Baiting Suggestions?

[DanO]

I have a property that's only 25 acres but the adjoining acreages are huge. In the past I lived close so I'd bait three times a week with corn to get the deer to move onto the property I have permission to hunt. Now I live too far to bait regularly. I really haven't found battery powered feeders very effective nor the PVC tube feeders. Scattering is still the best. Coons clean it up faster than the deer can find it if you don't bait frequently.

Anyone had any luck with the sticky, syrupy stuff from Rack Stacker or the competitors? I just figure the coons can't haul that away and the turkeys will leave it alone.

[SK33T3R]

Varmints are a problem. The more they eat the less there is for your target species.
If you live far away then "bait management" is critical.
Down here Niagara way. apples seem to be the best bang. Coons eat a few and turkeys during deep snow will eat some. I've had coyotes also steal some apples. Apples can be had for free if you look around there's always some falling in someone's yard somewhere. People are thrilled to see you take them away.
Corn or grain works great but the coons and turkeys will keep pace with you bringing it to them. A flock of 20 turkeys or more will bankrupt you!
Apples-pears is the wise investment. IMO

[MikePal]

Apples-pears is the wise investment. IMO

The problem with apples, one that I am having now, is that they freeze and the deer won't eat them, they push them off the bait pile and they go untouched. The scent still draws them in, so it's not all a waste.

I tried carrots again this year and nothing is eating them, they froze too

[sawbill]

I used crab apples from a tree in my yard. Gathered them up as they fell, put them in covered 5 gal pails, added a bit of suger and let them ferment. Dumped them the day before the hunt and deer tore the ground up trying to get at the stuff.

[smitty55]

Pumpkins work quite well. It's the seeds they eat not the meat so you need uncarved ones. I gather them from folks doorsteps after Halloween, with permission of course. Break them open first and the deer will go for them, even if they've never seen them before.

Cheers

Cheers

[Deer Wrastler]

I used crab apples from a tree in my yard. Gathered them up as they fell, put them in covered 5 gal pails, added a bit of suger and let them ferment. Dumped them the day before the hunt and deer tore the ground up trying to get at the stuff.

crab apples are a deer magnet on my property...2 trees near a bedding area and the activity there is insane...shot my buck 200 yards away from them and had him on camera cruising by these trees almost daily...I havent baited this year but may put small ammounts of corn down once the corn fields come down and food starts getting scarce...never had much luck baiting early season there all nocturnal for me

[SK33T3R]

I used crab apples from a tree in my yard. Gathered them up as they fell, put them in covered 5 gal pails, added a bit of suger and let them ferment. Dumped them the day before the hunt and deer tore the ground up trying to get at the stuff.

CRAB APPLES? ! really geesh .. all I've ever used were red delicious, golden, macs etc....
never thought to try crab apples.
Looking out my bay window the neighbor has 2 huge 30 foot tall crab apple trees. the ground is littered.
I think I'm going to go get a pail and try it!.

Just when I thought I tried and knew everything.

[410001661]

I am in Smithville and for years put out corn feeders but it is hard to compete with 400 acres of corn in the neighboring farms. Last year we put down carrots and they worked amazing - something new for them to eat and they have a nice smell. We picked up 800lbs for $20 and scattered them around the three 100acre lots - usually on game trails near stands and natural funnels so they will find them easily.

[smitty55]

Just to clarify about what most folks call crabapples. Like most people I grew up calling any wild tree with smaller apples crabapples, which actually is far from the truth for the most part. Real crabapples are actually those heavy flowering trees we see in late spring in peoples yards. For the most part they are grown for looks or as a pollinator for domestic type apple trees. The majority of them produce small apples around 1/2" or even less. Now the one exception is a variety called Dolgo, which has slightly oval apples 1 1/2" to almost 2". Those are the real red ones you see in late summer and the ones I use to make crabapple jelly, which has a bright red colour to it. Even the insides are red. Most real crabs including Dolgo are quite sour and not good deer fodder.
So most trees in old orchards or along fence lines that we see are actually old domestic type trees that have gone wild and with no maintenance they will produce small apples mostly, hence why folks tend to call them crabs. The best way to find out if deer might like them is to actually taste them to see how bitter they are. If they're not too bad then the deer should like them, if they're real sour/bitter like those ones that stay yellow all season the deer don't seem to touch them at all.
Here's what the Dolgo look like. A 1/2 hour of picking this year netted us 20 jars of jelly this year. So good.
Dolgo.jpg

Cheers

[Deer Wrastler]

Just to clarify about what most folks call crabapples. Like most people I grew up calling any wild tree with smaller apples crabapples, which actually is far from the truth for the most part. Real crabapples are actually those heavy flowering trees we see in late spring in peoples yards. For the most part they are grown for looks or as a pollinator for domestic type apple trees. The majority of them produce small apples around 1/2" or even less. Now the one exception is a variety called Dolgo, which has slightly oval apples 1 1/2" to almost 2". Those are the real red ones you see in late summer and the ones I use to make crabapple jelly, which has a bright red colour to it. Even the insides are red. Most real crabs including Dolgo are quite sour and not good deer fodder.
So most trees in old orchards or along fence lines that we see are actually old domestic type trees that have gone wild and with no maintenance they will produce small apples mostly, hence why folks tend to call them crabs. The best way to find out if deer might like them is to actually taste them to see how bitter they are. If they're not too bad then the deer should like them, if they're real sour/bitter like those ones that stay yellow all season the deer don't seem to touch them at all.
Here's what the Dolgo look like. A 1/2 hour of picking this year netted us 20 jars of jelly this year. So good.
Dolgo.jpg

Cheers

...and I learned something new today imagine that!