I have a co-worker who specializes in ammonia spikes in coral aquariums and he believes that feeders are unethical. However, I have hunted with feeders my entire life and I guess I can see both sides of the argument. Wanted to know what the forum thinks.

If you consider feeders unethical, not sure how you could possibly fish in good faith.

That said, I think they definitely give you an advantage you wouldn't otherwise have. I just don't know if "unethical" is how I would describe it, especially given that the bigger bucks in my area hit the feeder dang near zero times in the past 6 months.

O'well, it's legal, i'm using them.

Places that don't allow feeder still use food plots. I see no difference. Just because the feeder goes off does not mean they will come running in (the old smart ones anyway). To each his own I guess. It's legal so I do it.

feeders are unethical: ridiculous and ignorant statement/ thought pattern.

I can bet where this thread will head but I will throw in my 2c's...

Bow hunting can be perceived as unethical by someone that gun hunts. Shooting deer in the head can be seen as unethical. Or shooting deer at long range. Or hunting on fence lines. Or hunting high fences. Basically, just about everything that a hunter does can be seen by someone as unethical and just about every hunter that does something can find a reason to justify why it is ethical.

Definition of unethical is relative to the person. Ethics are taught or learned so your belief is going to be based on what YOU think is right but that does not make you right. And you probably won't be able to change anyone else's idea of what is ethical.

To answer your question...I say no. I don't see any difference in hunting a feeder and hunting a 40 acre food plot or a clear cut or any other feeding area.

Each person has their own ethics, and I think they are entitled to follow what they feel is an ethical path. The law and ethics are not the same. As a 39 year old husband and father is it legal for me to blow my entire paycheck(rent food wifes car payment) at a topless bar? Is it ethical? Who's decides if I do or dont? Outside of my family who has a right to get involved?

This is the same crap I here from the hard core traditional bow hunters. If you did not carve your own bow and knap your own points you are cheating and unethical. Then the modern bow hunter chimes in with the whole crude knapped points are unethical, must use modern broad heads. Then the rifle hunter makes a stand about how the unrecovered animal ratios are to high so any bow hunting is unethical....on and on and on.

If you want to hunt over a feeder and it is legal go for it.

If you want to lay just under the water in the creek with two reeds in your nostrils to breath and ambush a feral hog with a 6 inch knife go for it if it is legal.

I respect your right to hunt your way. Please respect mine.

IFY I never felt guilty or dirty huning over a feeder.

The definition of ethical is--- I wouldn't do it ,so therefore it must be wrong!

Feeders are just another lure just like anything else we do, scents, decoys, rattling horns, grunt call and the list goes on. There is nothing making that deer come to the feeder.

I hunt feeders, I feed protein and I foodplot... I must be a bad unethical dude... but i like fat deer.

matt

We had this discussion on our lease a couple of times. I do not believe that it is unethical for the advantage. I hunt feeders, but we also have some bow stands around that are not near feeders so we have additional choices. If feeders are considered unethical, then I could make a whole list of other things that hunters use to attract and conceal themselves that could be unethical: camouflage clothing, scents and scent eliminators, trickle feeding, ...... I think this is in line with a previous post as well. It boils down to what you think is ethical and know is legal (remember - ignorance of the law is not a defense).

Well, while all the "ethical" hunters are sitting in the their blinds wishing they'd see something they'll hear me blasting Bambi to heck and back....and it's gonna be done over a feeder.

I think using a weapon on any animal is unethical #%(^$@! GOT ROCKS?

IMO I think the unethical thoughts are kind of fueled by SOME (not all) people from the north. They see us hunting over a feeder and assume it is so much easier. But I have hunted farmland like the northern states have and it is much easier to kill and see deer in this type of terrain.

For example you have mostly farm country with a creek running on the edge of a field. There is no question where the deer are moving and bedding. This is how I killed my buck last weekend and after I shot him I realized how little of a challenge it was.

I think whatever a person does that is legal they should not be judged one bit.

I personally do not hunt over feeders, but I have been known to hunt nearby a food plot. I don't have a problem with it -- I just don't do it myself. We have too many darn restrictions on hunting as it is.........

I think a food plot is more of a attractant than a feeder is but I hunt both so I don't have any problems with it.

less sporting.. maybe... less ethical, absolutely not.

I like feeders, with mineral blocks, near our food plots, on a known trail between bedding and feeding areas, close to a water source and a wheat field..

what does that matter?

Huntin' a water source could be considered unethical since everything needs water, the same with huntin' an acorn patch or a salt lick. The law says you can do it, so be it. Nobody forces anyone to hunt a feeder.

WTH does that mean???? How does one come to specialize in ammonia spikes or coral aquariums???


I like feeders. Great management tools for taking does and less than mature bucks with undesirable genetics. But they generally suck for hunting mature bucks.

and what does it have to do with the ethical-ness of feeder?

i hear this sorta crap all the time from people. seems to me we are supposedly smarter than the animals so why not increase our odds when possible? just don't see it as unethical personally

Not unethical at all. I can honestly say that I learn more about deer and their behavior by watching them interact at the feeders. I think it is more ethical that doing a deer drive with 6 hunters.

Don't know if it is ethical or un....dosent really matter, you can hunt my feeders all you want...the bucks this year only show up after dark...so who cares if it is un or not....

not all of us can plant food plots on our land/lease. feeders are next best thing... and yea usualy if you are wanting a monster buck... feeders arent gunna work anyway... unless you got a spot light, and thats unethical! lol