I don't see it as being easier but a different tactic. We use tactics all the time. We constantly shift our methods in order to give us an edge. For example. In some areas it's easier to hunt out of a lock on than a climber, others it's easier to hunt out of a blind, the area dictates the best method. Are we going to look down on a guy because he put up a blind vs trimming 20 limbs off a tree so he could use his climber? And if he's successful out of said blind try to say he took the easy way? Are we going to chastise a person for trimming shooting lanes because it make is easier vs leaving it natural and shooting around it. Are we going to try and claim he took something away from the hunt because he trimmed lanes. That lunacy jB and is the same argument your making. Baiting isn't easier. It's another method. Getting pictures of big bucks over bait is one thing. Killing said buck over bait is a whole other story. If anything IMO it's easier to screw up hunting a big buck by putting bait out than it is to hunt them without it. Big bucks aren't stupid. They know what that bait means. Hence the reason that 99% of them visit in the middle of the night.
The ONLY difference between the story Jesse posted and the one you posted is being successful. Success doesn't define the required effort or a lack thereof. The plan working doesn't mean it was easier than the plan that didn't work.
Explain this to me. This year Alex's buck was shot over bait. There was also another bait pile about 300 yards away placed by another hunter. The other hunters bait was seldom visited during the day. The target buck rarely even went to that bait. Despite it being about the same distance to both piles from where this deer was bedding. Why is that so? What was the difference? You can't just dump a pile anywhere will nilly and expect to kill your target buck over it. As with anything sometimes people get lucky that way. But that is not the norm.
A couple things. First, I never once said we should chastise, or look down upon, or take anything away from anyone killing a deer over bait. Yes I agree with you that baiting is a method. It's a hunting method that uses a deer's weakness against it... Like taking advantage of a rut crazed buck looking for pussy. Totally agree with you. All I've been saying is it makes things easier, not easy, and that I don't believe it's rocket science to be successful with bait.
Secondly, the difference between Alex's bait pile and the other guy's... I'm going to guess it's either one or all of the following: better cover, better wind direction, better entry/exit, better scent control, or any other basic strategy of not getting busted by a deer. Again, I didn't say a willy-nilly approach will yield results... I said a basic understanding of deer will yield results. Well, that, and some luck of course... Like with any other strategy.
