Poll: Bait use during hunting season

[Tufrthnails]

I’d have say yes and no I put yes on the poll. In Florida on the private farm I hunt we have food plot and a pair of feeders. But we haven’t killed a target buck off either the feeders or food plot. They have all been killed either from sitting on the ground or hang and hunts. Food keeps the does in the area and cams on the trails coming and going give good night time accounting of bucks on the property but it’s pretty rare to get a pic of a good buck there in daylight. The cams watching the nasty stuff are where we catch daytime movement. We don’t use bait in Ky since we are hunting farms that are either corn or soybean and a feeder or bait pile basically just feeders raccoons and squirrels! Occasionally we will toss a bag of corn on the ground to try to get does to use a specific corner where the kids can sit in a blind and get a closer calmer shot on does.

[Ol Split ( ) Toes]

My opinion is going to sound judgmental and shaming, but it’s my opinion....

Baiting is not hunting and it takes no skill. My FIL baits every spot, public or private, in northern WI regardless of weapon used. In talking to him over the years, his strategy is find a spot where trails converge on a property, dump bait and hang a stand 20 yards away. He’ll put a camera over the bait and wait until a decent buck/does shows up during daylight.
Every year he kills a 3.5 or 4.5 year-old with this strategy. He’s killed one or two 5.5 year-old bucks worthy of shoulder mounts over the years, but the 115-130” bucks get euro mounted. He has boxes of antlers. He mentioned to me that he’s contemplating using a blow gun this year. You read that right, a blow gun! Apparently there’s a hunting “celebrity “ that uses one on multiple species; and there’s even starter kits available.
To me, this isn’t a challenge if you’re contemplating changing your weapons because it’s getting boring/old/easy.....
I wish baiting was illegal in all WI counties. Like others have said, it takes away a deer’s natural movement and is an unfair advantage to those who put in the time to learn about bed hunting, food sources, etc.

Well he has one heck of a secret bait then, as far as the blowgun, quite certain that is illegal in WI.

[Elite]

My opinion is going to sound judgmental and shaming, but it’s my opinion....

Baiting is not hunting and it takes no skill. My FIL baits every spot, public or private, in northern WI regardless of weapon used. In talking to him over the years, his strategy is find a spot where trails converge on a property, dump bait and hang a stand 20 yards away. He’ll put a camera over the bait and wait until a decent buck/does shows up during daylight.
Every year he kills a 3.5 or 4.5 year-old with this strategy. He’s killed one or two 5.5 year-old bucks worthy of shoulder mounts over the years, but the 115-130” bucks get euro mounted. He has boxes of antlers. He mentioned to me that he’s contemplating using a blow gun this year. You read that right, a blow gun! Apparently there’s a hunting “celebrity “ that uses one on multiple species; and there’s even starter kits available.
To me, this isn’t a challenge if you’re contemplating changing your weapons because it’s getting boring/old/easy.....
I wish baiting was illegal in all WI counties. Like others have said, it takes away a deer’s natural movement and is an unfair advantage to those who put in the time to learn about bed hunting, food sources, etc.

Well he has one heck of a secret bait then, as far as the blowgun, quite certain that is illegal in WI.

He just uses corn.

[Bonecrusher101]

Baiting is not my style. I’m a public land hunter who is trying to have enough venison to eat it once a week or so throughout the year. I try to save as much money as possible.

If deer are livestock than by all means feed them. If it’s fair chase then leave them wild. They are more like a wild native goat that can forage on almost a thousand different plant materials than they are livestock. They won’t starve even in big woods with very little browse.

On the other hand, If I was a large property owner who had the financial resources, I’d probably plant some kind of ag or food plots though. I’d also try to hinge cut, have cut overs or CRP areas to promote deer bedding. I’d also look into Creating water holes to make sure it’s a perfect deer habitat. IMO water holes, food plots, corn feeders, mineral sites, hinge cutting, manipulating bedding, it’s all the same thing...

[G-Patt]

I get more satisfaction figuring out natural deer movement. Went scouting yesterday (first time in 2 months) to take a break from fishing, and it just ignites the hunting passion more than ever. It's been 7 months since my last bow kill, and I can't wait till opening day. Four more months to go!

[john1984]

I haven't baited for deer in over 10 yrs. Can't remember if I ever killed a deer over it.

What if baiting was legal only for people grossing over 100k per year????

Food plots are a rich man's bait pile . Crops are not natural .

How many corn fields existed in the Midwest 500 years ago??

[hunter_mike]

I'd consider it to get trail cam pics. that said, i have not done it in the past decade and a half since its pretty much illegal everywhere i go.

[buttonbuck]

If I have access to a very small property, like a 1 acre piece butted up to 50 aces of one hunters property and 50 acres of another hunters property. 6 bags of corn put out in the rain with the right wind will last 4-5 weeks of daylight deer coming off the main game trails on those fellas property's to mine. I think if you got a big mature deer that corn could wreck things with them getting your scent or educating em. But even the situation above I had a really big 8 pt on top of that corn at least one day in daylight. My larger properties I have access to I really don't like to fool with corn, its more fun to hunt without it.

[SneakyHunter]

I've never baited nor would I. I'm not speaking for or towards anyone else but for me it would feel like cheating. It's a daily grind of climbing the local mountains with my climber on my back. Dealing with the pressure of public land and the endless curve-balls that seem to get thrown every season. The satisfaction of zipping an arrow through a nice buck is what keeps me going. I have zero interest in sitting over a food plot or bait pile.

[matt1336]

My opinion is going to sound judgmental and shaming, but it’s my opinion....

Baiting is not hunting and it takes no skill. My FIL baits every spot, public or private, in northern WI regardless of weapon used. In talking to him over the years, his strategy is find a spot where trails converge on a property, dump bait and hang a stand 20 yards away. He’ll put a camera over the bait and wait until a decent buck/does shows up during daylight.
Every year he kills a 3.5 or 4.5 year-old with this strategy. He’s killed one or two 5.5 year-old bucks worthy of shoulder mounts over the years, but the 115-130” bucks get euro mounted. He has boxes of antlers. He mentioned to me that he’s contemplating using a blow gun this year. You read that right, a blow gun! Apparently there’s a hunting “celebrity “ that uses one on multiple species; and there’s even starter kits available.
To me, this isn’t a challenge if you’re contemplating changing your weapons because it’s getting boring/old/easy.....
I wish baiting was illegal in all WI counties. Like others have said, it takes away a deer’s natural movement and is an unfair advantage to those who put in the time to learn about bed hunting, food sources, etc.

Well he has one heck of a secret bait then, as far as the blowgun, quite certain that is illegal in WI.

How late does he hunt?….sounds like the full moon night hunters that are all over the north woods

[Elite]

My opinion is going to sound judgmental and shaming, but it’s my opinion....

Baiting is not hunting and it takes no skill. My FIL baits every spot, public or private, in northern WI regardless of weapon used. In talking to him over the years, his strategy is find a spot where trails converge on a property, dump bait and hang a stand 20 yards away. He’ll put a camera over the bait and wait until a decent buck/does shows up during daylight.
Every year he kills a 3.5 or 4.5 year-old with this strategy. He’s killed one or two 5.5 year-old bucks worthy of shoulder mounts over the years, but the 115-130” bucks get euro mounted. He has boxes of antlers. He mentioned to me that he’s contemplating using a blow gun this year. You read that right, a blow gun! Apparently there’s a hunting “celebrity “ that uses one on multiple species; and there’s even starter kits available.
To me, this isn’t a challenge if you’re contemplating changing your weapons because it’s getting boring/old/easy.....
I wish baiting was illegal in all WI counties. Like others have said, it takes away a deer’s natural movement and is an unfair advantage to those who put in the time to learn about bed hunting, food sources, etc.

Well he has one heck of a secret bait then, as far as the blowgun, quite certain that is illegal in WI.

How late does he hunt?….sounds like the full moon night hunters that are all over the north woods

Legal shooting hours. I’ve been on a couple blood trails with him, and he’s stopped by to show the grandkids the kills.

[Wolfie417]

I never use bait personally, but I've caught 3 different people trying to put bait piles on public the last couple years.

I don't understand it cause here in missouri you're never a stones throw away from food, and in the hills if you can't find acorns here you should take up golf

[Ol Split ( ) Toes]

My opinion is going to sound judgmental and shaming, but it’s my opinion....

Baiting is not hunting and it takes no skill. My FIL baits every spot, public or private, in northern WI regardless of weapon used. In talking to him over the years, his strategy is find a spot where trails converge on a property, dump bait and hang a stand 20 yards away. He’ll put a camera over the bait and wait until a decent buck/does shows up during daylight.
Every year he kills a 3.5 or 4.5 year-old with this strategy. He’s killed one or two 5.5 year-old bucks worthy of shoulder mounts over the years, but the 115-130” bucks get euro mounted. He has boxes of antlers. He mentioned to me that he’s contemplating using a blow gun this year. You read that right, a blow gun! Apparently there’s a hunting “celebrity “ that uses one on multiple species; and there’s even starter kits available.
To me, this isn’t a challenge if you’re contemplating changing your weapons because it’s getting boring/old/easy.....
I wish baiting was illegal in all WI counties. Like others have said, it takes away a deer’s natural movement and is an unfair advantage to those who put in the time to learn about bed hunting, food sources, etc.

Well he has one heck of a secret bait then, as far as the blowgun, quite certain that is illegal in WI.

How late does he hunt?….sounds like the full moon night hunters that are all over the north woods

Sad but true there are a lot of deer that are poached in northern WI

[Elite]

My opinion is going to sound judgmental and shaming, but it’s my opinion....

Baiting is not hunting and it takes no skill. My FIL baits every spot, public or private, in northern WI regardless of weapon used. In talking to him over the years, his strategy is find a spot where trails converge on a property, dump bait and hang a stand 20 yards away. He’ll put a camera over the bait and wait until a decent buck/does shows up during daylight.
Every year he kills a 3.5 or 4.5 year-old with this strategy. He’s killed one or two 5.5 year-old bucks worthy of shoulder mounts over the years, but the 115-130” bucks get euro mounted. He has boxes of antlers. He mentioned to me that he’s contemplating using a blow gun this year. You read that right, a blow gun! Apparently there’s a hunting “celebrity “ that uses one on multiple species; and there’s even starter kits available.
To me, this isn’t a challenge if you’re contemplating changing your weapons because it’s getting boring/old/easy.....
I wish baiting was illegal in all WI counties. Like others have said, it takes away a deer’s natural movement and is an unfair advantage to those who put in the time to learn about bed hunting, food sources, etc.

Well he has one heck of a secret bait then, as far as the blowgun, quite certain that is illegal in WI.

How late does he hunt?….sounds like the full moon night hunters that are all over the north woods

Sad but true there are a lot of deer that are poached in northern WI

I hear stories every year of poaching, but my FIL is pretty transparent with his kills. He even baits with a 40 acre corn field on the property.

[szwampdonkey]

Never would even think about baiting. To me it would completely take the fun out of it.

As many have eluded to already hunting a mature Buck, or any deer really, isn't about the kill its about the hunt, the cat and mouse game, the figuring em out and then watching it all come together. That process takes me to so many different places, types of terrain, different properties and different ways of hunting from packing a treestand in, maybe using a saddle, to just sitting on the ground even. To me that process is HUNTING whereas baiting to me is more focused on just the killing. The killing is the end of the journey to the point im sorta disappointed when the kill occurs as it means that process is over, at least for that year.

I'm not against a guy baiting if legal where they are but imo they are missing out if they choose go that route.