Baiting Mature Bucks.

[OhioWhiteTails]

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....

I have to pick my days wisely and it's evenings only. Usually I monitor the trail camera closely come late October, when he gets somewhat consistent on harassing does, I go in before/ during/ and after a huge weather swing.

 

[hickslawns]

Here we go again [emoji23][emoji23]

Guess I did bait him into that one.

 

[Jackalope]

I don't bait though.

 

["J"]

I don't bait though. View attachment 62893

And that Colorado was never the same after that load

 

[hickslawns]

And that Colorado was never the same after that load

I've heard stories. That load of corn was the least of it's worries.

 

[Chass]

What I have noticed is that mature do tend to not come to bait during day light hours. On average they will come as soon as it gets dark and will come back multiple times during the night and maybe stick around for a few hours after sunrise. Which doesn't help at all unless you have some magical way to sneak up on them, and let's be honest it's gonna be a pretty slim chance to get into range and you will most likely bump them off the bait and you won't see them for a few days.

I will say if you hunt bait smartly, you odds of success will increase. But I'd say 9/10 guys actually hunt over bait itself, why? To see deer, and typically you're gonna see does. But who doesn't like to see deer?! Not too many guys put out bait and then hunt out of sight of it because they assume they will miss their chance. When in reality the deer they are after is more likely to be out of range of the bait site scent checking during the day. In the morning, same goes you want to hunt away from bait where you think that buck is going to head after they leave the site to bed down.
Even if you do this, nothing is certain and each deer is going to act different.

 

[Lundy]

You can't get mature bucks to bait in the daylight =myth

Location, location, location, followed by how you manage the situation.

If you have a buck or bucks that will only come in after dark to a dumped corn pile, change the situation, make sure there is no bait left after dark for him to eat. Instead of dumping, which I would normally prefer, use a feeder and feed small amounts at daylight and again at 2 in the afternoon. The does will figure out when they need to be there to get some corn and so will he.( if it is in an area he feels comfortable going to, normally very short distance and thick cover)

Much bigger question. If a buck will not come to bait or an area before dark why is that?, location, location, location., what are you not managing properly with location and or personal discipline for hunting that area. Deer are not the smartest animal in the world, they eat, sleep, make babies and avoid danger, that's it.

The single largest challenge is having free reign to establish a plan and execute it without any other hunters interfering. It is not a one week process, it takes time.

These are not giants by any means but are 100% mature and were the kings in this area.

 

[finelyshedded]

Great points Kim!

 

[Lundy]

That 9 point on the block with the rub that keeps looking over his shoulder. He is looking at the feeder about 70 yds away with does and small bucks on it. I found many years ago if I can use a very small dumped pile or better yet a quality deer block set up within site of the feeder in some thick stuff that it becomes the primary buck visit area before they trickle on over to the feeder. That is providing we are past rut. During the rut, a feeder in the right locations can have mature bucks on them in the middle of the day, not to eat much to look for the next hot doe.

Many of these deer fell victim to their own routines

Dates are not accurate

 

[finelyshedded]

That beautiful 10 was very photogenic

 

[Lundy]

Control.
You need to have the ability to control traffic to this area. If you share the property with 10 other jackwagons who throw caution to the wind; you're fighting a losing battle. If you can locate a secluded portion of the property they never venture to however, you may still be in business. Control is the most critical element to this entire thing.

Are jackwagons first cousins to Jackalopes? I agree completely, you and you alone need to control every aspect of the plan and you can't know what happens when you are not there so you need to have an opportunity where you are sure you and only you impact the area. You MUST have the discipline to not hunt that set unless conditions are ideal.

 

[Bigslam51]

 

[BlueSpruceOutfitters]

Although, this idea isn't for me. Not a baiting fan, yet I digress and will attest to it's absolute effectiveness. A good friend of mine does the same exact thing when they bait for deer control in the Cleveland Metroparks. He says its crazy how well it works for "training" the deer. I'm sure it would work well if you could stick to it on a private property.

 

[MoonLab]

View attachment 63467

Lol nice picture. That's a good one

 

[Lundy]

To bait or not is a personal choice driven by many different influences, some internal(personal ethics), some external(peer pressure). I fully get it that many not only don't participate in baiting but look look upon the action with disdain. I read comments of "I don't bait"," I bait but I don't hunt over it", "I bait for my dad or son". To me these certainly would seem to manifest a personal belief of baiting being a method that diminishes the outcome of a deer harvest. Great by me, to each his own. If you need personally to be able to say you didn't kill your deer with placed bait to allow you to stay within your personal boundary or to enhance your harvest in the eyes of your hunting companions or acquaintances, more power to you.

I try (not always successful) to not get all wrapped up in the baiting discussions, does it work, can't get a mature deer to bait, can't get a mature buck to bait during daylight, makes it easy to kill a mature buck, only does and small bucks, etc, etc, etc. Those are all accurate statements to differing degrees based upon how you the hunter hunts, it has little to do with the deer themselves.. For ME and ONLY ME, when I finally quit hunting for others approval 25 years ago and started hunting for my personal satisfaction to be gained from my hunting I learned how to enjoy hunting to my maximum fulfillment, for ME. Did I bait, yep, could I get mature bucks patterned and to bait during daylight, yep, did I kill a bunch of bucks that weren't over bait, yep, did I kill a bunch of bucks over bait, yep, did I really care if anyone else approved of how I killed my one deer every couple of years, nope.

May you all get what ever you seek from hunting however you choose to obtain it. As long as the end result is a quick clean kill of the animal you hunt I won't judge you on how you accomplish that goal.

just my opinion.

 

[twireman]

Lundy,
I wish I could like that post 100000 times. Awesome

 

[giles]

Well spoken Kim!

 

[Jackalope]

Very well said Kim.

 

[MoonLab]

Golf clap, Kim. Good shit.

 

[hickslawns]

You picked me out. I've said all that. (Only bait for my kid, won't hunt over it, etc.) I don't care if someone baits. Just isn't for "me." At the end of the day, you are spot on Lundy. Needs to work for the individual involved. Ultimately, I'm simply too cheap to spend the money on feed, and don't have the time nor desire to do it. I may change my ways down the road. For now, I'll keep doing what I am doing. Everyone else can keep doing what they are doing.