mammasboy

If you are hunting over any food source, you are hunting over "bait" (either natural or deliberately put there by man) Many huge bucks have been killed over "bait". To "bait" something in, is simply to lure them in with something (food, calls, lure, ect.)."Baiting" is just as ethical as any other legal hunting means. And, if done right, just as hard as not "baiting". You still have to scout and do everything you do without "bait". Almost all of us hunters do without realizing it or calling it "baiting".IMO.

Fieldmouse

I couldn't really argue about the deer size but I wouldn't be feeding corn unless I was going after the meat. The whole point is to fatten them up and sweeten the meat. I havn't seen huge in this area so I wouldn't be trophy hunting in my back yard. I do have a spot in town for that.

As far as deer gorging themselves, I haven't seen it. I've watched deer come in eat for a little bit and move on. I would have thought they would eat there fill and lay down and eat again. The ones I've popped weren't full of corn but had a good variety in their gut. The meat was very sweet though. The corn did it's trick.

silentassassin

I bait and I had a 130 class 8 pt at my bait pile on opening day last year. I didn't get a shot at him but he was a dandy

I hunt an area close to my house that's only a couple of acres. The deer don't normally use it and I don't have the option of moving to where the deer are so I bait to bring them to me. I do the majority of my hunting the "traiditional" way but I do bait some also and trust me it's not exactly leading lambs to the slaughter. When they come in they normally stage down wind and don't come in until after dark and they are extremely nervous. I don't kill very many this way for those reasons. But it beats not hunting and it beats setting on my stand and not seeing a deer.

Double Creek

I was speaking in generalizations Silent, from my past baiting experiences.

thenuge15

I try to stay away from baiting. I think it takes some of the fun or skill away and it alerts the deer to your prescense somewhat. I didn't use any last year but If i'm having trouble locating deer late in the season after the snow falls then I might use a little. (Like a handful) What I did try last year with a lot of success was deer crack. Its a little different than deer cocaine but it worked really well. Most of you probably consider this bating but I think it didn't alarm the deer as much as a big pile of carrots.

CBM SC

Corn corn and corn ! You can buy it at feed stores,co-op's etc. !!
I have had the best luck with cob corn versus shell corn !! But either work!

Most of the rest has been covered above !! I am assuming it's legal to bait in your state ??!!

skeeter 7MM

My thought exactly.

Why is it not hunting when someone employs the use of bait but it is hunting sitting on a farmers field(planted not natural in the least) or over food plant. What is this misconception with it is for lazy hunter's and require less effort, skill or as someone put "Blood, sweat and tears" Nothing could be further from the truth!! It is complete BS that baits will only bring in does and dumb or small bucks, if done properly and this is where all the work, scouting, effort, skill (B,S &T) comes into the equation, it can be used to harvest mature bucks as well. The only question that needs to be asked is it Legal and why are you wanting to bait? If the answer is yes and the hunter is willing to go through all the efforts required to employ baits successfully than I don't see a problem in the the least.

FYI, it is legal here in Saskatchewan. I do not hunt over bait, as it doesn't fit into my hunting style. I know full well what is involved in baiting and what it can produce and in no way is it a lazy technique if your main goal is mature deer!

Hey you can have your own opinion that is not my point but I disagree with painting one with the unethical or lazy brush b/c they can and choose to employ baits.

To the original poster, I would try and find a bait substance that may match the area(ie; if corn is nowhere to be found don't use it - hay is always a constant for deer but it rarely will hold them on your bait IME). Here deer baits consist of a hay bed(Bails broken up and scattered) and then cereal crop(barley is most popular & cleaned oats would be #2) is layed ontop of the hay bed

Idaho hunter 58

lol, this is a fun post to read. Idaho it is illegal. I think you can bait before the season, but all of the bait has to be removed by the start??? i am not sure, don't really care.

Greenhead Man

LOL

no i don't intend to hunt over it, i don't care when the deer visit it. I wanted to set up a camera and just see what type of animals are in the area. I don't care if my pictures are all taken at night. I don't care how big the animals racks are, it would be cool to see a big one though.

lol, i didn't intend for such a huge reaction. For those who were helpfull... thank you.

Greenhead

thenuge15

Idaho hunter. Thats weird here in Michigan we can't bait before season but once it starts we can.