Baiting for deer and hogs.

[Kentucky45]

I've used corn, sometimes granulated or block minerals, or salt to bait areas for hogs or deer. I see the different baits like Acorn Rage, Comere Deer (spelling?) and others but have never used them. They sell an apple bait in stores here that I think would be a waste since we don'thave apple trees and deer don't know what an apple is. Hogs love deisel fuel on corn but it's not environmentally good. All fruit, strawberry or rasberry jello on corn will draw hogs when used correctly and it doesn't hurt. But I've found deer don't like it. I've thought about using the store bought baits but have never tried one. Have any of you used them or made your own bait with success?

 

[BrownBear]

My best "bait" for deer is fresh-turned soil. They can smell the stuff from a long ways off evidently, and from watching them they love to nose around in it for roots. Disturb the soil in an area small as a yard square, and they'll be investigating within 24 hours. Kinda handy in areas that ban baiting. Nobody is going to bust you for carrying a short shovel or garden fork, or sitting on a hole. :wink:

 

[Supercracker]

the only thing I've used for hogs that has had a quick effect has been "Sow in Heat". Every time I've seriously used it I've had a boar come in. The only downside is that they tend to come in wound up, PO'd and ready to fight. Not that big of a deal with the MLer but it was kind of with the longbow.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

We can't bait in Colorado. It sure would make it easier.

 

[Supercracker]

I've heard of people during the year picking out a couple of good spots and putting fertalizer concentrate around it once a month or so. The acorns from that tree would be sweeter than the others around and pull more critters in.

Technically it's not baiting.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

Interesting idea.

Do you think other hunters would understand if I tried to claim the tree. :grin:

 

[BrownBear]

Interesting idea.

Do you think other hunters would understand if I tried to claim the tree. :grin:

Isn't that the whole point behind tree stands? I read lots from guys whining because someone set up another stand too close to THEIR tree. :rotf:

 

[August West]

I had no idea that the hogs liked the diesel, I thought it was just to keep the coons and deer from eating up all hog bait. :idunno: Chris

 

[Blizzard of '93]

get cheap peanut butter and smear on a rough barked tree about 3-4' up. smear a lot of it on good rubbed into the bark

 

[Pete Gaimari]

That should bring in the bears too.

 

[Stumpkiller]

We can't bait in Colorado. It sure would make it easier.

Can't bait in NY either. For some reason I note we have wild salt blocks growing in the area when I go for walks. Back when I used to hunt on thousands of acres owned by a furniture company I found that those blocks make really great "frangible" blunt arrow and muzzleloading targets. Passable urinals, too.

Found a "bomb" of aerosol buck attractant and some empty energy drink cans on my property last year and, cursing the litterbug, I tucked it all in the cargo pockets of my bowhunting camo pants. Turned out the stink lure was frozen but not empty. It warmed up enough to "go off" with the stupid single use press & lock nozzle still open.

Those pants are still hanging on a seperate line in a corner of my basement. :cursing:

I ought to put a sign up: "If you use this product you don't want to be found with it on this property"

 

[Bill Hall]

It's illegal here also, but I have been party to placing salt blocks on public land where the ranchers sometimes run their cattle. I eat beef, so I thought it would be nice to help out the ranchers :grin: . Bill

 

[Rocky Johnson]

It's illegal to bate in lower Michigan now but ok in upper Michigan with a two gallon limit.
Years ago you could get a pickup load of carrots for $10 bucks and the deer loved them and you don't see a lot of carrots growing in the woods.But you only see does and small bucks?

 

[Celt5494]

Why not just get out and stalk them?

 

[texcl]

because it's not as effective. We bait deer up here in ND on private land, I use waste sugar beets, corn, beans and salt blocks, used together they are really effective. I find that salt blocks alone aren't very good. I had 223 pictures of deer in a day an a half on my pile last week, but this week not much has hit it. That being said I do most of my early season hunting hanging in an oak grove on heavily traveled trails, if there is heavy traffic there why easte your time on bait. Baiting is super effective here once it snows, there will be deer on the pile all day long, it's fun to look at all the pics to see what comes in of course gun seasons are over by the time it gets really cold and I've never attempted to draw my bow in -25 degree weather, I'm afraid the thing is going to crack.I know alot of people are against baiting, usually guys who only hunt bucks, but when you meat hunt like some of us it is a really useful tool to fill your tags and put away meat for the winter.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

To be honest. I've never bait hunted. It kind of rubs me the wrong way.

No more than i'd chum when I fish.

I don't hold it against anybody for doing it, but if I was to vote for making it legal. I'd vote against it.

Lucky for me it's illegal in Colorado. So, we're all stalkers.

 

[lonehunter]

If its hogs you are after, wet your corn and let it sour, stinks like you would not believe but it will draw pigs from the next county.

 

[Kentucky45]

I had no idea that the hogs liked the diesel, I thought it was just to keep the coons and deer from eating up all hog bait. :idunno: Chris

They like diesel. And you're right it will keep the other game from eating your corn. Look under heavy equipment in a hog area. If it's been parked there awhile they'll root under it. You can poor old motor oil on a burlap sack or blanket and wrap it around a wood post close to a trail. Hogs will rub against it to keep the flies, ticks, mites, flees off and they'll come back regularly. After the burlap is gone they'll continue to rub the post. Might want to check the legalities in your area though. I've never heard of the turned up soil idea for deer but I'll have to try that. It's like making a scrape. As far as baiting being good or bad, I guess that's up to each individual hunter or fisherman to decide. It's legal here and I don't have a problem with it. I haven't had much luck with granulated minerals or salt. I don't think anyone mentioned the store bought baits so I guess I'm not the only one that hasn't used them. Some of them are kind of expensive. I've tried the peanut butter but was told to punch a hole in the lid and put a string thru it, hang it from a limb, cut a couple half dollar size holes in the bottom of the jar, and when it gets warm the peanut butter will melt out and the deer will lick it. I did, they didn't. So I'll try rubbing it on the bark. I've thought about buying something like old sorghum syrup and pouring it on a log and bushes to see if deer would eat it. Probably get nothing but fies.

 

[BrownBear]

As far as baiting being good or bad, I guess that's up to each individual hunter or fisherman to decide. It's legal here and I don't have a problem with it.

Like or not, legal or not, if you're in an area with a lot of it going on, you have to face facts. Guess where the animals will be headed?

I hunted ducks for a few years on the bay in Virginia. It wasn't legal, but if you didn't put out your own Golden Decoys, you were the only one on the water without it. Results were predictable.

 

[tg]

It is not leagal here in Oregon I really don't have any thoughts on it as being right or wrong, I do have some of my favorite trails I watch that happen to pass under apple trees in fencerows or woodland thickets, I didn't put them there :idunno: Its probably prtetty hard to hunt deer anywhere that are not going to or from feeding.