Blacktail bait

[Bow tech hunter]

Ok so I was out and about shopping with my 5 year old we stopped in the farm store and I saw this apple flavor powder was wondering if anybody tried or knows anybody that's used this stuff before for blacktail I'm just looking for back up ideas incase I don't get my hands on actual apples what you think of this powder?

[Wolfdog2314]

Apples are the best thing I've found to work for blacktails. All ya can do is try it and see what happens! Make sure to put a trail cam over it 

[Bow tech hunter]

Apples are the best thing I've found to work for blacktails. All ya can do is try it and see what happens! Make sure to put a trail cam over it 

Oh ya I'm on top of that I picked up 3 game cameras while back ago before the holidays moultri cams for 60 bucks each at bass pro shop will put them to use this spring and summer

[Wolfdog2314]

Good deal. Trail cams and trying bait is addicting. Aside from apples, the Apple flavored Buck Licker blocks were devoured by the blacktails in my area. I would for sure pick up one of those.

I also found with any bait with the blacktails, by mid-end of September the Bucks change up their habit from literally every day hitting the licks, to completely nocturnal and seldom coming through. I had good bucks on camera almost every day from May-beginning of September. Then poof, like always.

I think the most successful way to use bait would be with a bow hunting as early as possible before they change their patterns drastically. I'll be getting my multi deer tag this year for that reason! Good luck!

[Bow tech hunter]

Good deal. Trail cams and trying bait is addicting. Aside from apples, the Apple flavored Buck Licker blocks were devoured by the blacktails in my area. I would for sure pick up one of those.

I also found with any bait with the blacktails, by mid-end of September the Bucks change up their habit from literally every day hitting the licks, to completely nocturnal and seldom coming through. I had good bucks on camera almost every day from May-beginning of September. Then poof, like always.

Thanks a bunch and goodluck to you to I also purchased my multie season apps already let's see if I get lucky

I think the most successful way to use bait would be with a bow hunting as early as possible before they change their patterns drastically. I'll be getting my multi deer tag this year for that reason! Good luck!

[pd]

I also found with any bait with the blacktails, by mid-end of September the Bucks change up their habit from literally every day hitting the licks, to completely nocturnal and seldom coming through. I had good bucks on camera almost every day from May-beginning of September. Then poof, like always.

This is my theory (by no means am I an expert).  If you have abundant blacktail bucks until September, and then they vanish in October, then the cause of your problem is very clear and simple.  What you have discovered is where the bucks live throughout the year, except during the rut.  Bucks find does, not the other way around.  What you need to find is a place where does live, not bucks.  Move your camera around a lot until you find the does, then--come October--you will also have bucks.

Put another way (based upon my own experience), if you are feeding apples to bucks through September, you are just wasting time, effort, and money. 

On the other hand, if bow hunting the early season, and if the bucks are active during daylight hours, your strategy would work.

[Wolfdog2314]

I also found with any bait with the blacktails, by mid-end of September the Bucks change up their habit from literally every day hitting the licks, to completely nocturnal and seldom coming through. I had good bucks on camera almost every day from May-beginning of September. Then poof, like always.

This is my theory (by no means am I an expert).  If you have abundant blacktail bucks until September, and then they vanish in October, then the cause of your problem is very clear and simple.  What you have discovered is where the bucks live throughout the year, except during the rut.  Bucks find does, not the other way around.  What you need to find is a place where does live, not bucks.  Move your camera around a lot until you find the does, then--come October--you will also have bucks.

Put another way (based upon my own experience), if you are feeding apples to bucks through September, you are just wasting time, effort, and money. 

On the other hand, if bow hunting the early season, and if the bucks are active during daylight hours, your strategy would work.

Yep my theory as well.

During summer months it is still nice to see what's roaming the area. Even during rut and later month times I knew the same couple bucks were in the area. They still (rarely) showed on the cameras. I was just unlucky enough to not cross with during season.

[fishnfur]

I like the way you think PD - you're on target about finding out where the does are - the bucks will show during the rut. 

I believe that what we are observing during that May - early September time frame is not where they live (or eat) 9 months out of the year, but instead, where they live (or eat) during antler development (late-spring and summer).  That is the period when the bucks go out of their way not to injure their rapidly developing bones, and stay out of their normal heavy brush hidey holes they normally inhabit during the other eight months of the year.  They hang in bachelor groups during this time and are much less reclusive.

Once testosterone levels get to a certain level, the most mature of the bucks will rub off the velvet, break away from the bachelor groups and quickly return to their solo lifestyles of living in their core areas in the bush by themselves and become nocturnal except for the occasional mid-day browsing session.  For the most part - by this time, they have already determined dominance within the local herd and will remember who is who when the rut rolls around.  They will continue to socialize with other bucks on occasion and do some mock fighting during the earl pre-rut.  The younger bucks, especially the yearlings may continue to live in closer to the does and their feeding areas for awhile longer, but will eventually either disperse to other areas or find a core area that is likely inferior to those of the more dominant bucks living in the area. 

Mixed into this confusing puzzle is the movements that deer make in response to heat and water availability during late summer.  Normally, the deer will seek out north facing slopes in mid- late summer and early fall to minimize the effects of the sun's warming rays that dries out the south facing slopes.  Once the weather cools off in the fall and water (rain) becomes more available, they will switch back to bedding in areas with south facing slopes, and likely live there through the winter.

In order to capture the bucks after the velvet is shed, you should consider attempting to locate the core areas of those bucks you seek based on the weather conditions and deer signs of activity, then place your cams on the periphery of those areas in hopes of catching one coming and going from/to feeding.   Putting your cam too deep into a core area will cause the buck to hold tighter to cover or move entirely if you intrude too often much or too often.

  (that may be a nickle's worth).  I'm not saying this is correct, but I believe it is.