Bait Station Question........?

[AGL4now]

Could I charge a baiter a fee to maintain his station, as in add food and/or call him with activity report.....? With the cost of fuel and the time and effort after working all day it could be a win/win for me and the baiter.

No....these would not be "MY" stations. Most baiters who have stations on or near the Hope Road/ Hope Cut-off live in Anchorage and come down after work on Wednesday to fill their barrel and check camera, then race back to Anch.

I have NO interest in shooting any more bears, they could put my name and info on their sign as legal to maintain the station.

The question is can I legally charge for this service........?

[anchskier]

Could I charge a baiter a fee to maintain his station, as in add food and/or call him with activity report.....? With the cost of fuel and the time and effort after working all day it could be a win/win for me and the baiter.

No....these would not be "MY" stations. Most baiters who have stations on or near the Hope Road/ Hope Cut-off live in Anchorage and come down after work on Wednesday to fill their barrel and check camera, then race back to Anch.

I have NO interest in shooting any more bears, they could put my name and info on their sign as legal to maintain the station.

The question is can I legally charge for this service........?

I can't necessarily speak toward the charging a fee for restocking the food, but you wouldn't be able to call them to notify them of activity. That would (at least how I interpret it) fall under the use of electronic communications to aid in the taking of game which is strickly prohibited.

Interesting question though for sure. For some reason, I have a feeling it would not be allowed as it may classify you as an outfitter or something like that which may require you to have some other kind of license or it would be viewed as you maintaining multiple bait stations. I'm not a bear hunter, but would still be interested in hearing what the official word is on this.

[AGL4now]

I can't necessarily speak toward the charging a fee for restocking the food, but you wouldn't be able to call them to notify them of activity. That would (at least how I interpret it) fall under the use of electronic communications to aid in the taking of game which is strickly prohibited. .

So if two or three guys are partners on a station, and one checks the station he can NOT call the other when he gets home.......? I think once I come home I can call the station owner.

[anchskier]

Can't use radios/cell phones/sat phones/etc... to aid in the taking of game. Not much different than if three guys were out in the field and one spotted a moose. He can't call the others to let them know.

After you get home, as you described, can sometimes be viewed as the "gray area" by some. Personally, I wouldn't want to risk it but it may technically be legal. It would be nice if they clarified it a bit, but until they do, I don't want to even test the limits.

[AGL4now]

I just talked to AST "Wildlife Enforcement".............He said NO. He said the only person who can put any food on a bait station is the "ONE" registered owner. Not his friends, Not his hunting partner. ONLY the registered owner.

[Bsj425]

yep it is pretty clear about that in the Regs and the bear baiting test. Its even in bold and larger than the rest of the text in the regs. The only exception is for licensed guides.

[Wet eNuf]

Could I charge a baiter a fee to maintain his station, as in add food and/or call him with activity report.....? With the cost of fuel and the time and effort after working all day it could be a win/win for me and the baiter.

No....these would not be "MY" stations. Most baiters who have stations on or near the Hope Road/ Hope Cut-off live in Anchorage and come down after work on Wednesday to fill their barrel and check camera, then race back to Anch.

I have NO interest in shooting any more bears, they could put my name and info on their sign as legal to maintain the station.

The question is can I legally charge for this service........?

For 2012 - Board of Game Proposal 118 was carried and amended. I doubt it went so far as to allow a non-guide (or similar) to be paid for operating a bait station. But the passed proposal may allow someone other than the bait registrant to tend/bait the station. So stay tuned for the regulations of 2012-2013. PS: When registering bait stations last week ... they had some new regulations (for the remainder of the season). Just can't remember if this issue was covered.

Yes, the language in the regulations specifically states something to the effect "radios/cell phones/sat phones/etc". Why not list phones? or are phones covered as many land lines transmit to satellites.... but the land line does seem to be different than a cellphone and "thus allowed".

I would think you could call someone (cell phone or land line) and say, "yea, saw bear activity (or similar) at the bait station. The person on the other end of the line could take the news, sleep on it, and hunt the station the next day. Not much different than seeing a moose while going into camp via plane, sleeping overnight, and then starting pursuit the next morning.

I've been following your many posts and would love to help support your bear baiting interests, especially as it seems you want to help others get the bears.. If you need a barrel, I can get you a one and maybe perhaps two, so you can help other bear baiters out. If you need scraps for the barrel, I have scraps also. They would be gifts. No charge.

I'm sure others following the forums would make similar donations... If enough of us provide such support ... Hopefully, someone out there would be lucky enough to benefit from such efforts.

[sniper3083006]

The one way another person can add bait to a station set up by someone else is to register the same station through ADF&G. Essentially the station is registered by X amount of people who hold a bait certification.
Simplified terms....
My buddy and I register the same station both he and I can fill the bait barrel.

[Bsj425]

actually thats not true as per a wildlife trooper. IF you and 2 buddies register the same location there needs to be THREE barrels one for each person. You can fill yours and that is it. Granted your buddies can be 2 feet away but you can only fill YOUR BARREL. I asked that question last year and that was the answer I got. If there is only 1 barrel someone will be filling someones barrel. That is how it was broken down to me when I called last year.

[Grizzly Man]

Yes, the language in the regulations specifically states something to the effect "radios/cell phones/sat phones/etc". Why not list phones? or are phones covered as many land lines transmit to satellites.... but the land line does seem to be different than a cellphone and "thus allowed".

I would think you could call someone (cell phone or land line) and say, "yea, saw bear activity (or similar) at the bait station. The person on the other end of the line could take the news, sleep on it, and hunt the station the next day. Not much different than seeing a moose while going into camp via plane, sleeping overnight, and then starting pursuit the next morning.

I thought this was more geared towards guiding someone to the game. Meaning having someone spot and direct the hunter to the animal. I can't see where it would be a problem calling someone from home and sharing trailcam info.

And the baiting thing.....a friend and I went to register our sites and they told us we would both have to register both sites under our own name in order to put bait out

[Bsj425]

the people at fish and game will tell you one thing but they arent the ones out there writing tickets. So its always best to check with the troopers since F&G seems to give out false info pretty commonly.

[anchskier]

I thought this was more geared towards guiding someone to the game. Meaning having someone spot and direct the hunter to the animal. I can't see where it would be a problem calling someone from home and sharing trailcam info.

That may be the intent, but that is not what it says. It says that those forms of communication can't be used to aid in the taking of game. If you want to risk that someone else's interpretation of that is the same as yours when you are sitting in court, go for it. I would rather stay clear of it completely and not leave my fate up to someone I don't know.

Where would the line of okay vs not okay fall? If it is not okay to call your buddy and guide him to the moose, would it be okay to wait half an hour and then call him and tell him where the moose went over the hill? How about an hour later? What about 6 hours later. Maybe 12 hours (spotted in the evening and calling first thing in the morning to tell the buddy where to look). Now, maybe you went home that night and called your buddy first thing at his home and told him where to look when he was headed out that morning? I am just not willing to make the determination of where the line falls when it would be up to someone else's determination if I was ever called on it.

[Grizzly Man]

That may be the intent, but that is not what it says. It says that those forms of communication can't be used to aid in the taking of game. If you want to risk that someone else's interpretation of that is the same as yours when you are sitting in court, go for it. I would rather stay clear of it completely and not leave my fate up to someone I don't know.

Where would the line of okay vs not okay fall? If it is not okay to call your buddy and guide him to the moose, would it be okay to wait half an hour and then call him and tell him where the moose went over the hill? How about an hour later? What about 6 hours later. Maybe 12 hours (spotted in the evening and calling first thing in the morning to tell the buddy where to look). Now, maybe you went home that night and called your buddy first thing at his home and told him where to look when he was headed out that morning? I am just not willing to make the determination of where the line falls when it would be up to someone else's determination if I was ever called on it.

I'd be willing to bet your license on it

[akrstabout]

So when you call your buddy to go hunt on the weekend after checking your bait the next day, you only say "Lets go hunt Sat man". Not "dude bait was hit, looks like a good weekend to hunt, get packed up and we'll head out friday night"? I do beleive anyone will say the later! I am with Grizzlyman. Actively relaying info is one thing. Calling your buddy to go hunting later in the week is not what the law is talking about. Nobody could talk then about hunting! We all see stuff and share the info, just not in the field over cell phones radios! Heck, half the posts would be illegal here, people saying were haul road caribou last were, guy last year seen a bull moose that was legal and didn't harvest it and talked about it here.Heck again, whenever you call air charter, you're gonna ask, "where you seeing all the animals, or guys seeing such animals while out?" Yeah, someone needs to ask this in the trooper forum.

[cusackla]

I just talked to AST "Wildlife Enforcement".............He said NO. He said the only person who can put any food on a bait station is the "ONE" registered owner. Not his friends, Not his hunting partner. ONLY the registered owner.

This is partly true only the person that has the station registered can bait the station.

But! Two people can register the same location an than bait thier station. I do this every year.

I am almost certain that charging a person to bait your station would be considered illegal. Page 10 of the Big Game Regulations:
Hunters should be aware that except for a registered or master guide it is illegal for anyone to provide for compensation any supplies, equipment or services........................ It even mentions bear bait in the paragraph

[cusackla]

Additional Hunters and Prohibition on Trade for Services/Opportunities Provided

Hunters using the bait station of a registered bear baiter must obtain written permission from that person and must add their hunting license number to the posted sign, before hunting over bait at that site. A bait station registrant may not accept money, bartered goods, or services from someone who uses their bait station (i.e., a "guest hunter"). This does not apply to licensed guides who personally accompany clients at the bait station site. If you wish to legally "place" bait or do construction or maintenance at a site registered to someone else, you should register that site under your own name as well (and post a second sign onsite).

[AGL4now]

This is partly true only the person that has the station registered can bait the station.

But! Two people can register the same location an than bait thier station. I do this every year.

I am almost certain that charging a person to bait your station would be considered illegal. Page 10 of the Big Game Regulations:
Hunters should be aware that except for a registered or master guide it is illegal for anyone to provide for compensation any supplies, equipment or services........................ It even mentions bear bait in the paragraph

Works for me. But then I ain't the one racing 160 miles round trip several times a week risking my life on the Seward Hwy. after working all day.

[cusackla]

Works for me. But then I ain't the one racing 160 miles round trip several times a week risking my life on the Seward Hwy. after working all day.

AGL4. I hear you. If I could pay someone to bait my station instead of hauling my butt and gear all the way to my station just to bait it, I would do so and gladly. just posting to ensure people have the info...............

[AGL4now]

AGL4. I hear you. If I could pay someone to bait my station instead of hauling my butt and gear all the way to my station just to bait it, I would do so and gladly. just posting to ensure people have the info...............

Maybe a proposed change in the regulations should be put forward..........It is really not going to put guides out of work, and as far as I can see it is no different then someone hireing me to pack their bear out to their truck. A hunter can hire a packer or a cook without going through a guide/outfitter.......

[Grizzly Man]

Here's a question.....

Say AGL4now and I both register the same station. We can split the cost of the upkeep, so why can't I just give him $100 for dog food/popcorn/etc and say call me when it runs out?