Bait station and timing. UPDATE: 09-24, Final Update

[D-Rock425]

TmI to m :bash:uch information 

[h20hunter]

Offensive thoughts removed.

[D-Rock425]

It was ok I didn't care

[h20hunter]

You think 50lbs of wet cob and a 20lb pressed block with last a couple weeks?

[ORCA_SIX]

Are you tracking your total cost on food and gas for your bait station? How many hours in the field? How often you are having to refill?

[h20hunter]

Nah, I figure 30 or so miles walked so far, hours....?, cash, oh, probably about 150$ so far. However, I'm having a lot more fun than sucking down beers or sitting on the couch. I am also learning new areas and just enjoying myself. However, I'll still be having a nice beer and couch surfing a bit.

[ORCA_SIX]

That's cool. At least you are getting out. I always wondered what people put in for time and cost.

[oldleclercrd]

Nah, I figure 30 or so miles walked so far, hours....?, cash, oh, probably about 150$ so far. However, I'm having a lot more fun than sucking down beers or sitting on the couch. I am also learning new areas and just enjoying myself. However, I'll still be having a nice beer and couch surfing a bit.

A nice beer? Like only one?

[h20hunter]

Quick update for you all.

So, back out this weekend. Here is what I learned.

1. my legs are getting in shape because a 50lb bag of cob on my back is pretty easy.
2. my kids wagon will indeed hold two boxes of apples and another 50lb bag of cob.
3. my kids wagon is not meant for that purpose.
4. bears are loud in the thick brush.
5. skip the wagon next time and make a few trips if I'm that motivated.
6. trail cam bateries only last a month or so.
7. dead trail cam batteries fall out of bottom of kids wagon.

So, this weekend I'll be going on a battery easter egg hunt. Fun.

[seansfire]

just wondering how much the bait blocks cost each and how big they are and which stores carry them? i found a block that looked like hard molasses with corn and grain in it but didnt look at the price. looked alot like the block in your pic.

[h20hunter]

One of the blocks was about 20lb, cost was like 12$ or something. I picked it up at the feed store. Deer seemed to like chewing on it. I'll be heading out this Sat to change the cam to video and find my 8 AA batteries.

[h20hunter]

So, for those of you following here is what I learned this morning. Batteries are indeed not to hard to find. I managed to find 5 of the 8 that I dropped somewhere. Maybe somebody found a few over the week. I know at least one person rides horses so maybe they picked them up. Either way, first time out, finding 5 out of 8 isn't to bad. I'll be keeping my eyes out when I head back in a few weeks. No new bear sign in the area which is good. Plenty of action on my apples and cob pile. The cam has 260 pic on it but the 2nd memory card does not appear to be reading in the cam. So, I left it in and switched it over to video mode. I set if for 10 sec record with a 30 second break in between. I'll give it two weeks and then go switch the card out. I tell you, since I'm still on the learning curve here it was tough to leave the card in and not bring it home. I was looking forward to some bacon, eggs, cofee, and new deer pics! However, my will was strong and I let it be. So, stay tuned. Next time out I should have some good video and plenty of pics to sort through. Maybe a YouTube slide show with some video I think.

[oldleclercrd]

How many miles is your cam from where you live? I am starting up 2 cam/mineral sites of my own around the 15th of May. You have a very interesting thread going and im excited to see the new pics also. Your helping me shorten my learning curve as this will be the first time I have my cameras up feeding deer versus just on a well used trail.

[DoubleJ]

I just set my first bait pile yesterday.  I only had 10lbs of apples so I cut them in half and spread them around.  I had a 1gl jug of acorn buck juice that I poured all over the 3 rotting stumps in that area.  I set up 2 PVC feeding tubes filled with oats.  I pour a pile of cob at the base of each one and mixed it in with the oats.  I want them eating oats more than cob for 2 reasons. 

1.  it's got more protein than cob.  I've read that from Feb-Aug, protein is what they need for nursing fawns and antler growth. 

2.  I have 400lbs of oats.

I also have 3 apple flavored salt licks from walmart and one 50lb mineral block from the feed store in the area.  Trail cam is set.  I was out shooting my new pistol today and decided to check the cam, just because.  12 pictures, no animals.  Branches must have set it off.  I hiked the mile and a half back out of the woods and, when I got back to the truck, I realized I forgot to turn the camera back on.     I'll go back in a few days and turn the thing on.  I want to try and keep the scent out of there.

[h20hunter]

Glad to help people with their own learning curve. The site is about 30 min from home. The hike is about a mile behind the gate. I also thought about cutting my apples but figure if I don't they will stay fresh longer as the days get warm. From my first month of activity I have found that deer don't eat part of an apple and walk away. Nor do they leave bit and pieces. They seem to eat carefully and not waste a bit of the apple. I also buried some of the apples beneath the cob. I'll have to see the pics and video later to know. There is no vehicle access so everything goes in on my back. Not trying the wagon thing again. I'll be interested to see how your stump licks go. I've got three stumps that would make a good mineral soak. I'm thinking of getting some bulk salt and that deer cane crap and getting at least one stump good and soaked. Hmm. I will say that putting 50lbs of wet cob on your back is more comfortable than the apples. This morning I had one stinking apple right in my kidney that I could not get shifted. Since I was set on covering ground I just dealt with it and got the job done.