ORIGINAL: DowningAir
I have mixed feelings about what this ban has done to the numbers. I've huntedalot this season and I have seen a good amount of deer. Granted, not as many as in previous seasons ifI had been baiting, but I can't complain. Now, you just can't rely on them coming in on the same patterns as they had before. This is where early season scouting and planningcomes in handy. With the right plan,it's not too hard to harvest a deer.
As far as the harvesting numbers, I don't see how they could do anything but drop significantly. It may seem unfair but some people just can't hunt without bait. The available areas and the pressure put on those makes it hard to do so. I think we will see a significant decrease in the harvest this year, without a doubt.
You just nailed it. You have to scout, and setup around funnels and travel corridors. Find their pre-rut patterns..and hunt them hard. Once the rut starts, you might have to move some stands as their patterns change.
I'm sure it's hard for the long time baiters who don't have the time to scout. But after you key in on their patterns, you'll be seeing the deer again. One little thing you could do is post an aerial photo of your hunting land. There are some guys on this site that would be more than happy to tell you what they think would be the better spots to set up on.