# Best deer bait you have ever used during archery searson?



## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

I know this is a very vague and broad question. Just wondering what other experienced bow hunters are using to attract deer these days during the month of October. I have used carrots, apples, sugar beets, corn, and salt/mineral blocks, deer cane etc. in the past. Sometimes they hit and sometimes they just walk right pass. Any suggestions for your go to bait?


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## Patman75 (Jan 11, 2012)

Where are you hunting? Which zone/county? Is there a lot of AG, hay fields, apple orchards, etc around?


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

I usually hunt gladwin county, bay county, and tuscola county. I have also hunted the Shiawassee river state game area. Usually most areas I hunt are heavily wooded.


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## Uncle Boopoo (Sep 15, 2008)

Acorns! Especially from white oaks. I pick them up in parks at home and dump them under a solo white oak up north that I like to hunt from early season. Works like a charm!


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

Go to bait?
Other hunters and their poor baiting/ hunting practices.
A little recon of where others are hunting, what they are doing, knowing a little of the deer movements, where the bedding areas are and a little time spent putting it all together with an aerial view from Google earth is hands down the best bait i know of.


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

Will probably try the acorns this year if I can get my hands on some. Thumbs up for the google earth comment. I might try using a buck bomb this year to attract bigger bucks. Anyone have any luck with those types of products?


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## Patman75 (Jan 11, 2012)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> Will probably try the acorns this year if I can get my hands on some. Thumbs up for the google earth comment. I might try using a buck bomb this year to attract bigger bucks. Anyone have any luck with those types of products?


There are only bigger(older) bucks around if the smaller (younger) bucks are not shot the previous year.

There is a lot of food around in the early bow season in SLP. Acorns would be your best bet.


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## CHASINEYES (Jun 3, 2007)

For bucks?? A well tuned grunt call.

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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

A hot doe


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## noshow (Sep 24, 2010)

Acorns, hands down.


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

Where do you guys get acorns locally? Do you actually go out and hand pick them?


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## Uncle Boopoo (Sep 15, 2008)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> Will probably try the acorns this year if I can get my hands on some. Thumbs up for the google earth comment. I might try using a buck bomb this year to attract bigger bucks. Anyone have any luck with those types of products?


My comments were directed towards shooting a deer in general, in early Oct. If you're talking about shooting older bucks, throw the bait and gimmicks out the window. 


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## Uncle Boopoo (Sep 15, 2008)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> Where do you guys get acorns locally? Do you actually go out and hand pick them?


Yep. I pick them right off the ground. Try to get as many white oak acorns as possible. Deer will walk through a sea of red oaks to eat the acorns under 1 white oak.


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## downrange (Dec 25, 2010)

Pour molasses over shelled corn, stir. 


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

Uncle Boopoo said:


> My comments were directed towards shooting a deer in general, in early Oct. If you're talking about shooting older bucks, throw the bait and gimmicks out the window.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire



That is understandable, but if I can get more does to come in there may be a bigger buck lurking.


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

downrange said:


> Pour molasses over shelled corn, stir.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire



Any particular type of molasses? I am assuming you mix in a 5 gallon bucket and just spread in a 10x10 area?


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## downrange (Dec 25, 2010)

I use the cheapest stuff i can find. And yes, always 5gals spread over 10'x10' area. Lol


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## Martinp26 (Apr 23, 2011)

There is NOTHING compared to fresh grapes. My parents grew grapes at our old house and i pulled some of that juicy greatness off the vine and took it to my spot. The deer ripped up the grass and The whole area lookin for more. I also smash fresh red apples on the trees and leave the pulp on the floor then i buy one of those bottles of apple scent and pour it all around the area. IT BECOMES A DEATH PIT!!!!! Fresh grapes got me my first deer (which was a 4 point) and a doe my 2nd year. This last year i didnt have my grapes and didnt use my apple trick and got ZEROS! Just my experience so far.
This was during early season october-novembe 1st just fyi


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

Martinp26 said:


> There is NOTHING compared to fresh grapes. My parents grew grapes at our old house and i pulled some of that juicy greatness off the vine and took it to my spot. The deer ripped up the grass and The whole area lookin for more. I also smash fresh red apples on the trees and leave the pulp on the floor then i buy one of those bottles of apple scent and pour it all around the area. IT BECOMES A DEATH PIT!!!!! Fresh grapes got me my first deer (which was a 4 point) and a doe my 2nd year. This last year i didnt have my grapes and didnt use my apple trick and got ZEROS! Just my experience so far.
> This was during early season october-novembe 1st just fyi



I am afraid that grapes would just end up rotting right away. Not sure if the deer will just walk away or see it as a red flag, as I am pretty sure there are no grape vineyards anywhere close to where I hunt. Any solution for that?


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## Martinp26 (Apr 23, 2011)

Not sure. It worked for me. Fresh grapes have a very strong aroma so that coulda been the trick. Store bought grapes are not nearly as potent in my opinion. Like i said, my experience! Just started hunting 3 years ago.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> Usually I just put it out in different areas where I have scouted and set up my stand accordingly.


 So how's that been working out for ya?


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## jonpstc (Jan 4, 2013)

sjk984 said:


> Acorns. Followed closely by *natural apple trees*
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app



Been planting apple trees sense the first year of that bait ban, started with 3 that I purchased, then I learned how to start apple trees from seeds by reading posts on here.

As of this spring I have passed the 50 tree mark.

Where you may want to ask, well I would need to plead the 5th amendment on that. (May tend to incriminate me). lol


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## Apple Knocker (Feb 7, 2009)

Deer are walking through a lush, 40 acre field of alfalfa, to eat my apples that are no larger than an acorn. Eating the alfalfa, for sure, but deer always will eat apples, period.


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## justlurking (Dec 14, 2012)

We use carpet for easy food plots.
Look for somebody disposing of a piece of carpet (avoid carpet that shows dog hair)
Put it in your hunting spot and lay it flat, sprinkle food plot seed over it and water with a garden watering can, I pick fern leaves to cover the seed.
It acts like a weed barrier and retains moisture.
I like throw and grow but usually buy whatever is on clearance in the fall (just grass seed will even work).
I prefer narrow strips of 4ft x 10ft, and put several of these around my stands (the larger the piece the harder they are to put at your hunting spot).
They will last several years just reseed every year, but the longer they are out the harder they are to remove.
I learned this from a fellow hunting state land during the baiting ban a few years ago.


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

brushbuster said:


> So how's that been working out for ya?


I see does every year, and usually two young bucks where I hunt, but just haven't been able to see a trophy.


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## Neal (Mar 20, 2001)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> I see does every year, and usually two young bucks where I hunt, but just haven't been able to see a trophy.


Your thread's topic is about what kind of bait to use, however if you are willing to listen to other strategies to hunt mature bucks, I'll let this thread go where it is inevitable headed.


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## MERGANZER (Aug 24, 2006)

Carrots, corn and acorns seem to always work well. Depends on the area though. I have hunted where sugarbeets are king and other spots the deer won't touch sugarbeets at all. Try different things and see what works best for you. Good luck!

Ganzer


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## JimP (Feb 8, 2002)

MERGANZER said:


> Carrots, corn and acorns seem to always work well. Depends on the area though. I have hunted where sugarbeets are king and other spots the deer won't touch sugarbeets at all. Try different things and see what works best for you. Good luck!
> 
> Ganzer


A tip on sugar beets:

Take a hatchet or machete and split or chip them to show the white inside.
They can see them from further away, gives them more scent release and a good starting edge to bite.


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## johnhunter247 (Mar 12, 2011)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> I see does every year, and usually two young bucks where I hunt, but just haven't been able to see a trophy.


Your using bait and wondering why your not seeing a trophy?:SHOCKED: 
Mature bucks tolerate very little. Normally bait piles make mature bucks very cautious. With mature bucks you have to keep human intrusion and scent to a minimum. With a two gallon limit that is virtually impossible if you want to keep the site baited. You can kill a mature deer on bait, it's been done, but you have to be very lucky! To kill mature deer forget bait, hunt pinch points, inside corners of fields, become a scent extremist, only hunt your spots when the conditions are right and do not over hunt the spot. Be smart about entry and exit from stands. Rubbing your scent all over everything on your way to and from just alerts deer and can ruin your spot for a while. If you want to hunt mature bucks bait is probably working against you more than helping you. Food plots are another story. If you have a spot to plant that's the way to go. It seems natural to deer and they don't seem to be as cautious on a plot. They eat there all summer and are accustomed to relying on it for food. I have had lots of luck with food plots in the past.


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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

I noticed that you said you hunt on the Shiawassee River SGA...I hunt there too and I just wanted to make sure that you know that it's illegal to bait there...its a big spot tho and bait isn't necessary considering all of the ag and natural browse available


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

Waz_51 said:


> I noticed that you said you hunt on the Shiawassee River SGA...I hunt there too and I just wanted to make sure that you know that it's illegal to bait there...its a big spot tho and bait isn't necessary considering all of the ag and natural browse available


When I hunt the Shiawassee River State Game Area there is no need to bait in the first place. I usually hunt a trail between one of the many corn fields and their bedding areas, but I haven't seen anything worth taking in the past three years there. Its definitely a good place for does as I usually see a few a day when I hunt that area, but with the numerous hunters I encounter there I always like to try new areas.


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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> When I hunt the Shiawassee River State Game Area there is no need to bait in the first place. I usually hunt a trail between one of the many corn fields and their bedding areas, but I haven't seen anything worth taking in the past three years there. Its definitely a good place for does as I usually see a few a day when I hunt that area, but with the numerous hunters I encounter there I always like to try new areas.


That's strange because when I hunt there, I see other guys but not enough to ruin my hunt...there are spots that receive more pressure than others but ya just gotta move around! I've seen some good bucks out there over the past 6 seasons but I've only managed to take 2, a forkhorn as my first bow buck ever and a decent 7pt that I grunted in 2 years ago...my best advice for hunting out there is to hunt the other hunters...some of my best sits occurred while working around other people's mistakes


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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

Oh yeah, do your homework by studying aerial photos and topo maps and you will be rewarded!


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

Waz_51 said:


> That's strange because when I hunt there, I see other guys but not enough to ruin my hunt...there are spots that receive more pressure than others but ya just gotta move around! I've seen some good bucks out there over the past 6 seasons but I've only managed to take 2, a forkhorn as my first bow buck ever and a decent 7pt that I grunted in 2 years ago...my best advice for hunting out there is to hunt the other hunters...some of my best sits occurred while working around other people's mistakes


Thats for the info, I know that Wahl and Prior road are usually busy so I try and avoid those areas, my buddy often hunts off of Prior and he hasnt seen any bucks in the last two years either, but he took a nice doe last season. My last two hunts have been off of Ryan rd and good to see some does but nothing worth taking id rather see those young bucks hopefully survive for another two years. Glad to hear there was a 7 point out there, I am sure some of the bigger bucks just make their way to the shiawassee reserve area when they feel hunting pressure. I am not saying that I see a hunter every acre just more than I would like and "most" are pretty decent guys.


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## thetreestandguy (Dec 16, 2005)

Keep an eye on my friends site at Chestnut Hills, he's coming out with a commercially bagged chestnut bait very soon. He told me this spring that Dr. Kroll did a study and they prefered his mix over acorns something like 100 to 1, some crazy ratio like that.

www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com

It's been years since I baited but I've been planting chestnut trees for a few years now based on what I've been able to read about deer preference.


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## BaLLer3pt30 (Oct 13, 2011)

thetreestandguy said:


> Keep an eye on my friends site at Chestnut Hills, he's coming out with a commercially bagged chestnut bait very soon. He told me this spring that Dr. Kroll did a study and they prefered his mix over acorns something like 100 to 1, some crazy ratio like that.
> 
> www.chestnuthilltreefarm.com
> 
> It's been years since I baited but I've been planting chestnut trees for a few years now based on what I've been able to read about deer preference.


Have you ever use this stuff yourself?


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## thetreestandguy (Dec 16, 2005)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> Have you ever use this stuff yourself?


As I stated, I've not baited in a long time, perhaps 20 years. Looking over his website I didn't see it yet but I swear I had an email about it in just the last week or so. I'm thinking it was coming to Walmart or Meijer.

He was totally pumped up this spring about his new product. I'm biased since I'm friends with the owner but he's no slouch, he knows what he's doing. Personally, I wouldn't pay for bait but he seems dead-set that it's the best thing since sliced bread.

By the way, your taking some ribbing rather well from some members, good for you! When I saw the title of the thread I figured for sure you were going to get nuked with negative thoughts, it hasn't been as bad as I envisioned. None of us truly know your circumstances and I think you said your only three years into this hunting gig. You'll learn what works for you over time, the process of learning is one of the great things about hunting. I'm in my 40's, have hunted for 30 years, and still long to understand how to bag big bucks!:lol:


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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

BaLLer3pt30 said:


> Thats for the info, I know that Wahl and Prior road are usually busy so I try and avoid those areas, my buddy often hunts off of Prior and he hasnt seen any bucks in the last two years either, but he took a nice doe last season. My last two hunts have been off of Ryan rd and good to see some does but nothing worth taking id rather see those young bucks hopefully survive for another two years. Glad to hear there was a 7 point out there, I am sure some of the bigger bucks just make their way to the shiawassee reserve area when they feel hunting pressure. I am not saying that I see a hunter every acre just more than I would like and "most" are pretty decent guys.


If you'd like, pm me your info and I'll return mine so that we can get together this upcoming season...I'll teach you what I know about walk-in access at the Shiawassee River SGA and hopefully put you on more bucks! I've helped out a few of my friends with this and collectively, we've managed to have some pretty good times out there...I'd be more than happy to help out a fellow hunter!


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

Apples


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## jatc (Oct 24, 2008)

Does.


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