Do you use bait on your trail cam ? what type

[Bob]

Ive got into trail cams this summer and I'm having a hard time getting many deer or elk to come into my bait. Ive been using oats,grain,alfalfa. Ive got a ton of bear pics, so what are you guys using ?

[bowhuntin]

I have used salt licks that you can buy from bi-mart and also have used apples. Usually only use bait if I want them to stop in front of the camera though, otherwise I just angle the camera so it is looking down the trail.

[Antlershed]

Cabelas sells something called Peanut Bucker. It is peanut butter and apples mixed together. The deer and elk both seem to like it.

[quacker whacker]

apples

[WAPITIHUNTER]

apples

[hunterbuilder]

I used a green salt/mineral block from Big R. It worked really well with the elk then the cattle moved in on it.  Had a few muley does stop by too.

[WAPITIHUNTER]

apples

I also use the Purina Deer Block. They work really well. I get them at the feed store. Last time I bought three of them and I think it came to $40. They are compressed corn etc.

[NWWABOWHNTR]

I've tried several different blocks,  but COB seems to be the best other than apples.  THe COB I use is mixed with molasses.  (COB = corn, oats and barley?) Get it at the local Cenex/skagit farmers supply. 

[Birdguy]

I have talked to a few outfitters that have just awesome pictures and they all say APPLES, APPLES, APPLES then perhaps the freshest greenest alfalfa, and finally this late in the year the corn you can buy at Walmart. It worked on the eastside for the does anyhow. The only buck we had come in did not seem too interested. We will try again next year as we are working on making the habitat a bit better before trying again.

[Antlershed]

I've tried several different blocks,  but COB seems to be the best other than apples.  THe COB I use is mixed with molasses.  (COB = corn, oats and barley?) Get it at the local Cenex/skagit farmers supply. 

I put some Cob out down here and had a buck walk right past it a few different times and never ate any.

[bow4elk]

I know some that swear by COB, but my experience is ZILCH.  I have photos of a sow and three cubs walking through it, but none eating it.  And it was a fresh bag with a good sweet smell.

I set up under a couple apple trees so I have natural bait, or i pack in a dozen or so apples to more remote spots just to stop them.  I have lots of pics of deer walking right past the camera and you can see the untouched apples under them, so I think it's just hit and miss depending on what they are craving or when they've eaten.

[Ray]

Crush the apples and rub the scent around on tree stumps. Peel the apples and lay the peels out. Release the scent ...  At least if you want to bait the animals into your camera...

Oh and make sure you set it up where animals actually travel through.

[Slider]

Hunterbuilder is right!!! I have conducted tests with 6 trail cams in two different Units on the East side. Including the mineral/molasses blocks with corn and the Deer and Elk will get in line for the green mineral block from Big R. It has selenium in it. And its like $8.00 for a 50 lb block. I use a wedge and a Hammer and break them in half. One block for 2 Trail Cams and they will fit in a backpack when broke in half.   

http://doitbest.com/Equine+Nutrition-North+American+Salt-model-41027-doitbest-sku-727747.dib

[coonhound]

For the early season up through September I use 50 lbs bags of Salt with Trace Minerals, you can pick it up at most feed stores for about $8.00.  I stir it into the top 5" or so of soil and it creates a great mineral lick.  After September the action slows quite a bit, it doesn't stop just slows that's when I start adding apples.  The problem with apples is the effort you have to put into it, they can eat a box of apples in a night or two.

Coon

[blindpig]

I have only used apples in an area of apple trees.  Other than that I have just found well established game trails.  Looks like Im just a rookie compared to you fella's.

[philpac33]

checked my camera today for the second time since i got it(no game the first time, only fresh trail in the snow) and was sorely disappointed to find no pictures taken in a week even though the evidence of deer feeding right in front of it was clear. my brother set it to auto as we left, at least i thought. anyway, i use a trophy rock as my centerpiece(cabelas) and add apples each time we visit the area. when i checked it the first time, all the apples were buried in snow with a crust of ice on top and the trophy rock was just barely visible(only could see the top)...found about a dozen of them and sliced them up. when we checked it today about half the apples were gone and several of the ones left had obvious teeth marks left on them. soooo disappointed to not have any pics to show for it. made sure it was working before we left today. i'm going to plant some small 10'x10' patches this spring in a few locations where i will set up a camera. i've tried some other treats found at feed stores in the past but i never kept up on them close enough to tell whether or not they would be effective for getting them to pose for the camera. good luck to all

[SHANE(WA)]

sweet mix, or COB and apples. Pumpkins in the late, they are free and easy to get enough of them

[stumprat]

checked my camera today for the second time since i got it(no game the first time, only fresh trail in the snow) and was sorely disappointed to find no pictures taken in a week even though the evidence of deer feeding right in front of it was clear. my brother set it to auto as we left, at least i thought. anyway, i use a trophy rock as my centerpiece(cabelas) and add apples each time we visit the area. when i checked it the first time, all the apples were buried in snow with a crust of ice on top and the trophy rock was just barely visible(only could see the top)...found about a dozen of them and sliced them up. when we checked it today about half the apples were gone and several of the ones left had obvious teeth marks left on them. soooo disappointed to not have any pics to show for it. made sure it was working before we left today. i'm going to plant some small 10'x10' patches this spring in a few locations where i will set up a camera. i've tried some other treats found at feed stores in the past but i never kept up on them close enough to tell whether or not they would be effective for getting them to pose for the camera. good luck to all

A friend of mine had this trouble then realised he was aiming the camera too high. I get the best results aiming the camera at hip level.

[tonymoe]

I bought my property 6-7 yrs ago and decided to set up a camera to see what was lingering around for blacktail.  I have put a feeder up with oats, and went as far as planting turnups and clover. I have had lots of deer pics, but eventually a black bear rips down my system. I have had a 20 gallon feeder eaten and demolished and am on my 4th camera.  This pic is after the bear chowed on my last camera

[bow4elk]

if you're not wearing rubber/nitrile gloves when handling your cameras, you should be.  Bears have an incredibly acute sense of smell.  Years ago, I used use those little string trail timers.  9 out of 10 would be eaten (chewed up on the spot and left) when I went back to check them.

Also, when I have a bear discover my camera, I pull it and de-scent the case with scent killer.  And I never hang them where they were disturbed.  So far so good, and I have lots of bears around.  They are pesky and curious to no end.

Love to see some of your deer pics!

[Slider]

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