To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

I have 2 stands about 1,000 yards apart on each end of a ridge. There are a few acrons on this ridge and the deer have been tearing them up. The problem is the acorns are almost gone. I have about 500#' s or so of apples in my yard that I need to get rid of. I was wondering if it would help or hurt anything if I put the 500#' s of apples on the ridge in between my 2 stands? I have never liked to put bait close to my stands so I would put the apples about 500 yards away from each stand. With the acorns just about gone and the rut fast approaching I would like to make sure that I can keep the local does hanging around so that the bucks will continue to travel this ridge in search of the does. So if you were me would you put out the apples in between the 2 stands or just leave the area alone?

RE: To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

Have you thought about setting up a feeder? I hunt over one and it doesnt bother me at all.

RE: To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

What' s the purpose of baiting an area if you' re not going to hunt over it? Is it legal there? If it is, put them within 30 yards of your stand.

One word of caution. Do apples grow there in your woods? Deer are very curious, but the sudden appearance of something that is not normally there may cause them to leave the area totally for a while. If you' re going to do this, the best time to do it is well before the season starts, and keep adding to it until the season does start. By then, they' re used to it.

RE: To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

I hunt over corn, and it is legal here. Someone here at work said they thought that it was cruel, so I just reminded her that a deer hunted over bait still has more of a chance than the cow she ate for lunch did that was also fed corn and loaded in a truck and shot in the head.

RE: To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

Thanks for the replies. If I were after a doe then I would for sure hunt over the bait but I am hunting a mature buck. This spot is about 2 miles back in some big timber. There are some apple trees about 1/2 mile from there but none in the immediate area. I am not trying kill the deer over the apples but rather just keep the does in the general area. I figure that the does will come and go feeding on the apples and the bucks will know the does are using the area and stay around for a while looking for the does. My concern is that if I put out the apples that the deer might stay out of the area and return at night to feed on the apples instead of using the ridge normally. The deer in this area are spread way out so I figured this might keep the does hanging around a little longer. So do you think I should put out the apples or leave the area alone?? If I do put out the apples I would put them out on Nov 2nd and would not acutally start hunting the area until Nov 6th. So what do you guy' s think?

RE: To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

I would put out a few in an area you' re not that concerned about first. If it doesn' t spook them, load em up!

RE: To Bait Or Not To Bait????
 

if there are still acorns on the ground, don' t put apples there. in my experiences it totally turns them off to the acorns. wait until they are gone. then dump the apples on the ground and the deer in the truck.