Baiting Technique

[syoungs]

what about baiting elk?

I was thinking of packing a couple bales of alfalfa up where I have seen some cows in the past, during the late archery hunt. would it be a total waste of time to try and fill a freezer this way?

[SERE VG]

Here's my very limited experience FWIW.

I have had cow elk come into my baits, not with enough regularity to count on.

I rarely as in the proverbial once in a blue moon have mature bucks visit the bait during shooting hours.

I am baiting for two reasons; to attract mature bucks on camera for location and selection and to attract does who will hopefully go into estrus and make the nocturnal mature buck temporarily love struck and dumb enough to walk out in front of me during the day.
Bears and deer will both visit the bait. I almost always have a bear or two on cam, but the deer still come in. Bears will camp and even nap on the bait, that will temporarily keep the deer away.

Apples work great, but attract every animal in the forest. I have weirder pics of random animals when I use apple than any other bait. Ravens, bunnies, bears, deer and a coyote all in one day. Yes the raven flew off with an entire apple in its beak. The yote did not partake as far as I could tell.

I tried commercial attractant baits, but Alfalfa and corn seemed to work better. Only tried 3, so maybe they're just picky.

Certified weed free alfalfa is required on federal land, not sure if that applies on all public land?

Locate and area that has good sign first and then locate a spot where the wind, approach and light are in your favor to place the bait.

Still learning, so I appreciate information folks share.


Sent from my mind via apathy.

[deaner]

what about baiting elk?

I was thinking of packing a couple bales of alfalfa up where I have seen some cows in the past, during the late archery hunt. would it be a total waste of time to try and fill a freezer this way?

elk come into bait too.  not that ive ever killed an elk, but heres a small sampling of my photographic evidence from 2013

[Lucky1]

I use apples. Works good. Coyotes like them too. I killed a coyote on my apple pile a couple years ago.

[cryder]

I seriously believe that baiting is a late season tactic,mostly because that's when critters might be changing there feeding habits and be more apt to go for something different or something out of the ordinary.i did a lot of baiting this late archery season,and I can definitely say,snow cover is a very important thing,it will get them thinking more intent on feeding more during the day than at night actually More during both periods,and unfortunately the colder the better,this also gets them more souse about feeding,so cold temps and snow are 2 real good conditions for baiting.and boy o boy can some coyotes ruin things if they start making noise during prime hours get in the truck and go back 2 days later,deer are going no where neer a food plot during the daylight hours,if coyotes are active close by ive seen it first hand and so has my game cam. (WHERE IS SEPTEMBER !! )