BigTiny

The first deer I killed was over a feeder. A friend took me out to his place whille I was home on leave. I think I had been on the stand for a whole 2 hours when the buck walked out. It was also my first deer hunt. I didn't hunt again until two years ago. Last year I got my first buck hunting on my own without using food bait. I don't even count the first buck as my first buck, not because of the feeder, but because I didn't do any of the work to get him. It was all set up for me, so it didn't mean as much to me. I'm sure if it had been me out there setting up the feeders and stands in the off season, I would have felt differently about the whole thing.

Now I hunt mostly public land (national forest) where using food bait is illegal. Using doe pee is legal, so I use it, but isn't that bait also? I have access to some private land with established food plots and a tower stand. I can drive to within 300 yards of the stand with an easy walk in. I just don't have as much fun hunting that way, so I don't do it as much. Most hunters here hunt over food plots on farm land or right-of-ways. They drive out to their land, get out their ATV and drive it the 100-500 yards to the stand where they sit until an animal walks by. It is a comfortable way of doing things, but it just isn't for me, at least not all of the time.

One thing I did notice was when I first got started, I had trouble finding anyone who knew how to hunt without the food plots and feeders to give me advice. I did find some guys to help me out eventually, and they did have great advice, and every one of them was over 80 years old. So I do feel like there might be a hunter skill set that is slowly going away as more people use plots and feeders to get their deer.

Arthur P

If you're after does or young bucks, hunt over bait. If you want to shoot a wall hanger, you hunt the approaches or the brush around the bait. That's where the big ones will be until well after dark. At least that's how it is here in Texas, where feeders rule.

INBOWMAN

I don't know about yu"all but I live where baiting is not allowed. But I do plant food plots not to kill over but to help my deer & turkey. That is the best reason I know for planting plots. I have been seeing alot of hunting shows lately and I think if they wern't hunting on bait they would not kill a yearling. So hunt how you want but remember QDM is what is really about!!!

Critr-Gitr

I can't speak for other places, but here in TX it is like Arthur said. Here people don't use "piles" but rather an automatic feeder that is at least fairly consistent. BUT, all they are really good for is to keep does in the area. Corn is bait for does, does are bait for bucks. Very few bucks worth shooting will visit a feeder during legal shooting hours. In this case, setting up for mature bucks is little different than a food plot or ag fieldthat is hit at night, you set up on the staging areas that are nearby, and a staging area is a staging area, no matter what causes it to be there.The tiny spot thatisdefined by the circle of corn is a spot to be avoided if you want a mature buck.

kdsberman

I dont think there is a real answer to that question. But in my OPINION, baiting is ONLY when you specifically put the food source out. Because theres natural oak and stuff like that doesnt mean you "baited" the deer to come to that. Thats just nature. Things grow. Throwing corn or something like that means your baiting. Just think of the word "baiting"....that should come close to answering any question about whats considered baiting and whats not.

Plus One

My opinion is that if you have to replenish the pile, its baiting. If its growing, planted by you or not, its either hunting the food source or keeping the herd healthy. I personally don't hunt over bait, but I don't hold it against folks who do.

Ken

deer fever

Baiting my personnal experience.

I’ve tried small food plots, carrots apples, corn, two years ago we went all out and put 2000lb of apples and about 2000lbs of carrots. Over the summer and fall.

I will tell you: we never got such bad results as we did.
This year we’ve planted 2 food plots in the forest.

Here are some interesting facts from my extensive researches from biologists and deer nutrition.

Food Plots

Tend to concentrate and attract predators in your area
After viewing trail cams and trail videos, deer come in contact with each other much more frequently over a food plot and which causes high risk for disease spread.
Deer digestion problems
All natural survival and learning habits are diminished.
If you like to scout and analyse deer patterns, bedding areas, travel routes, transition zones etc..well all that’s changed with baiting and is not stable on that area.
If your neighbourhood is baiting, hunting becomes a little more of a challenge.
Mature buck’s tend to visit at night (In general)[/ol]

Food sources (Man grown fields)


1 acre of mature forest produces about 80-120 kilos of food for a deer
1 acre of grow field supplies about 10000lbs of food
Until 4 to 5 years deer are in constant search of protein, mineral and vitamins for the growth of their bone structure, fortification of muscles and accumulation of body fat. Since they have a particular digesting system, supplying them with high digestible rich in protein natural food will promote antler growth, good mass deer and improve the genetics in your area.
if the field is small, deer will be less stressed going in.
Mature deer are very attracted to this nutritious food source.[/ol]

Here is a tough that we all could reflect on: How did CWD start?
Sounds to me like mad cow disease…When mad cow disease blew up and all the feed was been thrown away by farmers…where did it go ??
Some farmers just dumped it in the forest…
Lets all be very careful on how we modify nature..

This year, I have another spot where I’ve put salt and mineral in the woods. Before hunting, I’ll probably dump 1 small bag or 2 of apples but that’s it…for me.

Well just my 2 cents…

SwampCollie

Exactly!

Thats what I was trying to get at before.

Easy way of saying it, baiting is a VERB.

snake123

I throw corn out and keep a salt block all year long. I don't hunt "over" the corn or the salt block, but I will hunt about150 yards away