Baiting Mature Bucks.

[hickslawns]

I agree with Spencie for the most part. The only caveat would be the fact our knowledge and technology has likely changed some strategies. Cameras and such change the mindset of the old ways. Archery is more popular too. I feel some of the early season kills are a result of changing of the times as much as they are about baiting. That said, funnels, pinch points, etc. Everything he said is spot on in my eyes. Just remove the bait and we still have some earlier in the year kills compared to the 70-80-90s (when I wasn't hunting.)

 

[gjs4]

I love the responses and Jacklopes thread here in the first place. Planning on having plots on the property as well and the last three posts prompted a though I haven’t really seen yet……as I don’t hunt plots often as I’ve found the second they’re viewed as where danger is; it nighttime use.

Those who do bait; who does so in a manner other than hunting over it?

 

[Spencie]

Those who do bait; who does so in a manner other than hunting over it?

I keep corn going almost year round, minus turkey season. This is to keep the does close and inventory on bucks. The Banks gravity feeder is centrally located on our 100 acres. There is a box blind located over it but we have never killed a deer out of it in the 4 seasons we have been here. I also have a feeder in the yard for more inventory and entertainment purposes. I go through an awful lot of corn for a guy who doesn’t shoot deer over it.
This week they are eating 100#/day.

 

[Bighoun52]

I’m new to hunting Ohio, how long has baiting been legal? Has it ever been brought up to be come illegal? Or is it something that’s ingrained into Ohio hunting culture?

 

[Fletch]

I’m new to hunting Ohio, how long has baiting been legal? Has it ever been brought up to be come illegal? Or is it something that’s ingrained into Ohio hunting culture?

Ingrained into Ohio hunting culture??? Don't know... But I can guarantee one thing... The amount of corn being sold has turned into a VERY BIG BUSINESS VENTURE... So I doubt baiting will ever be stopped, unless a very big outbreak of CWD... It's the same here in Jersey...

 

[cspot]

Not a lot there that I'd disagree with from my perspective. To answer your question, I go with the following:

• Last week of August and the first week of September
• The week before gun season and through the gun week
• The last two weeks of the season

Obviously, the last week of August and the first week of September are great times to grab an inventory of your herd and if you're lucky, get some cool pics of bucks shedding their velvet. I like to have bait out the week of Thanksgiving and gun week to help keep deer on our farm. Given that we're surrounded by corn piles, I'm not sure how effective that is now, but it used to work really well when I was the only one doing it. And the last two weeks of the season will accomplish a few things. One, help inventory what's left after a long season. Two, help them get calories during a rough time of year. And three, help you fill any tags you may have left.

I've been using corn in some fashion since 2010. I've only killed 2 deer over corn, both were bucks that I killed late season at my old house where the only way I was killing something on my 2 acres, was the lure them there. Less than 1% of my hunting in the last 12 seasons has been "bait hunting" as it's not something I particularly enjoy. I view it as a necessary evil for certain times and conditions. I do hunt over it with my daughter, but even she is over it at the ripe old age of 9. Hunting bait is boring and I really have no desire to fill my buck tag over it unless its January and I'm still sitting on a tag.

If I had a vote, I'd vote to ban it tomorrow. @Spencie is spot on with his post, but I'd draw that out to include the "Golden Buckeye" aged hunters. I see as many senior discount eligible hunters buying corn as I do the young guns. I know several old guys that can't get around anymore, so they hunt the same easy-to-access spot that overlooks a bait pile, over and over and over again. When I fit that mold, I might do the same thing. But if bait was banned, I'd just do the same thing overlooking a well placed clover plot.

I'll continue to use corn when/where it makes sense, but it's not how I try to fill my tag 99% of the time. If it were banned, I'd celebrate that and adjust my strategy for my kids accordingly.

I have always hunted in PA that doesnt allow baiting. In my opinion you get alot more natural movement without bait. In Ohio I see more nightime movement from bait pile to bait pile.

 

[giles]

I have always hunted in PA that doesnt allow baiting. In my opinion you get alot more natural movement without bait. In Ohio I see more nightime movement from bait pile to bait pile.

Talking mature deer?

 

[cspot]

Talking mature deer?

Yes.

 

[giles]

Yes.

I originally read your reply wrong. My brain flip flopped the nightime and natural words.

 

[cspot]

I originally read your reply wrong. My brain flip flopped the nightime and natural words.

 

["J"]

I originally read your reply wrong. My brain flip flopped the nightime and natural words.

Ammo troops…. Smdh

 

[giles]

Exactly. Had my head tilted like a puppy dog.

 

[Fletch]

I have always hunted in PA that doesnt allow baiting. In my opinion you get alot more natural movement without bait. In Ohio I see more nightime movement from bait pile to bait pile.

Definitely attributes to deer being more nocturnal... Here in Jersey there's bait piles everywhere... Deer movement is far from natural with most occuring at night... Illinois like Pa. does not allow baiting... Deer movement all day is great...

 

[giles]

I am going to assume you guys are talking about cameras at bait piles. Bait piles that are usually easy access. Are not in the deer bedding areas. Deer still get up and move around during the day.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Just listened to the first half of this podcast on Monday and Clint talks about my exact situation on our farm leading up to last week. We're surrounded by corn piles. No less than 8 major bait sites exist within a few hundred yard radius of our farm. Until last week, I'd only dumped one bag of corn there since last January. This is the worst year I've experienced in quite a while when it comes to nocturnal buck movement. If you took all those piles away, our farm would be slammed with activity because we have the most food and best diversity of food in the entire section. Clint discusses the impacts of baiting using Ohio as the example because that's what we're known for now. It's one of the sharpest double-edged swards we can wield when it comes to deer.

 

[Fletch]

I am going to assume you guys are talking about cameras at bait piles. Bait piles that are usually easy access. Are not in the deer bedding areas. Deer still get up and move around during the day.

Nope... I'm talking deer movement in general... Having hunted years ago when bait was illegal , I see the difference and hunting in the two states mentioned you'll see a difference... Just the fact that food is spread out in a natural setting mean the deer will be up and about searching for it...

 

[giles]

Nope... I'm talking deer movement in general... Having hunted years ago when bait was illegal , I see the difference and hunting in the two states mentioned you'll see a difference... Just the fact that food is spread out in a natural setting mean the deer will be up and about searching for it...

I don't see the bait as much as an issue as the pressure baiting creates. I don't care to go into details as I will piss off a lot of people. But we as hunters have become lazy in about every way.

 

[Fletch]

I don't see the bait as much as an issue as the pressure baiting creates. I don't care to go into details as I will piss off a lot of people. But we as hunters have become lazy in about every way.

I have to agree with you as 90% of today's hunters are lazy and look for the easy way out... Look at the introduction of electric bikes etc... What's wrong with boots on the ground??

But hey..... SINCE WHEN DOES GILES WORRY ABOUT PISSING PEOPLE OFF ???

 

[bowhunter1023]

I don't see the bait as much as an issue as the pressure baiting creates. I don't care to go into details as I will piss off a lot of people. But we as hunters have become lazy in about every way.

The bait creates the opportunity. It creates opportunity to pressure deer and frankly, it creates more hunters. Without bait, hunting would be too hard and too boring for a large majority of the people in the woods these days. I'm of the opinion that baiting is the root cause for the lions share of pressure and a key contributor to lazy hunting.

 

[Fletch]

Let's put it this way.... If baiting was made illegal and a majority of today's hunters had to put some effort into scouting and understanding deer movement and spent countless days on stand comming up empty handed... Believe me they would be throwing in the towel pretty quick...