Baiting
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Jacob from WI asks:When would you suggest putting a trail cam over a mineral site to see what bucks are using it?Winke Responds:Jacob, Probably by May. They should have some decent antler development by the. By late July most have reached about 80 to 90% of their full antler development - or very nearly so. That would be my plan. Good luck. (3-29-12)
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Jason from MO asks:Ive really seen the quality of bucks on my farm go way up when using trophy rocks the last two years. My question would be why couldnt I use a trace mineral block from a local ag feed store and break it up and mash it into the ground. I looked at the contents and they seem to be very close except the percentages are greater in the trace blocks? The trace blocks are a lot cheaper but I still am hesitant because I am a real believer in what Trophy rocks can produce. Thank you Bill for everything you do on this show it has really helped me with this offseason so far-keep them coming!Winke Responds:Jason, That is good information. I appreciate it. My way of looking at it is this: if it is working keep doing it. Not sure about the other minerals as all are a bit different. But I do like the fact that you can set the Rock on a stump or piece of wood or somthing and then remove it once the primary mineral intake season is over (by early September). Seems cleaner to me than asking my deer to eat dirt. Something about that just seems kind of weird. It may be perfectly natural in the wild, but in my mind that seems strange. Good luck. (3-29-12)
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Carter from NC asks:Dear Bill, The hunting season here in NC is coming to an end and I've seen some things in my deer that could use some improvements. I will soon put out a new feeder to help them through next year and I have heard many suggestions toward BB2. I'm not sure if u have used it but if you have whats your opinion toward that product.Winke Responds:Carter, I have used it but only a few times in front of trail cameras. On the ground it gets beat into the dirt fairly quickly. In a bunk it likely would be better. Truthfully, in the way I was using it, I didn't see any benefit over corn. If you are feeding it as a supplement, it may be different. I am not certain what is all in there. It may have some additives that will enhance the benefits to the deer, but it is very expensive. If you can buy it at a good price, I would say it is worth feeding but not not if it is going to be on the ground, because it is fairly fine and will disappeare in the dirt quickly. Other options likely include protein pellets from companies like Purina. I think they make a deer supplement. I believe Antler King also makes a supplement. I would look at them all before making a decision. Good luck. Happy New Year. (1-1-12)
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brian from IA asks:Hi Bill, I am fairly new to Iowa, been here 18 months now, I am very confused concerning the baiting for deer rules here. I have seen you putting out corn to get pictures, but I am told baiting is illegal. I'm sure you are following the letter of the law, but I don't understand the this whole issue and how the game law is written, it seems very confusing to me. Can you please help me to understand this issue better.Winke Responds:Brian, Best advice is to contact your local DNR officer. Baiting is legal for trail cameras but you can't hunt over it nor can you hunt trails leading to the bait. I pull the bait (and the cameras) well before I start hunting and don't hunt anywhere near those spots. I put out less than a bag at a time and it is always gone within three days (due to deer and turkeys). Also, my cameras are almost always in food plots so the deer are already going to that area, all the bait does is concentrate them for photos so I can figure out what is there as quickly as possible. My bait isn't in place long enough, nor in sufficient amounts to change the patterns of the deer in the area. I do that on purpose because I want to know what they are doing naturally, not as a result of bait. There is no bait on the farm, nor has there been for many days, by the time I start hunting. Again, the best advice I have is to contact your DNR officer and find out how he enforces the law and then just stick with that. That is what I did. Good luck. (11-27-11)
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Tom from WI asks:Hi Bill. My question has to do with baiting deer. I don't want to get into a debate, but would like your thoughts on our situation. We hunt in Wisconsin in a unit where baiting is legal with some restrictions. All of our neighbors bait and bait heavily. To some extent our food plots can compete with the bait piles but not on an even field. Some of our neighbors have been busted for illegal baiting (over 2.5 gallons per site); one is even an outfitter that hosts TV personalities all the time and he too continues to bait and we suspect illegally. This is the best farm we have ever hunted, we have been here over 15 years, and the problems only started around the time the outfitters moved in and the so called trophy hunters. Do you have any advice for us? Should we move? Do you advocate turning in the hunters who break the law? Thank you.Winke Responds:Tom, I don't know about turning them in. That is a question you need to answer for yourself. If they are illegal, you need to warn them first - I konw it is tough, but it is what you need to do. If they aren't illegal, you need to work around it. Personally, I wouldn't move. In fact, I wouldn't even really think about it. If they are legal, who cares what they are doing. Do what brings you the the most satisfaction and let it go at that. Bucks will be there during the rut. Bait piles aren't the best places to shoot mature bucks anyway. The bait may hold the does in the area, but beyond that, they aren't that valuable really. I would just forget about it and focus on hunting your way. Good luck. (11-1-11)
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david from GA asks:Bill, What do you think about hunting over bait even in states where it is legal?Winke Responds:David, I never condemn a legal hunting method. I have hunted over bait in TX, but I have also hunted many states where it is legal and never used it. I don't think you need bait to be a successful deer hunter. I think it takes some of the fun out of hunting because the puzzle becomes easier to solve. Not that baiting is always super productive, it just eliminates any thought of deer movement, entry/exit, where they bed, etc. Sure someone good at baiting considers those things, but you really don't have to be nearly as knowledgeable about the deer to start a bait station in a spot that you can sneak into easily. It is much more interesting, to me, to hunt the deer on the deer's terms. Maybe in areas like TX is it essential because the terrain and cover can be very homogeneous, the deer can be anywhere, but I have hunted in TX enough to know that those deer have travel patterns and funnels too. If it is legal I won't comdemn it, but I think it takes a part of the thrill out of deer hunting that I am not willing to give up - even if I am less successful. Good luck.
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Todd from KS asks:Bill, Have you ever heard of peanut butter as being an attractant for deer ? Thanks for a no nonsense informative web site and show , that we are lucky and blessed to be able to access such as yours. I would Love to share some of my hunt's with you and your audience from here in my home State of Kansas. Take Care, ToddWinke Responds:Todd, Yes, that is one of the things that people use to condition deer to avoid electric fences. They place peanut butter in small metal pans that are wired into the fence so the deer touches it and gets shocked, thus learning to avoid the fence. If you think you have the time and energy to film and educate, we would be happy to send you a pro staff application. Just e-mail the office directly at info@midwestwhitetail.com. Good luck.
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Daniel from TN asks:I was wondering if you are allowed to bait in Iowa and if you do? I watch your show regularly and have only seen food plots. I am in Tennessee where it is illegal. I was also wondering how big your main property is in Albia? I apologize if this has been mentioned before. Anyway I do love your show and appreciate your practical explantations for each thing you do. You are an inspiration to me.Winke Responds:Daniel, It is not legal here. We hunt over food plots mostly and travel corridors. Sometimes I hunt near bedding areas too (during the rut on morning hunts). Our farm is 1,000 acres. I grew up hunting on permission until I was able to start buing land back in the mid-90s. I was fortunate enough to start buying hunting land back when it was very cheap. I just kept investing in land and lumping the proceeds into more land closer to home until I had this piece put together. I feel very blessed to have been able to do it. It would be very hard to put this together now at the current prices. Good luck and I appreciate your support. Have a great day.
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Henry from GA asks:Bill I hunt 200 acres and wanted to try something different this year. My taxidermist swears by baiting with corn. He said last year 95% of the bucks killed in his shop were over corn. He has three spots that he keeps baited from now until January. Are there any tips you can give me on how many spots to have and whether it is effective to hunt right over them. I started 7 baited cam sites and am getting good pictures of nice bucks but am wondering if that will stop if I hunt these spots and if I should have so many spots. Great show.Winke Responds:Henry, For sure you need a number of spots. I would say you need at least four or five spots to spread your pressure. You can hunt right over them or on trails between two baited sites because the bucks will move from one to the other during the rut. It is hard to predict where the bucks will be after they break up their bachelor groups, but likely you will have some still visiting the baits. I am going to guess they will start to become nocturnal. It is never as easy as it seems like it should be. Good luck.
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Jon from MN asks:Bill, I've recently put up a trail camera on my new plot. In hopes of getting some more deer on camera I was considering putting out some apple Buck Jam. After reading the MN laws, I am still confused whether this would be considered "baiting"? In the laws it reads as follows, Liquid scents, salt, and minerals, are not considered bait or feed. The Buck Jam is advertised as a mineral substance, but I have gotten both responses when asking others. Any information would be great! ThanksWinke Responds:Jon, That one is beyond me. You will need to ask the local game warden for the area where you plan to use the Buck Jam. Regardless of whether you agree with his/her decision on the subject, you have to go with whatever they say. It is the only way you can do this. Open communication is the key. Good luck.
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Chris from LA asks:Hi Bill, just another quick question. We will be hunting in Northeast Kansas again this year and will only be there for about 5 days before heading to Illinois. We can hunt over bait in Kansas. We have some knowledge of the properties we'll be hunting this time around. My question is this: will it hurt or help if we go and put corn out for bait as soon as we get there? It usually doesn't take long for them to find it down here in La. Just wondering how those deer up there might react to it. ThanksWinke Responds:Chris, I think it will help. I use bait on my trail cameras here - we can't hunt over bait. The deer find those trail cams within a day or two. I am sure it will benefit you, but I would set more store in the travel routes of the deer. I used to hunt Kansas a lot and didn't even know that baiting was legal. I had good success just hunting funnels during the rut. The cover is sparse in many areas and you can easily hunt bedding areas in the morning and funnels leading to feeding areas in the evening. However, to answer your question, I am certain the deer will find your bait quickly.
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Sam from SC asks:I was wondering if bucks will eat from a corn pile after the early season? I hunt a pine plantation and aren't allowed to cut trees. It's about 300 acres with rows or pines and now light to plant food plots. I can afford to put corn out and have baited in the past with some success (during the rut), but have never consistently put it out from opening season until the end of the season. Do you think putting a larger pile out in several places in lieu of food plots will attract bucks or allow me to hunt particular bucks if I have trail cameras over the bait? By the way it's legal to bait in SC. I'd prefer planting plots because it's cheaper, but as I said I don't have that luxury. Most of my classmates hunt over corn but they don't really tell me how they are successful doing so.Winke Responds:Sam, It is effective all season long, for sure. I have used corn to lure deer to my trail cameras (it is not legal to hunt over bait here) and they will walk right through a food plot to eat shelled corn scattered on the ground. The only downside of corn is that raccoons and other critters really like it and will figure out where they can find the free lunch and they will wear you out eating all your corn. I would not put out a big pile but would put out smaller piles and refresh them weekly, so you don't have as much waste. Yes, you can definitely hunt a specific buck over a corn pile if the camera tells you he is using the area. I would place the piles in areas you can drive close to making it much easier to refresh. Good luck.
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Brad from SC asks:Mr. Winke, we're allowed to bait where I live. I own 200 acres and have planted 10 acres of corn and 5 acres of soybeans as well as 2 acres of clover. I understand baiting can be a sensitive topic, but it is legal here. I have two 3.5 or older deer visiting two different corn piles I have in front of trail cameras during daylight. I realize buck patterns will change significantly over the next two months, but I'm wondering if you think it would benefit me to continue to bait throughout the season in the hopes that these two bucks will continue to visit my trail cam/baited sites? I'm hoping I can get a crack at them opening of archery season, but if I don't is it worth it ton continue the baited sites? Even though I have a lot of food available, for some reason the corn piles I have in concealed cover seem to attract a lot of deer. However, I'm not sure what effect the pressure I'm creating by putting out corn, leaving scent, etc. is having on the deer. Last year I didn't bait aWinke Responds:Brad, I never condemn someone for doing what is legal. I would definitely keep the sites baited, but run cameras in a few other areas too to see if you can find the bucks back if they leave. If you find them back, it then makes sense to reduce the baiting to a lower rate in the other location. I don't think you've have too much impact on the patterns of the deer as long as you check the cameras and bait sites during midday and then only as often as needed - not every day for sure. Every few days. Good luck.
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michael from WI asks:I'm allowed to bait for deer where I hunt (2 gallons)What should I use as feed for the deer as I have a turkey problem. How can I keep turkeys away and from eating it(corn). I do try to bait late in the day. any surgestions?Winke Responds:Micheal, Corn is definitely best, but you could also experiment with apples, but I don't think they will be as attractive as the corn. Up north they use really good alfalfa hay, but not sure how that fits into things in WI. I am not aware of a good way to keep the turkeys off the corn. A food plot might be a lot easier in the end, even if it is a just a 1/2 clover plot, it will attract good numbers of deer and make things much easier regarding the turkeys. A good clover plot will last three years and provide good hunting during that entire time. Good luck.
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Glenn from MI asks:I live in the Upper Peninsula which is primarily big woods. With no agriculture and bucks having little competition for breeding rights it is difficult to find good stand sites. Rub and scrape activity is almost non existant in many areas. With no concentration of feeding and little sign where would focus your efforts in big woods such as this. Also baiting is legal here, but would you if surrounding property owners are? I not asking whether you feel baiting is ethical but if you feel it increases or decreases ones chances of shooting a mature buck in this situation. Your show is by far the best on tv!!!Winke Responds:Glenn, I think baiting helps you concentrate does which will in turn bring bucks during the rut. I feel that for that reason it is effective when hunting bucks. The other option is to look for funnels between areas that are impassable to the deer. For example, you may want to look for high ground between two swamps, a river crossing, a saddle in a tall ridge, etc. These may require long stand sessions, but eventually cruising bucks will come through these areas as they look for does. If there simply are too many does and the bucks don't cruise, you are going to have a very hard time getting action in these places too. Bait will work and funnels will work. Good luck.
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Jerry from NY asks:Hello Bill, First I would like to say that your a great writer and I think your show is the best out there.I have improved my skills greatly from your writings. I noticed that you pour a pile of feed in front of your trail cams.My question is if you also do this while hunting? And if so, do you think you would have been as successful without doing so. Where I hunt it is illegal to use deer attractant. Thanks, Jerry MeyerWinke Responds:Jerry, Thanks for your support. I appreciate it. I can't (and don't) hunt over bait. I only use it to bring deer in front of the camera for easier photos. I want to learn as quickly as possible what bucks live in each area. The quickest way to do that is to dump a bag of corn (perfectly legal here) in front of the camera. I spoke with the game warden about it a couple of years ago to be sure that I am legal. As long as you are not hunting over the bait or hunting any kind of travel route with deer heading to the bait, you are fine to place corn in front of a camera. But to answer your question, I think bait does help when hunting (where legal) under the right conditions. It holds does close during the rut, causing the bucks to come and check the bait site for hot does. Though mature bucks may not feed regularly at a bait site, they do come through looking for does.
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Caleb from ME asks:Just finished watching the latest episode and i was wondering what your opinion is on baiting. Not trying to take away from that great KS buck but we all have difficult years with weather, road hunters, poachers ect.... even if it is legal in your state do you think it is a bit unethical and not very sporting especially in late season when food sources are limited love the show keep up the good workWinke Responds:Caleb, It is a debate that rages every year in all parts of the country where baiting occurs - and even where it doesn't. I am not going to take sides - it is legal. There are those who think that maybe the two-acre standing soybean field I am hunting over with six inches of crusted snow making it hard for deer to scratch through to get at scattered grain on harvested fields elsewhere is taking advantage of their stress times. I suppose I am, but you almost never shoot a mature buck except when he is vulnernable due to some kind of stress - be it a waterhole on a hot September evening, a food plot in January or the rut in November. It is stressful situations that generally makes them vulnerable. I have opinions, but they are just opinions. It is legal and I can't come down on anyone taking a mature buck under legal means.
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ray from FL asks:Good Day Winke, Would you be so kind as to help shine some light on my problem? My feeders are surrounded by hogs that won't allow the deer in the area. Is there a type of feed that only deer will eat?Winke Responds:Ray, I don't know the answer to that, but I have hunted a few ranches in Texas where they fenced the hogs out of the area around the feeders. The deer could jump over but the wire was tight enough or buried or something and the hogs couldn't get in. I will see if I can find out more about the feed question.
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Pete from AL asks:Winke, I've been dumping corn, apples, acorns and numerous other baits right under my stand and have had quite a bit of luck with my hunting. Do you know of any other good bait to use?Winke Responds:Pete, It is really hard to beat corn. I have been messing with a mix from Big & J (a new company from Nebraska) in front of my trail cameras and it seems to be working well. I don't have enough experience with it yet to know if it is better than corn. Corn is cheap, readily available and deer love it. It is hard to beat corn.
