How far to hunt from illegal salt site?

[westbranch]

I found an illegal salt site in national forest that had a trail camera on the tree. No cable or lockbox on the camera, so I don't think they expected anyone to find it. I reported to IDFG online and I am waiting to hear back. I do plan to ask the CO their thoughts on this as well.

The salt is near the primary area I plant to hunt. It would be easy to stay 1 mile or more away when hunting but I might end up coming closer if that is where the critters are. I was thinking I will try to stay at least 1/2 mile away. What do others here think?

 

[TheTone]

Such a hard question to answer. It stinks how much salt is dumped over north Idaho, it really isn't that hard to inadvertently find them. I found one a couple years ago that was maybe 10 yards from a very well used elk wallow. I was seriously dumbfounded that someone would ruin a spot that was already getting used by elk.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

When and if you get a hold of a CO ask them, it's not your fault someone isn't playing by the rules.

 

[rustneversleeps]

I personally wouldn't worry about it nor would have called any LEO and would be hunting as normal

 

[Ryan2782]

Putting Salt or any attractant isn't against the law in the off season. I believe it has to be taken out 2 weeks prior to season, and or all the remains must be 100% gone and then a two week period. Technically it should have been pulled by now though.

I would still hunt the same area and not worry about it. Don't hunt in the near vicinity of it, but skirting by 1 mile or even a 1/2 mile depending on terrain, that's overkill in my opinion.

 

[TheTone]

Putting Salt or any attractant isn't against the law in the off season. I believe it has to be taken out 2 weeks prior to season, and or all the remains must be 100% gone and then a two week period. Technically it should have been pulled by now though.
.

Nothing in the law regarding removal, time period, etc.

 

[Ryan2782]

You're right, not sure where I came up with the two week time period.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/question/can...-trail-cameras-can-i-place-some-sort-wildlife

This is from Idaho State Journal a ways back...

Q. A hunter stumbled across a salt block in the mountains on public land in his family’s traditional hunt unit for deer. He figured it would be considered baiting if he hunted in the area even though he did not place the salt lick. Was he right?
A. Bait for hunting is defined as something placed to attract wildlife. However, many ranchers use salt blocks to manage cattle movement within an allotment on public land. If the salt was placed for livestock and not to attract wildlife, it would be legal to hunt over.
If you find a salt block in your hunt area you will have to make that ethical decision whether you believe that salt was left for livestock or whether it was placed as bait to wildlife.
There is not a legal distance associated with the baiting law. The intent of the law is to prohibit hunting if the salt was placed to attract wildlife and if that salt has influenced or enticed wildlife on a path that allows the hunter the advantage.


Looks like waterfowl has a 10 day rule... https://www.fws.gov/le/pdf/waterfowl-hunting-and-baiting.pdf

 

[westbranch]

I also found multiple articles that say it is also illegal to place salt/mineral licks on federal land. But did not find anything on national forest website. Not that they make it easy to find. When I found the spot, I wasn't even sure if it was legal so had to search when got home. Once I got home and read some of the reg's I decided to report.

One article mentions there is no legal distance. But I would prefer to stay far enough away in case I do see a CO in the area and it comes up. That's where I came up with the 1/2 mile, but I won't be walking around staring the GPS to verify that distance.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/press/salt-and-bait-hunting-elk-and-deer-prohibited
https://idfg.idaho.gov/question/using-saltmineral-licks-scout-deer-and-elk
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/nov/03/out-about-salt-baiting-illegal-in-idaho/

https://idahostatejournal.com/outdo...cle_b941b356-93b1-530c-aa1a-20f9b8d5cb47.html

Q: A hunter stumbled across a salt block in the mountains on public land in his family’s traditional hunt unit for deer. He figured it would be considered baiting if he hunted in the area even though he did not place the salt lick. Was he right?

A: Bait for hunting is defined as something placed to attract wildlife. However, many ranchers use salt blocks to manage cattle movement within an allotment on public land. If the salt was placed for livestock and not to attract wildlife, it would be legal to hunt over.

If you find a salt block in your hunt area you will have to make that ethical decision whether you believe that salt was left for livestock or whether it was placed as bait to wildlife.

There is not a legal distance associated with the baiting law. The intent of the law is to prohibit hunting if the salt was placed to attract wildlife and if that salt has influenced or enticed wildlife on a path that allows the hunter the advantage.

Q: Can I set a temporary bait site in order to lure animals for the purpose of photography or wildlife watching?

A: Technically, yes. But please note that doing so may cause wildlife to move into areas in which they may cause problems for themselves, other wildlife, and people. For example, don’t set up a salt lick or other kind of lure for mule deer that draws them across a busy road or out of their preferred natural habitat.

Also, check with the appropriate land management agencies about their rules for setting salt licks and baits sites on public lands.

In the past we have seen hunters set bait to photograph animals, such as deer or elk, on their trail cameras. Then before the season opens, they pull the bait and hunt that area. The problem is that animals become habituated to the area — coming for the bait even if it is no longer there. This is still baiting under the definition. So the next obvious question is how much time must lapse between pulling the bait and hunting the area? There is no set amount of time. The safe bet is to simply not bait areas you intend to hunt (with exception to bear baiting as described above).

 

[TheTone]

I have heard, but have no direct knowledge, of the FS citing people for resource damage relating to salting on FS lands. I have friends that work for a corporate timber company near me that spent quite a bit of time filling in a huge pit from a salt, they also weren't very happy about the large dead mature trees on the edge of the pit.

 

[Meat Whack]

If it’s put out in the off season to see what’s in the area and not actually hunted over is it illegal?

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

So did you check the trail cam?

If you're not going to hunt there or check it at least give the owner something to look at if they ever come back. The classic fruit basket shot is always nice.

 

[westbranch]

If it’s put out in the off season to see what’s in the area and not actually hunted over is it illegal?

Apparently illegal to put the salt out on national forest ground due to the damage. The area was torn up quite a bit. I would also be surprised if the person putting out the camera and salt was not hunting in and around the site.

 

[westbranch]

So did you check the trail cam?

If you're not going to hunt there or check it at least give the owner something to look at if they ever come back. The classic fruit basket shot is always nice.

Ha! Nothing with to check it with. I did wave to the camera once I saw it since I was already standing in front of it. There were some boot prints on the trail near where I was parked so the person must have been checking it recently.

 

[HUNTNNW]

Almost every archer I know in ID dumps salt and cams to see bulls in a given area. Doesn’t mean they are hunting over it .