Baiting Mature Bucks.

[finelyshedded]

Let's be real. If it wasn't "easier," there wouldn't be so many people doing it... and there wouldn't be as many big deer getting killed. I know quite a few people with a wall of trophy mature bucks that fell victim to a corn pile. I bet we all do. Is it a guarantee? Absolutely not. Does it increase your odds of success? If done properly, I think it absolutely does.

Totally agree Jim. Maybe not easier like Joe said but the masses seem to prefer it.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Since we are in such close proximity to one another you know how mature bucks are hunted in this area. I don't know about other areas of the state but "kids" (30 and younger) pile up the mature bucks from opening day through October...year after year. I'm sure you know some of the names. I have seen some of their videos that show how hard they bait...by the truckload. Not 50# every few days. 500#+ at a time. That keeps the deer from patterning the hunter I reckon.
Then there is what my outfitter neighbor does.....holy crap. That's just stupid. But it completely alters the deer travel within a very large area. Honestly, the guy would be NO threat without money and bait.

Yep, yep, yep.

 

[Spencie]

Don't get me wrong...I have a feeder. I use 50# per week until November then 100# to try to keep some does in the neighborhood. I don't hunt over it though. I rarely get a mature buck at it during the daylight if at all. They prefer it on the ground.
I use it more in WV in October to try to get my tag filled before November.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

Behind the house I have them hit the pile during day light occasionally throughout the season. The does on the other hand will visit throughout the day. Come November I usually have some close encounters with the neighborhood stud. I more so bait the does and pull him in that way. This will be season three and if history repeats itself, there's usually one mature deer that keeps constant tabs on the 9-12 does in the area. Small bucks don't last long come pre rut.

 

[jagermeister]

"Easier...." semantics indeed.

And Jesse, it's so much easier to kill deer in southern Ohio than NW Ohio. [emoji6][emoji28]

But back to the OP, if you want to kill a mature buck by method of baiting, Joe's instructions are spot on IMO. Sure you can get a dumb one now and again, or wait until it's so cold the deer can't help themselves, but if you want it to be effective it needs to be done smart. Unfortunately, nowadays, the terms "baiting" and "smart hunter" don't usually go hand in hand. Baiting has become associated with either laziness, or necessity, or both.

 

[finelyshedded]

Behind the house I have them hit the pile during day light occasionally throughout the season. The does on the other hand will visit throughout the day. Come November I usually have some close encounters with the neighborhood stud. I more so bait the does and pull him in that way. This will be season three and if history repeats itself, there's usually one mature deer that keeps constant tabs on the 9-12 does in the area. Small bucks don't last long come pre rut.

I think this falls under what many have to do to have even a chance nowadays. The “Can’t beat em so join em.” situation.
Pretty sound strategy though, keeping does near especially during the seek/ Chase phase of rut and beyond. Only obstacle being able to access and exit stand without detection.
I spend enough money on archery equipment,clothing and tags. Just can’t bring myself to spending even more money to bait. Sure, if I was Don Kiskey and could spare several 20 acre patches of standing AG and plant a double bull blind at the downwind edge of it for easy access and exit you bet your ass I’d be all over it....

 

[brock ratcliff]

The term "easier" seems to be an issue whenever this topic comes up. Silly really. Most everything available for purchase for hunting makes the thing "easier ". I mean everything. Clothing keeps you warm as do quality boots gloves, hats.... bows are easier than spears, compound bows are easier still, crossbows.... guns. Tree stands are an advantage.... it goes on and on.

Over the last 5 years or so, I think I've developed a solid baiting strategy. It's much as Joe described. Mason and I have been providing solid opportunities on quality bucks, even on opening weekend, due to it. If we would have tagged one, it would t have been a shameful way to kill one IMO. We may do it this year too, but I don't really have the ambition to put in the required work this year. I didn't last year either.... and we were both out Of tags before November. It's an effective tactic, but it does take a lot t of time and effort to do it effectively on quality bucks.

 

[finelyshedded]

The term "easier" seems to be an issue whenever this topic comes up. Silly really. Most everything available for purchase for hunting makes the thing "easier ". I mean everything. Clothing keeps you warm as do quality boots gloves, hats.... bows are easier than spears, compound bows are easier still, crossbows.... guns. Tree stands are an advantage.... it goes on and on.

Over the last 5 years or so, I think I've developed a solid baiting strategy. It's much as Joe described. Mason and I have been providing solid opportunities on quality bucks, even on opening weekend, due to it. If we would have tagged one, it would t have been a shameful way to kill one IMO. We may do it this year too, but I don't really have the ambition to put in the required work this year. I didn't last year either.... and we were both out Of tags before November. It's an effective tactic, but it does take a lot t of time and effort to do it effectively on quality bucks.

Good post Brock with great points. Technology sure has helped us put more on the ground for sure!
I guess I hate being lied to or misled by the ones who establish our regs and hunting laws. If baiting is an effective tactic(and it is) and decreasing deer numbers is the ultimate goal(and they have)then by golly say it and own it and allow it like they do now and quit publishing stupid shit!

 

[Mike]

Great read and I learned a lot.
I'm just not willing to do any of it.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Honestly, wouldn't you guys agree that most "baiters" don't have much hope of killing a good deer over a corn pile? I don't mean a pretty 3 year old, I'm talking on old grumpy recluse deer. I really don't Think most corn-dumpers put enough thought into it. From what I've seen personally, I think most folks sitting over a corn pile are a lot like a guy sitting on a bank somewhere with a gob of night crawlers on their hook waiting for the big one to come by for a snack. There are people that go fishing and then there are fishermen. I think it's the same with deer baiting, picking stand locations, calling.... whatever tactics are employed. Seriously, 90% of stands I've seen over the years are placed where I'd never consider hunting. I'm willing to bet a LOT of you guys feel the same.
To Ric's point, I don't think there is any doubt that even a poorly thought out corn pile has helped a lot of low-skilled hunters put meat in the freezer but I don't think they are killing many bucks that most of us here would be overly excited about. Sorta like the dude sitting on the bank with a wad of night crawlers winning one of J's bass tournaments- it ain't happening often.

 

[cspot]

As many of you know I came from PA which allows no baiting. When I started in Ohio, I started baiting and assumed it would be easy to kill a deer and boy was I wrong. The deer are very weary of coming into them except for fawns. Adult deer sense the slightest thing wrong and they are out of there. Both buck I have killed I caught circling downwind of the feeder and I grunted to them. I don't believe either one were going to the feeder, but were merely scenting to see if any doe were there. The only adult deer we killed on bait was a doe my son killed the year before last and we actually were walking to check trail cams and when we came around the corner she was looking the other way.

It honestly wouldn't bother me if they did away with it. When your neighbors do it, I think you are almost stuck having to do it to, but I think the deer movement would be better without it.

Now I am by no means having alot of experience with baiting so that may be an issue. Being an out of state hunter conditioning deer as in the OP case would be about impossible.

 

[cspot]

Honestly, wouldn't you guys agree that most "baiters" don't have much hope of killing a good deer over a corn pile? I don't mean a pretty 3 year old, I'm talking on old grumpy recluse deer. I really don't Think most corn-dumpers put enough thought into it. From what I've seen personally, I think most folks sitting over a corn pile are a lot like a guy sitting on a bank somewhere with a gob of night crawlers on their hook waiting for the big one to come by for a snack. There are people that go fishing and then there are fishermen. I think it's the same with deer baiting, picking stand locations, calling.... whatever tactics are employed. Seriously, 90% of stands I've seen over the years are placed where I'd never consider hunting. I'm willing to bet a LOT of you guys feel the same.
To Ric's point, I don't think there is any doubt that even a poorly thought out corn pile has helped a lot of low-skilled hunters put meat in the freezer but I don't think they are killing many bucks that most of us here would be overly excited about. Sorta like the dude sitting on the bank with a wad of night crawlers winning one of J's bass tournaments- it ain't happening often.

I agree. I would classify myself as one of those fisherman. Finding a good place to sit my but is more important than the location when it comes to fishing.

 

[cspot]

Honestly some of my best stands and best sits that I have had is in years with a spotty acorn crop in which only a few trees have them, but they are absolutely loaded with acorns. I remember one year I had 22 different deer come in to those oak trees one morning with 8 being buck. All of them came into range. Had deer around me about every minute from daylight to 9AM which is when I finally decided to take a shot at a doe and missed.

 

[giles]

Honestly some of my best stands and best sits that I have had is in years with a spotty acorn crop in which only a few trees have them, but they are absolutely loaded with acorns. I remember one year I had 22 different deer come in to those oak trees one morning with 8 being buck. All of them came into range. Had deer around me about every minute from daylight to 9AM which is when I finally decided to take a shot at a doe and missed.

Cheater...taking the easy route.

 

[cspot]

Cheater...taking the easy route.

Actually even without bait there are ways to manipulate deer movement and they are legal. For example in PA while I don't bait I will manipulate the habitat and food sources. For example one of my favorite things when hunting close to a fenceline is to either add wires where I don't want them to cross or take twine and spread the fence to create a better opening for the deer to cross. Needs to be done well before season, but deer take the easy route and you can reroute them a few feet to bring them into range and not use the crossing that is slightly out of range. I have also done this by cutting branches or brush and stacking in places I don't want them to walk or clearing a walkway where I do want them. You do have to watch that you don't overdo it. I have also removed apples from trees that aren't close to my stands before season so that the majority of them will be where I want them.

Another tactic that I have done in a field where deer tend to come straight along the edge which sometimes makes it hard to get a broadside shot before they get to close to the blind. I have parked a disc along the edge about 20 yards away. This way the deer tend to turn about 25 yards away offering a broadside shot. A drag disc doesn't stick up high, so you can still shoot overtop of it.

Most of this is better done several weeks before season, but it can be quite effective.

 

[hickslawns]

This thread set to self destruct in . . . .

Honestly some of my best stands and best sits that I have had is in years with a spotty acorn crop in which only a few trees have them, but they are absolutely loaded with acorns. I remember one year I had 22 different deer come in to those oak trees one morning with 8 being buck. All of them came into range. Had deer around me about every minute from daylight to 9AM which is when I finally decided to take a shot at a doe and missed.

Some on here. .. .not to mention any names. . . Would debate you WERE hunting over bait. May have fallen from the trees naturally, but that IS bait. Personally, I would consider that savvy woodsmanship to recognize there were few acorns but you had located a tree which was loaded.

I'm out again. Trying to keep this thread positive, on topic, and educational. That is hard for me. Lol

 

[giles]

Actually even without bait there are ways to manipulate deer movement and they are legal. For example in PA while I don't bait I will manipulate the habitat and food sources. For example one of my favorite things when hunting close to a fenceline is to either add wires where I don't want them to cross or take twine and spread the fence to create a better opening for the deer to cross. Needs to be done well before season, but deer take the easy route and you can reroute them a few feet to bring them into range and not use the crossing that is slightly out of range. I have also done this by cutting branches or brush and stacking in places I don't want them to walk or clearing a walkway where I do want them. You do have to watch that you don't overdo it. I have also removed apples from trees that aren't close to my stands before season so that the majority of them will be where I want them.

Another tactic that I have done in a field where deer tend to come straight along the edge which sometimes makes it hard to get a broadside shot before they get to close to the blind. I have parked a disc along the edge about 20 yards away. This way the deer tend to turn about 25 yards away offering a broadside shot. A drag disc doesn't stick up high, so you can still shoot overtop of it.

Most of this is better done several weeks before season, but it can be quite effective.

That’s good stuff. I’ve been known to do similar things. I’ve even placed clothing in places to help channel deer in a direction I’ve wanted. (Like a stinky ball cap or dirty work shirt)

 

[cspot]

This thread set to self destruct in . . . .


Some on here. .. .not to mention any names. . . Would debate you WERE hunting over bait. May have fallen from the trees naturally, but that IS bait. Personally, I would consider that savvy woodsmanship to recognize there were few acorns but you had located a tree which was loaded.

I'm out again. Trying to keep this thread positive, on topic, and educational. That is hard for me. Lol

Self Destruct mode set to. LOL.

Here is my take. It doesn't take me or anyone long with a little bit of savvy woodsmanship to walk the woods and find oak trees and look to see if they have acorns a month or 2 before season. SInce I have hunted this farm for many years it takes me probably less than 2 hours and less than a gallon of gas to drive around in a side by side. Is that really hard work? I don't know. I bait in Ohio and I spend more time and effort and money into that then I do scouting in PA.

Also hunting over acorns in the above example is better than any bait. It is natural and you put no human scent on the ground. Acorns are dropping all day and the deer can hear them falling. Whether God put the food there or man, I don't know from a moral or ethical standpoint if it is any different. My baiting experience in Ohio also tells me in a good acorn year the deer will leave the feeders and stay in the acorns at least during daylight hours. I know 2 years ago when the acorns were dropping my trail cam pics dropped off dramatically.

 

[Jackalope]

This thread set to self destruct in . . . .


Some on here. .. .not to mention any names. . . Would debate you WERE hunting over bait. May have fallen from the trees naturally, but that IS bait. Personally, I would consider that savvy woodsmanship to recognize there were few acorns but you had located a tree which was loaded.

I'm out again. Trying to keep this thread positive, on topic, and educational. That is hard for me. Lol

You know it, and nobody has came up with a convincing argument to disprove it.

Deer will seek out corn and acorns. How they got there is irrelevant. If you're using those food items to your advantage and the animals disadvantage then you are engaging in baiting.

It's like saying that hanging a stand beside an apple tree is not baiting but rather savvy workmanship, but if I rake those apples into a pile now I'm somehow magically baiting because I placed them there. Hogwash.

 

[Bigslam51]

Here we go again [emoji23][emoji23]