Hey Denis,
I have never heard of anyone baiting the RTH that's there. I think he is always around that area due to the buffet available at the feader. Also there are lots of mice and such running around between the road and over to where the foresty area starts across from the lake. It's the same field where you can find one of the Barred Owls sunning throughout the day.
As for Owl baiting, I have never actually seen anyone doing this. But I have spoken to the Ranger a few times after he was notified by people that it was being done. No one ever caught while I was there, but some people kicked out of the park for suspicion.
It always seems to be going on in the same area as stated above.
That one Barred Owl stays in the trees most of the day sunning himself.
Whenever I'm there I always run into a few local people who come every day, usually, to photograph birds at PPP. They've spotted baiting going on and have immediately let the Ranger know. But by the time he gets there they have dismantled everything.
Still it's good to know that people are looking out for these things and action is being taken against people who are doing it or even stongly suspected of doing it.
You can always tell when people are probably baiting. They always have someone watching the road. It's like 11 year old smoking and looking around to see if someone they know might be driving by. They just look suspicious and up to no good. I know myself when I'm there and photographing one of the Owls..that's all I'm concentrating on. Photographing an Owl. I'm never looking around to see who's coming by. I'm just in my own little world taking pictures. That's how I can tell the difference. So if I see people looking around too much it sets off a little warning bell. Why are you looking around? Shouldn't you be taking pictures? I just give the ranger a call and he'll come out.
Sorry long answer to your short question..but that's the experience I've had with baiting at PPP.
I still don't think the RTH is being fed. I just think he's a little more used to people as it's a Provincial Park and year round it's always busy there. These birds (the RTH and BO) have nests right in the campground. They are indeed very habituated with people, and most of them are very friendly. Either one never even seemed to mind when the Duck Hunt was on and shotgun blasts were going off like fireworks.
I may be wrong.
Who knows.
Meghan
