Bait is any appetizing substance (e.g. food) used to attract prey when hunting or fishing, most commonly in the form of animal trapping (e.g. mousetrap and bird trap), (e.g. from a hunting blind) and angling.
Baiting is a ubiquitous practice in both recreational (especially angling) and commercial fishing, but the use of live food can be deemed illegal fishing under certain fisheries law and local jurisdictions. For hunting, however, baiting can often be controversial as it violates the principles of fair chase, although it is still a commonly accepted practice in varmint hunting, culling and pest control.
Uses
Fishing
Baiting is ubiquitously practised to catching
fish. Traditionally, nightcrawlers, small
baitfish,
insect adults and
have been used as standard
fish hook, and
are commonly used as
groundbait (a.k.a.
chumming) in
big-game fishing. Modern fishermen have also begun using more
plastic bait and
fishing lure, and more recently, electronic
robotic fish, to attract the more territorial and aggressive
. Because of the risk of transmitting
Myxobolus cerebralis (
whirling disease),
trout and
salmon should not be used as bait. There are various types of natural saltwater bait. Studies show that natural baits like
Sciaenidae and shrimp are better recognized therefore more readily accepted by fish. The best bait for
red drum (red fish) are [
pogy (
menhaden) and, in the fall, specks like croaker.
Hunting
Baiting is a common practice in
leopard hunting on a
safari. A dead, smaller-sized
antelope is usually placed high in the tree to lure the otherwise overcautious leopard. The hunter either watches the bait from point within firing range or
stalk the animal if it has come for the bait during the night.
In areas where bear hunting, bait can be found for sale at gas stations and hunting supply stores. Often consisting of some sweet substance, such as frosting or molasses, combined with an aromatic like rotten meat or fish, the bait is spread and the hunter waits under cover for his prey.[ Bear Hunting FAQ - (2009) Bear Hunting Frequently Asked Questions]
Cecil the Lion, who was infamously poaching by an American trophy hunting bowhunter in 2015, was baited out of the protected area into an ambush at the margin of a private land by a deliberately planted elephant carcass.
Pest control
Poisoned bait is a common method for controlling rats, mice, birds, slugs, snails, ants, cockroaches, and other pests. The basic granules, or other formulation, contains a food attractant for the target species and a suitable poison. For ants, a slow-acting toxin is needed so that the workers have time to carry the substance back to the colony, and for flies, a quick-acting substance to prevent further egg-laying and nuisance.
Baits for slugs and snails often contain the molluscide
metaldehyde, dangerous to children and household pets.
Legal usage
In Australia
Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to control
, wild dogs and
by poisoning in areas where they are a problem. These programs are held in conjunction with the local Department of Primary Industries, Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to facilitate a neighbourhood baiting campaign.
Australian hunters often use carcasses when hunting . Shot feral animals are often left in the field, and the decaying smell attracts more pigs to scavenge over the subsequent days.
See also
