

No person shall establish, tend, or hunt bear over a bait containing chocolate or any cocoa derivative. White chocolate may be used as bait.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting for deer is legal except where prohibited by the landowner. Hunters may not hunt from tree stands within 300 feet of a baited area, except deer hunters, who may be any distance. Baiting is prohibited on national wildlife refuges and recreation areas.

Source

Applies to: Bear

While hunting black bear, you may not attempt to take or kill a bear, or possess a firearm, bow or other weapon, within 300 feet of a baited area.

Source

It is unlawful to take or attempt to take game species by baiting, and an area is considered to be baited for 10 days after the removal of the bait. It is also unlawful to take big game or turkey from an area which has not been completely free of bait, including in feeders, for at least 10 days. Bear is a big game species and no separate bear allowance was found.

Source

Applies to: Big game

Intentional feeding or baiting of deer or bear is prohibited at all times of year, including mineral blocks and powders. It is illegal to place a salt block or mineral lick on lands inhabited by deer. It is illegal to hunt with the aid of bait, or over any baited area when hunting big game. Agricultural plantings and wildlife food plots are exempt.

Source

Applies to: Deer

The placement of commercially available mineral supplements specifically and exclusively marketed for attracting or feeding deer is allowed anywhere in the state, except on game lands and CWD Management and Surveillance Areas. Processed food products as bait are prohibited statewide in areas with an established bear season. On game lands, baiting is prohibited.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Hunting bears over bait is illegal. You may not take a bear while it is eating unprocessed foods, or with the aid of salt, honey, sugar, syrups, candy, pastry, peanut butter, grease, animal parts or similar substances. Placing processed food products as bait is prohibited anywhere with a bear season, and no food of any kind may be placed on game lands.

Source

Applies to: Big game

It is unlawful to hunt big game over bait, or place bait to attract big game for the purpose of hunting, on both public and private land in a specific list of deer units. The unit list is revised periodically, so check the current regulations rather than a fixed list. Baits include grains, minerals, salts, fruits, vegetables, hay, or other natural or manufactured foods.

Source

Applies to: Big game

Hunting over bait or placing of bait for any purpose is also prohibited on Department wildlife management areas, and on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges, national grasslands and forests, Army Corps of Engineers lands, and state trust, park and forest lands.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting is land-type dependent. Hunters may hunt deer over bait, except on public hunting areas and in the Disease Surveillance Area. Hunters may not hunt deer over bait on any public hunting area, and in the CWD Disease Surveillance Area the placement of or use of bait (salt, minerals, or any food) to attract or feed deer is prohibited. There is no bear season in Ohio.

Source

Applies to: Deer

There is no statewide prohibition on baiting deer on private land. On ODWC-owned or managed lands, including Corps of Engineers lands, it is unlawful to place and/or hunt over bait. Bait is the placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat, or other grain or other feed. Salt and mineral blocks without grain are legal.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Not verified. ODWC prohibits baiting on wildlife management areas and prohibits pursuing bears with dogs, but the 2026-27 regulations reviewed do not state whether bear baiting is allowed on private land. Confirm with the official regulations before you hunt.

Source

Applies to: Big game

Oregon's general big game rules contain no general ban on baiting deer or elk, but it is illegal to possess or use any commercial cervid attractant that contains or is derived from cervid urine. Using bait to attract black bear is prohibited.

Source

Applies to: Bear

ORS 498.164: a person may not use bait to attract or take black bears, or use one or more dogs to hunt or pursue black bears or cougars. Bait means any material placed for the purpose of attracting or attempting to attract bears. Violation is a Class A misdemeanor, with a five-year license suspension for a first offense and permanent suspension thereafter.

Source

It is unlawful to hunt in or around any area where artificial or natural bait, food, hay, grain, fruit, nuts, salt, chemicals or minerals are used, within 30 days. Non-food lures are permitted; food-based scents are prohibited.

Source

Applies to: Bear

The use of scents or lures while hunting bears is prohibited.

Source

Feeding and baiting wildlife in the state of Rhode Island is not permitted at any time, with limited exceptions. There is no bear season in Rhode Island.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Baiting or hunting deer over bait is permitted on private lands statewide. On all WMA lands, baiting or hunting over a baited area is prohibited. Bait means placing, depositing, exposing, distributing, or scattering shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat, or other grain or food stuffs as an attraction, lure, or enticement. Salt and minerals are not bait on WMAs.

Source

Applies to: Bear

In Game Zones 1 and 2 it is unlawful to feed bears or hunt bears with the aid of bait. In Game Zone 4, bears may be hunted over unprocessed bait (raw grains, fruits, nuts or vegetables) on private land only.

Source

Applies to: Big game

Bait stations cannot be established or maintained during the closed periods specified in the regulations. A bait station is a location where grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, hay, or minerals are placed to attract big game animals for hunting purposes.

Source

No person shall make use of bait to hunt wildlife unless the bait has been removed and any electronic feeder disabled at least 10 days prior to hunting, except pursuant to a deer bait privilege license.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Not verified. TWRA's bear hunting page has no baiting rule. The Deer Bait Privilege License covers white-tailed deer on private land only, and TWRA warns that no depredation permits are issued for bear damage at bait sites or feeders. Confirm with the official regulations before you hunt.

Source

Baiting is legal in Texas: it is lawful to bait for game animals, nongame animals, and upland game birds, except for wild turkey in the East Zone and migratory game birds. Baiting is prohibited on most public property. Bait is something that lures any wildlife resource, including salt, grain, minerals or other feed. Black bear is protected and there is no bear season.

Source

Applies to: Big game

It is unlawful statewide to bait big game, take big game in a baited area, or take big game that has been lured to or is traveling from a baited area.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Baiting big game is unlawful statewide, but bears may be baited on hunts that allow bait (summer limited-entry hunts on specified units). If you draw such a permit, you must get a bait station certificate of registration from DWR before setting up a bait station, and baiting before the season starts is prohibited.

Source

It is illegal to hunt or take any wild animal by using bait during any deer hunting season, except that trappers may use bait in taking furbearers. It is also unlawful to hunt or take deer, bear, turkeys or waterfowl with bait, or to feed deer or bear. Feeding and baiting are banned on Vermont Fish and Wildlife lands as well.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Deer lures containing any cervid urine, blood, gland oil, feces, or other bodily fluids, are illegal to use in Vermont.

Source

Applies to: Deer

It is unlawful to place feed or salt capable of attracting deer during the designated fall and early winter closed period statewide, and year-round in Buchanan, Dickenson and Wise counties and in CWD-affected areas. Check the current regulations for the exact dates of the statewide closed period.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear baiting is prohibited year-round statewide.

Source

Applies to: Big game

It is unlawful to hunt for deer, elk, or moose using any type of bait placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, scattered, or otherwise used for the purpose of attracting these species with the intent to hunt them, including natural or synthetic scents that contain or are derived from cervid urine or glandular extracts. Feeding that causes deer, elk or moose to congregate is also unlawful.

Source

Applies to: Big game

Exceptions to the deer, elk and moose bait rule are locally common agricultural practices, wild vegetation, synthetic scents without cervid extracts, naturally occurring mineral deposits, and department-authorized permits.

Source

Applies to: Bear

The use of dogs or bait for recreational hunting of black bear is prohibited statewide under RCW 77.15.245.

Source

It is illegal to bait or feed any wildlife on public land at any time. Baiting and feeding of cervids is prohibited in CWD Containment Areas. Private land deer baiting is not otherwise prohibited.

Source

Applies to: Bear

It is illegal to bait or feed bear at any time, on all lands.

Source

Applies to: Deer

Deer baiting and feeding are banned county by county because of CWD or TB, and each new wild or captive positive renews a county's ban; a ban expires only after a set period with no new detections. The DNR's baiting and feeding page and map always show the current banned counties, so check it before you hunt.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Bear bait may be placed on or after April 15 and through the end of the bear season, up to 10 gallons. It must be fully enclosed in a hollow log, hole in the ground or stump and capped with logs, rocks or other natural materials that keep deer out. Bait may not contain or be held in metal, paper, plastic, glass or processed wood, may not contain animal parts or by-products, and may not be within 50 yards of a public trail, road or campsite or within 100 yards of a road posted 45 mph or more.

Source

Applies to: Big game

Bait for big game is limited to specified individuals only: those who are legally blind, confined to a wheelchair, hunting under certain disability permits, or licensed under specific provisions.

Source

Applies to: Bear

Black bear baiting is allowed in most Wyoming hunt areas, but only at bait sites registered with Game and Fish (up to six per person per year). Baiting is closed in Areas 22, 25, 26 and 32, designated wilderness, grizzly bear primary conservation areas and parts of Areas 23, 27, 28 and 35. Bait must be at least 200 yards from water, roads and pack trails and a half mile from developed campgrounds, picnic grounds and buildings, and may not include game animals, game birds, game fish or protected species.

Source