Bait Station Bucks

[Mike P]

Bait Station Bucks


I have very mixed feelings about baiting deer. By making that statement I show my hypocrisy for all to see. We spend tons of money every year doing what could be construed as "baiting." It is a matter of perspective. We put in fields of clover, feed nutritional supplements at feeding stations, and yes, kill deer every year at these locations. Are we baiting? Not in the truest sense of the meaning. But one could sure make a case saying we are.

But let's not debate the pros and cons of baiting here in this thread, it is not the intention. The intention is to give you some insight as to whether a baiting station can be effective in presenting a buck of 140 inches or better within your crossbow range. And in a word, the answer is yes.

There is one time during the year that a bait station can produce mature (four year old) bucks. And it is no secret to many of you. You probably have already answered the question in your mind before you're reading these words. And you are correct if you said "during the rut."

It is a narrow window. But it can produce. The bucks will come to the station. They will not come for the food. They will come for the doe's. The window is the very beginning of the rut and the very end of the rut. They come in the beginning to find receptive doe's. And they come at the end because these receptive doe's are far and few between. Using this tactic is all about the doe's. The doe's are the key.

In order for this strategy to work, you must control the doe's. You must build a pattern into their routine. You must have them visit your station during shooting hours. Having doe's at your stations during the dark defeats any chance for success. The four year old buck will not come to the station during shooting hours if doe's are available at the station during the safe cover of darkness. You must find a way to make the doe's punch a time clock. And there is a way to do it.

The obvious answer is a feeder with a timer. And yes, that is the tool that will ultimately accomplish your goal. But it is not going to bring you a four year old buck if you hang it out and program it in October or November. By then the ship has sailed. You are too late. It takes time to make a doe punch a time clock.

July and August are prime months to start your quest for the mature buck. Now is the time to start the feeding. You can hang that timed feeder out there and use it, but it is not very important in this first phase. In July, August and the first part of September you want feed available to the deer around the clock. You don't care yet what time they are visiting the station. You just want them visiting. You want your feed station to become a part of their routine. And after it is a part of their routine, managing it will become the road to success.

During the second week of September you want to fire up the timed feeder. Set it to go off in the morning and evening hours you expect to see daylight during the last week of October. Check your tables, the times are readily available where you live. Also during the next two weeks start to eliminate the available feed from your 24/7 feeder. By the end of the first week in October you want only feed available from the timed feeder. The doe's should be pretty well imprinted with the time frame food is now available at your station. Trail cams should tell you of your success managing the doe's visits.

Now comes the hard part. Set your stand up. But don't hunt it. It will be very tempting, but don't do it. Wait until you are sure the rut has started. Not pre rut activity. Make sure the bucks are actively running does. When you are sure, hunt the hell out of the station. Hit it morning and evening for five or six days. You are going to see bucks. And if you're fortunate, the 140 may come in to check the doe's.

After the first week of the rut forget about the station. The doe's will come in, but the mature bucks won't. They already have doe's bedded. Your better off hitting trails the doe's use between food and bedding and hope you pick up a trolling buck. You probably won't want to hunt the station again until the last week of November or first week of December. This is in my estimation your best chance to catch a four year old checking out the doe's.

All of the times and dates I mentioned above are pretty much applicable to Ohio and the surrounding states. Your dates and times may vary due to your location. But the logic of the bait station hunting remains the same regardless of your geography.

If you have limited area's to hunt, this type of hunting may just be your best bet to put a mature buck on the wall.

All you need are some trained doe's.

[Undertaker]

I have an interest in establishing a bait station. Thanks for posting your strategy.

I have looked at the different types, and the bucket types that can be hung in the trees for concealment, are most inticing. There are hunters around who would have no problem setting up on my little deal, if they knew about it.

Can you recommend a bucket feeder and offer advice as to what type of feed to load in it ?

BTW- the bucks down here in the Heart of Florida are chasing does hard mid October. They get all sweaty fightin and running around cause it is still hot. But....My crossbow won't see action till rifle season, mid November, because that is when people like me will finally be allowed to foul the place.

[Cossack]

It's a no-no here. Big fines result. But I planted some clover over my septic tank and there is a deer in it most all the time.

[huntone]

Not legal in Tennessee.......I use the feeder with a game camera to see what's out there before the season. During the rut I use some persimmon trees for the bait stations.

[crazyfarmer]

Not legal here also... The only bait I use are natural acorns that drop from the trees and our soybean/corn/wheat crops LOL

those that put out salt blocks and etc have to be up on Sept 1st. If caught, its not good

[texan]

Feeder, South Texas, Late December. It dont get any better


Texan

[mikej]

another good read mike

[FredBear]

Make sure the bucks are actively running does. When you are sure, hunt the hell out of the station. Hit it morning and evening for five or six days. You are going to see bucks. And if you're fortunate, the 140 may come in to check the doe's.

If I may add a large point Mike I think would agree with. WIND If your hunting this stand in a small time window. You will have one chance at a mature buck. You hunt your stand in the wrong wind. You are shooting yourself in the foot!

[Mike P]

Your 100% correct Fred and I probably should have pointed that out. I also should have mentioned that this style of hunting is completely legal here in Ohio.

Another aspect I should have incorporated into the piece is that you Never place a salt block or mineral block any where near your feeding station. It is detrimental to training doe's to punch the time clock. Salt and mineral blocks or powders are best used in remote locations. I use them like many as a tool to determine what bucks I have in my area as I always place a trail cam to record the activity.