baiting question for deer

[rotty33]

I was wondering if many of you use this tactic, such as hay, corn etc.  I have permission to hunt some private land in the mica peak area for late season and was wondering what type of feed you use under your stand. I am hunting an area that doesn't have a major food source such as an alfalfa field.
Thanks

[PolarBear]

Night crawlers and power bait

[CAMPMEAT]

Alfalfa, whole corn , Deer block and apples. I just make a pile out of it with the corn spread out underneath the alfalfa. It took about 2 days for them to find it. Now I can't get rid of 'em.. They will eat those apples as fast as you can put them out.

[PolarBear]

I ate an apple in my treestand and accidentally dropped the core on the ground.  A little 2 point whitie came up about 1/2 hour later and ate the damn thing while I was sitting there.  Apples are pretty universal with deer and elk.

[Instinct]

Yeep I asked the same question bout apples. The thred is in the general discussion like pg 2 or 3.

[sivart33]

how early to drop bait?  starting the same thing out at my property

[rotty33]

thanks for the info. Was wondering the same thing about when to start getting it set up. Much appreciated!

[huntnnw]

I know people who bait from july till december.. couple weeks before is a start

[nwwanderer]

Try to do some good.  Corn and alfalfa in a area where they do not exist are poor choices.  That little rumen does not deal with change. Probably more harm than good.  If you must put it out and you want to benefit the animals, peas, lentils, garbs and a good vitamin mineral salt mix might be beneficial.  The legumes for protein and the loose mix for calcium, salt, selenium and all the other trace stuff.  Apples seem to be every where I go, certainly a draw, usually not nutritionally significant.

[PolarBear]

The problem is that most of those who bait really don't give a crap if it is harming the deer herd or not.  Putting out minerals is one thing but placing hundreds of pounds of corn, alfalfa, soy etc in an area where the deer really don't need it to survive not only conditions the animals to depend on that food but can be unhealthy for them.  

[fair-chase]

Polarbear, I don't think that the majority of the people who bait don't care about the health of the herd. The problem is that most are grossly misinformed. As stated earlier most people think that any food is good for the animal. Most of the marketed foods are no more than an attractant as they have virtually no benefit to the herd. This is because most are marketed across the nation with a one size fits all recipe. People need to do their research on the herd. Talking to the local biologist would be a good start and planting a NATURAL food source is almost always better than a feeder.

To the original poster. If this is for next years hunt you should have plenty of time to do some habitat improvements. Talk to the landowner and see if he is open to the idea. It's also cheaper in the long run than constantly replacing bait.

[nwwanderer]

Good call on the food plots.  It is a problem establishing a plot with so many deer/turkeys around, they eat everything as it emerges.  Also if the local groups of elk and individual moose move in on your work they really wipe it out.  Choose your plantings carefully and the results will show.  If you can't plant it, a timely mowing to get green growing where everything else is mature works great.  Watch carefully what your target eats and decide what to mow accordingly. Some green field bindweed in September draws deer like crazy.

[PolarBear]

Polarbear, I don't think that the majority of the people who bait don't care about the health of the herd. The problem is that most are grossly misinformed. As stated earlier most people think that any food is good for the animal. Most of the marketed foods are no more than an attractant as they have virtually no benefit to the herd. This is because most are marketed across the nation with a one size fits all recipe. People need to do their research on the herd. Talking to the local biologist would be a good start and planting a NATURAL food source is almost always better than a feeder.

To the original poster. If this is for next years hunt you should have plenty of time to do some habitat improvements. Talk to the landowner and see if he is open to the idea. It's also cheaper in the long run than constantly replacing bait.

I think that I should add that short term baiting as in a week or two and then quitting does little to harm the critters other than mess with their routine.  It is when folks start putting out hard to digest (corn, soy beans etc) out months ahead of time that can effect the herd.  Sure it will fatten up the deer and help them grow bigger racks but after the season is over and that food source dries up (the "hunter" is done or loses interest) the deer are out of their natural feeding routine and are more vulnerable to predation as well.  Food plots, mast and farmed crops give them time and are usually easier to digest than milled or dried grain.  I remeber a doe on my Uncle's farm in Alabama that got into his grain corn that he had for his cattle.  We found her by the pond dead, bloated and with her guts pushing out of her behind.  She had only been there for a few hours. My Uncle cut her open and she was so full of fermenting corn that she was ready to explode. I know that is not typical, but it can happen.

[rotty33]

Thanks for the helpful information. I will try to be curteous to the deer as much as possible in regards to food I put down. But if a buck comes my way, I probably won't be as curteous. Thanks again for the input.

[lokidog]

We feed Allstock from Dels, at about $6 for 40 pounds it seems pretty economical.  A few apples draws them in and then they discover they like this stuff.  It is about 12% protien so is relatively good for them compared to the empty carbohydrates of corn.

On a side note, I had a dog once that would sneak into the shed and eat goat food, which was mostly corn.  It took us a while to figure out why she was always bloated and looking like a suasage on two cups of food a day...