silver1

I have read lots of techniques/items that people use for baiting deer, but was unsure what the overall best item to use would be. So I decided to conduct my own little experiment.

Setup:
I have a cabin in the Wasatch mountains and I usually see about 4-8 whitetail deer daily. Ponds and streams are within 100 yards from my doorstep. A run to a grocery store is about 30 minutes and this is where I purchased most of my bait supplies. They include:

. Mollases
. Corn
. Strawberry Jello powder
. Salt Lick (white 50lb, purchased from farm feed dealer)
. Apples
. Applesauce
. Peanutbutter
. Vanilla extract (pure)
. Alfalpha/Oats Bale (purchased from a farmer)
. Honey

Let me say first and foremost, this is just a test to draw deer around my cabin and NOT for hunting them. Anyhow, I have dispursed the items all around my property at approximately 45 yard intervals. I have not setup the peanutbutter or the applesauce yet because I do not want to over "scent" the area but will place this additional items in about a week. I know it will also be difficult to keep the racoons from eating the apples and other items. I will report back in a week to 10 days and let you know what I have observed.

Does anyone have any additional items that I have not covered? I am mainly looking for store bought items and not the specialty scents (like deer pee and deer cocaine) How about bets...does anyone think one item will do better than the rest? Opinions and comments are welcome.....




update: Weather is raining a drizzle. Don't know how this will effect the scents.

dirtbagdav

try these.. i have also heard that deer love them... not sure. it would be a great time to find out while you are conducting your experiment.

Pears
Sweet Potatos
Carrots
Brown Sugar (mixed with water)

mammasboy

I would bet the corn would be the hardest hit.

j3k2c1

I live on the only Wasatch mountains I know of and there are only mulies here. You are talking utah valley wasatch mountains right?
Also in Utah you cannot bait unless the bait is not replenished/placed there 9 months before the hunting season starts, just FYI.

silver1

Hi j3k2c1,

You are correct. I have a little over a 100 acres above Kamas in the Uintas. I was under the assumption we had both mules & whitetails roaming the area. I am only "feeding" the deer to bring them closer to the cabin for visitors and family but not for hunting. I was not aware this may be illegal in our area. Thanks for the information.



Update regarding the experiment:

lots of rain today and the raccoons have been all over the area. I believe they ate a lot of the items. will have to re-check in the morning.

SC Swampbird

Corn may be the least hit while the weather is hot/warm, but will get their attention, once the mercury begins to fall. The corn produces a lot of internal body heat and isn't the best bait early in the fall.
Here in SC, baiting is legal, because of the population of the deer herd, and we bait an area and set-up overlooking it. Apples are the better bait, until cold weather really sets in.
Peanut Butter is an overlooked bait for deer.

j3k2c1

OK Silver! I gotcha! As long as you or someone else doesn't hunt there, you are fine! Just FYI...