Bait is any appetizing substance (e.g.food) used to attractprey whenhunting orfishing, most commonly in the form oftrapping (e.g.mousetrap andbird trap),ambushing (e.g. from ahunting blind) andangling.
Baiting is a ubiquitous practice in bothrecreational (especiallyangling) andcommercial fishing, but the use oflive bait can be deemedillegal under certainfisheries law and local jurisdictions. For hunting, however, baiting can often be controversial as it violates the principles offair chase, although it is still a commonly accepted practice invarmint hunting,culling andpest control.
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Baiting is ubiquitously practised to catchingfish. Traditionally,nightcrawlers, smallbaitfish,insect adults andlarvae have been used as standardhookbait, andoffals are commonly used asgroundbait (a.k.a.chumming) inblue water fishing. Modern fishermen have also begun using moreplastic bait andlures, and more recently, electronicbionic baits, to attract the moreterritorial and aggressivepredatory fishes. Because of the risk of transmittingMyxobolus cerebralis (whirling disease),trout andsalmon should not be used as bait. There are various types of natural saltwater bait. Studies show that natural baits likecroaker and shrimp are better recognized therefore more readily accepted by fish. The best bait forred drum (red fish) are [pogy (menhaden) and, in the fall, specks like croaker.[1]
Baiting is a common practice inleopardhunting on asafari. A dead, smaller-sizedantelope is usually placed high in the tree to lure the otherwise overcautious leopard. The hunter either watches the bait from point within firing range orstalks the animal if it has come for the bait during the night.[citation needed]
In areas wherebears are hunted, 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.[2]
Cecil the Lion, who was infamouslypoached by an Americantrophybowhunter in 2015, was baited out of theprotected area into an ambush at the margin of a private land by a deliberately planted elephant carcass.[3]
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.[4] Baits for slugs and snails often contain the molluscidemetaldehyde, dangerous to children and household pets.[5]
Baiting in Australia refers to specific campaigns to controlfoxes, wild dogs anddingos 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.[6]
Australian hunters often use carcasses when huntingferal pigs. Shot feral animals are often left in the field, and the decaying smell attracts more pigs to scavenge over the subsequent days.[7]