"exposed bait"

[~ADC~]

Exposed Bait
You cannot set or maintain any foothold or body-gripping trap or snare within 20 feet of ex- posed bait on land anywhere in the state, or over water in the following areas:
a) Mississippi River corridor - Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Jackson, Clinton, Scott, Mus- catine, Louisa, Des Moines and Lee counties.
b) Missouri River corridor - Those portions of Woodbury, Monona, Harrison, Pottawattamie, Mills and Fremont counties west of Interstate 29.
c) Des Moines River corridor- Boone, Dallas, Polk, Marion, Mahaska, Wapello and Van Buren counties.

“Exposed bait” means meat or viscera of any animal, bird, fish, amphibian or reptile with or without skin, hide or feathers that is visible to soaring birds.

Read that carefully. Does that mean you can use, on land, feathers, hide, and skin IF there is no meat or viscera attached and you are not in those special zones? Not that I plan to but maybe a few feathers around a dirthole or hanging for bobcats???

~ADC~

[Scott W.]

I am reading it to mean: Bait=meat or viscera(guts). Bait does not mean skin, hide or feathers. However meat or guts with the hide still attached counts as bait. I know it is a very thin line, just make sure there is no meat still attached to a chunk of hide. If I'm right, the special zones wouldn't matter because what you are using (no meat or guts) doesn't qualify as bait. I'm sure ChrisF will bust my chops over this, but that is how I am reading it. Scott

[~ADC~]

You are reading it the same as me Scott, bones/skulls with no meat left on them should be fine too if I'm reading it correctly. Chris will have to slap us both.

~ADC~

[dspree]

That is the way I'm reading it too.

[Kelly]

It says with or without skin, hide or feathers so I take that to mean you can not use feathers or hide/skin on land. It is an all inclusive definition-there is no except in it.

That said, there is othing sopping one from using imitation looking furs and/or other items as sight attractants on land.

[~ADC~]

Well I read this part... "You cannot set or maintain any foothold or body-gripping trap or snare within 20 feet of ex- posed bait on land anywhere in the state..."

then I read this part... "“Exposed bait” means meat or viscera of any animal, bird, fish, amphibian or reptile"

then when I read this "with or without skin, hide or feathers that is visible to soaring birds."

I read it as exposed bait is meat and guts whether or not it has feathers, skin or hide on it. To me it doesn't say the skin, hide or feathers are considered exposed bait in and of themselves, unless they have meat or guts attached.

See how I can interpret it that way Kelly? (even if I may be wrong )

Be interested to see what ChrisF says.

By making this post I'm not advocating using feathers, hide and skin, but I'm not saying you shouldn't either in certain situations.

~ADC~

[Scott W.]

I think what was intended by the rule is probably not how it was worded. Would really be interesting to have transcripts of the discussions that preceded the actual writing of the rules, who knows, maybe nobody read them before they were passed.

[chrisf]

You guys are reading it right. Feathers and skin are only illegal if there is meat or viscera attached. I doubt that was the original intention, but it is how it is currently worded and how I have been teaching it to new officers for about 12 years.
cf

[justwannano]

So that means that the jerk that dumped his deer carcus or coon carcuses near my traps could cause me a ticket.

Have a good 1
just

[~ADC~]

Jul 31, 2010 15:07:04 GMT -6 chrisf said:

You guys are reading it right. Feathers and skin are only illegal if there is meat or viscera attached. I doubt that was the original intention, but it is how it is currently worded and how I have been teaching it to new officers for about 12 years.
cf

Thanks Chris! I guess Scott and I aren't as stupid as we look.

[Griz]

Thanks for your response, Chris. It is good to get an official interpretation.

[braveheart]

My guess they will give you the official interpretation when the ticket is wrote.

[LLLTrapper]

Aug 2, 2010 16:09:53 GMT -6 braveheart said:

My guess they will give you the official interpretation when the ticket is wrote.

Or the old let the judge decide thing. You never want a judge to decide your fate on DNR issues.

[chrisf]

You have the official interpretation Bravehart.