Baiting Deer

[Palmer]

They've had two harsh winters.  The bucks we saw were big, 225#s and up.  The locals believe that the small and young deer died in the winter kill leaving more feed to bulk up this year.  Here's what the three of us saw:

Washington Bead Lake area:  3 does

There is a guide with feeders nearby.  I didn't here many shots from their tree house but he was shooting a few deer.  They've been in business for 3 or 4 years.  We normally see several bucks within a few days. 
We hunted the area for 5 days and the three of us saw three does.  The fresh scrapes were untouched by any bucks for those 5 days even after an overnight rain.  I did rattle in something that came in from behind and then left.  I never got a look - a thicket behind me.

Idaho, Priest Lake area:  5 bucks, and 31 does.

We hunted this area for five days.  The bucks were big and wise.  One of the bigger ones gave me a head shot at 160 yards but I couldn't see the body.  I waited for him to clear the brush but I lost him in the cover.

 I did get a 1 year old buck on veterans day that weighed 134# at the butcher - 134/60% = 223#s.  Not bad

I had to return to work today but my Dad and cousin were hunting today and each got a buck.  One was huge.  I expect to have pictures soon. 
They saw a doe, a button buck and three bucks today - 41 deer in Idaho in 6 days. I'd say the winter kill wasn't that bad.  The strong survived and the herd is stronger.

I'd say that Man's influence through hunting pressure has far more influence then the winter kill.  Three deer hunting in Washington (5 days) near a guide who uses feeders with timers vs. 41 deer hunting Idaho (6 days) where baiting is illegal.

Perhaps baiting should only be allowed for archery.

[Gutpile]

I'm so excited that there's yet another baiting thread. 

 

[alanger]

YA! another baiting thread.


wow you must be very adroit to get that close and weigh him by the head.

[alanger]

why archery only??? someone being self-ish

[D-Rock425]

I just want to bait some bears

[shoot-em-dead]

What the hell does feeding deer have to do with winter kills?

[Palmer]

 The bucks we saw were big, 225#s and up.

So you had time to weigh them, but not enough time to shoot??  I think your filling us full of BS, or your priorities are severely mixed up...Shoot first, weigh later.

 One of the bigger ones gave me a head shot at 160 yards but I couldn't see the body.

 

So you weighed it by the size of it's head??? (since you couldn't see it's body, and you said all the bucks you saw were 225#'s and up, I suppose you must have)

I harvested one buck that was 134#/60% = 223#s at the butcher.  The butcher's comment was that most of the bucks were this size or bigger.  The bucks we saw were bigger than the one I harvested with exception to a couple button bucks.  However, button bucks are not open in Idaho where we saw them.

I'm just feeding information and letting you know what's out there.  If people want to be a smartass about it then I don't have to share any ifo.  I saw more deer this year than any other year because the weather cooperated after the 12th. 

[Palmer]

I just want to bait some bears

I second that.

[Palmer]

What the hell does feeding deer have to do with winter kills?

I'm giving a comparison of two areas.  Both having winter kill and one having a guide service hunting out of an elevated blind with timed feeders.  The one with the guide nearby seemed to have far fewer deer - we saw 3 vs 41 where baiting is illegal.  So I noticed that baiting had a far greater affect than the winter kill.

[alanger]

still i dont see how these compare. biating and winterkill. maybe schooling hastn tought me anything.

[Buckmark]

still i dont see how these compare. biating and winterkill. maybe schooling hastn tought me anything.

Not how to use spell check...
J/K, J/K, J/K...

[alanger]

i know i got good english.

[bearpaw]

I don't think that the one outfitter you mentioned has had any big effect on the overall deer population in unit 113. How many deer does he kill in a season? How many deer are taken in the unit in a season? The same unit has cougars, wolves, and coyotes that hunt year around, and that unit has just experienced two hard winters in a row.

I am fairly certain that more baiting is being done in other units in the state than in 113.

How can you form an opinion on the proper management and deer population status by hunting an area for 5-days?  

I'm not trying to offend you, I was just trying to figure out your reasoning with such little exposure in the area.

Another thing that comes to mind is that the Washington area most likely gets much heavier hunting pressure than the Idaho area, which could also be a reason for not seeing the same amount of deer.

[alanger]

I just gotta say deer roam .

[Dicko Bob]

Legal in the state of Washington for Elk and Deer.

Not legal for Bear anymore.

[Dicko Bob]

That goes for all firearms and bows.

[Palmer]

I don't think that the one outfitter you mentioned has had any big effect on the overall deer population in unit 113. How many deer does he kill in a season? How many deer are taken in the unit in a season? The same unit has cougars, wolves, and coyotes that hunt year around, and that unit has just experienced two hard winters in a row.

I am fairly certain that more baiting is being done in other units in the state than in 113.

How can you form an opinion on the proper management and deer population status by hunting an area for 5-days?  

I'm not trying to offend you, I was just trying to figure out your reasoning with such little exposure in the area.

Another thing that comes to mind is that the Washington area most likely gets much heavier hunting pressure than the Idaho area, which could also be a reason for not seeing the same amount of deer.

You didn't write that I was full of BS so no offense at all.

I've hunted the same part of 113 for 10 years now.  We normally see or hear at least a couple deer every day.

This year I heard 1 snort off in the distance, 1 ran in on me, and my Father saw 3 does.  My cousin saw and heard nada.  This happened over 5 days.

Three years ago the guide put in his feeders and elevated tree blind.  We heard 8 or 10 shots a day back then.  Now we hear 1 or two in the morning and 1 or 2 in the evening on the weekends and almost none on the weekdays.

In Idaho, the 3 of us saw 46 deer in 6 days and there are far more hunters.  It is a very popular hunting area.  Idiots even drive through clearcuts shooting at deer (actually my cousin saw this happen only once last year and I was shocked at the *censored* attitude.)  There are more hunters in their cars than real hunters.  Most of the shooting we heard were misses.  I think I heard one shot hit something.

[steen]

I just like "hunting" my animal.  I'm not for food plots, fences, feeding stations, grain in the sendero, from my porch, or sightings from roads.  Get out of the vehicle and walk to where you hunt, the farther the better.  Size is not the issue, the hunt is.