I’m sorry foofoo but I’m not with ya on the baiting issue. Baiting provides a concentrated food source and is not exactly the same as a natural one. In fact, baiting deer was illegal in New Jersey until a short while ago, and still is for waterfowl, both statewide and nationally. And it wasn’t made legal due to ethical considerations. The state was having trouble controlling the deer population in many zones and made baiting legal for more practical reasons. So now we have hunters legally doing something that a few decades ago would have resulted in a fine and the label of unethical hunter placed on them. I’m somewhat bothered by that. The ethical nature of an activity should not be changed for pragmatic reasons.
As for the need to avoid the woods during hunting season for your safety, I don’t agree with that concept either. If the woods were so dangerous, wouldn’t they be so for hunters as well? How much do any of you look like deer anyway? A hunter doesn’t bag game by randomly shooting at sounds in the woods. They do it by taking their time and not only identifying their target, but aiming for a lethal spot on the game’s body. That doesn’t lend itself to shooting another person. Hunting accidents are extremely rare, and have become even more so since almost every state adopted mandatory hunter safety courses. In fact they are so rare, they are big news when they do happen, overshadowing automobile deaths that happen far more often. While we might want to avoid rush hour traffic, how many of us avoid driving at any given time because we fear being killed on our roads?
Even ticks don’t keep most of us out of the woods and Lyme disease is a more likely threat to you than being shot. If you want to venture into the woods during hunting season and are nervous about being safe, do what hunters are legally required to do. Buy some hunter orange apparel. Taking such precautions are no different than using Deet or Permanone during warm seasons.
