ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I posted a study that was performed a couple years ago in SC. It proved that baiting actually led to LESS harvest % success, there. People can turn a blind eye to that all they want to.....but doing so on emotion and not fact is only perpetuating the ignorance. That's called denial.
Jeff,
Was this for killing mature bucks or any deer at all?
I find it hard to believe that it's tougher to kill deer period by baiting rather than without bait. I've read where baiting makes it more difficult to kill a big mature buck and I can see where that stems from but ANY deer? I think baiting wins out every time.
As far as the original question is concerned, I see the difference as being huge. If you set a pile of corn out (or a feeder set to go off) then you pretty much know exactly where (and in some cases when) the deer will be. A crop field however is far larger than a pile of corn or feeder and the deer can access the field from the other end possibly hundreds of yards away from your standnot giving you a shot at all.
With a pile of corn or feeder, you simply setup 20 yards away and wait.
EDIT: I didn't read through the entire thread so if this has already been covered, my apologies for being redundant.