Baiting Technique

[300UltraMagShooter]

Seems a lot of new guys on here could use some help on getting their buck. 
I thought it would be a good idea to really show that this is a different kind of forum. 

With that said, one of the best ways for a new guy to get a deer is to bait them.  Do any of you have any unique ideas on the way you bait deer?  During the few times I have baited, I know one of the best things I did was to make sure I was in heavy cover and not out in the open.  Anyone else have anything they can share with the new guys having trouble getting their deer?

 

[300UltraMagShooter]

Oh, and I thought of one more thing. 

Any of you new guys, most of the guys baiting try and put out more bait than the next guy over from them.  This can work, but seems to end up seeing who can outdo each other in quantity.  Another idea is to make sure you have some variety.  Corn, apples, pumpkins, carrots, peanut butter...   

Anyone else have some good things others may not have thought about, please chime in. 

[h20hunter]

Apples and cob. Hopefully this time of the year the bears are denning up. Problem with baiting is the bears will come in and eat everything and the deer will vanish. Other than that...apples and sweet cob.

[300UltraMagShooter]

Yes, bears can be a problem.  I ha a buddy that got a grizz started coming into his bait.  The GW made him move and not use it anymore.  That was years ago. 

Early season, trying to keep the bears off your bait can be a pain, but can be worth the effort.

[Wilderness Addict]

Don't overlook natural foods for bait piles. Around here the deer eat horsehair lichen faster than apples, sweet cob, or hay. In about fifteen minutes you can gather a truckload of lichen, which by the way is free.

[300UltraMagShooter]

buckfvr, I agree, knowledge is key, but like you said, that comes with time.  I'd hate for these guys to quit and a little success along the way will keep them hunting.  I haven't baited in years, but for a new hunter that is frustrated with not seeing game, this can keep them with full freezers and a little satisfied while they learn.   

I think of it as training wheels. 

[deltaops]

Not to cause anyone to get butt hurt but the question is what is your bait technique? I would like to see what others use as well and not see this get into a debate on whether to bait or not bait. thanks for your cooperation in this matter.  Carry on!

[mossback91]

I tried bating for the first time this year. I just don't find it near as fun or exciting as spot and stalk! just not my cup of tea I guess! Ive had more fun blowing a stalk(which can really be frustrating at times ) then I did killing a deer off a bait pile.... I wonder how much longer baiting will be legal in this state anyways.

[DoubleJ]

Don't overlook natural foods for bait piles. Around here the deer eat horsehair lichen faster than apples, sweet cob, or hay. In about fifteen minutes you can gather a truckload of lichen, which by the way is free.

This.  I've said it a thousand times.  In September on the west side, one of the best blacktail baits you can have is a waist high pile of fresh cut, leafy alder branches.

[300UltraMagShooter]

Thought of one more thing that might help.  Sometimes it is best to not hunt over the bait.  Put the bait in a place they like to travel in the first place and then back off the bait at least 50 yards... up to 100 yards.  Catch them "between bed and feed" as it were.

Some others are bound to have some good ideas?

[Boss .300 winmag]

I tried bating for the first time this year. I just don't find it near as fun or exciting as spot and stalk! just not my cup of tea I guess! Ive had more fun blowing a stalk(which can really be frustrating at times ) then I did killing a deer off a bait pile.... I wonder how much longer baiting will be legal in this state anyways.

Yes....baiting will be under attack the next season setting process.........but if you quote wdfw about probable cause regarding wolves, it should be held as status quo for everything.

If deer harvest drops for 3 consecutive years, then they will do a scientific study to determine the reason.  If it is found the reason is wolves, they will respond in some manner or another....I would think this would/should hold true for baiting.  Only if it has been determined through a scientific study that they say takes three years,  should they be able to adrress it ( baiting ) as an issue.  They will have to be held to their word, their policy, regarding deer....whether its wolves, bear/cat/dog, or bait that impacts herds.  Speculation does not trump science.  They must prove its a problem, rather than address the feelings of the non-hunting community.   

So baiting and hound hunting with dogs hurt the population of bears/cougars, nope it was an initiative that was voted on that did it from uneducated feelings of the non- hunting community .  least we forget.

[jnevs23]

instead of trying to out do the guy baiting next you, I would suggest finding a new area without a guy baiting next to you.  This year I used salt, apples, alfalfa, pumpkins, acorns, gords, squash, cucumbers...anything I could get my hands on.  Baiting doesn't guarantee anything.  I went about 2 months and almost 4000 pics between bucks at one point this summer in an area with a high buck population.  Also late season while hunting the only bucks that came in were very young.  Baiting can work but it usually it goes hand in hand with lots of scouting especially if bow hunting.

[Duffer]

I've been baiting our Colville property (but have yet to hunt it) for pics of the 'livestock'

I always get immediate response when I put out a product available at Big-R called Sweet Cob which is a mix of grains and some molasses. This fall I added a feeder that would keep a bail of alfalfa dry. they were into it within hours also! I've never had serious response to grain blocks or salt blocks. I also just added a timer/feeder filled with a pelleted deer feed that smells like alfalfa but has vitamins & minerals too.

I'm trying to feed more than just bait. It's fun to attract deer to the cameras but I'd like to get them to hang around too!

Let me add tho: The bucks are there somewhere cuz there are fawns popping out, but man are they A LOT more shy than these whitetail does! I'll get thousands of pics of does and maybe a spike or two and a lil forkie. Tooks me 2 years before I finally got a few pics of a legal buck. and he was there for just a few minutes on only one day!

I want to thank 300UM for starting this thread and showing concern for the frustrated masses      

Let's try to stay on the OPs topic. There are plenty of "to bait or not to bait" threads here on HW. If you want to debate that, head on over to one of those threads please. 

I also LOVE the idea of lichen (which I'd never even thought of) or general garden veggies! You want to attract deer? Try growing one and then keeping them out of your garden! 

[DoubleJ]

Duffer, keep in mind that a lot of breeding is done by those younger bucks

http://www.qdma.com/articles/will-dominant-bucks-dominate-the-breeding

[bowhunterforever]

I find it funny people think you just though out bait and kill a 150+ buck, yea um good luck with that