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Baiting Coues?

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From what I understand it is legal in Arizona to bait deer for hunting purposes? I would never hunt over a bait pile due to ethical choices on my part, but was very amazed by how receptive coues are to baiting with corn and salt. I put my trailcam out for one week and was startled to find I had 1181 images on my memory card! I take double shots on all activations so actually only 591, but that is busy! Many different bucks, but not any that would score above 90". I re-salted the spot again, no corn this time...carrying 50 lbs. of corn a mile up the mountain was not fun. Lol! Hoping that I can capture a nicer 100"+ buck to keep me optimistic about the up coming Archery season.

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cool pic suprised they are still eating alot of salt. pulled one of my cams today had alot of doe activity but in the two years staying at this spot never had nothing monsterous!

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Nice bucks just keep them in your area and soon you will have a nice honey hole!!! But what kind of salt and corn did you use.. Was if the type of corn and salt available at feed stores...

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Nice bucks just keep them in your area and soon you will have a nice honey hole!!! But what kind of salt and corn did you use.. Was if the type of corn and salt available at feed stores...

 

I used course granular mineral salt. I think it costed $10.00 for a 50 lb bag. The corn used was regular corn bought at any feed store. Costed $12.00 at the feed store in Gilbert. I felt the corn was a bit over priced, but I'm from Minnesota where corn is abundant ($6.00). The 50 lbs of corn was gone in 2 days, but the the deer were coming back for the next 4 days for the salt. I will share mt results from using the salt alone, since that is all I refreshed the spot with for the next week. I'm hoping with the rut approaching I might catch a "big guy" checking for "hot" does.

 

The place where I set the camera had a lot of fresh sign prior to the baiting. By the looks of the antler size of the deer I've seen so far...they are young deer. I'm bound and determined to catch a trophy class coues on camera and just as determined to stick an arrow in one. :D

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cool pic suprised they are still eating alot of salt. pulled one of my cams today had alot of doe activity but in the two years staying at this spot never had nothing monsterous!

 

 

Dumb question, why would they stop eating the salt? I've been trailcammin' for about 8 years and have only captured a few true trophies, although I was in Minnesota and baiting wasn't a very helpful tactic in attracting game because of all the availability of agricultural fields. Never have I had 1181 images in a week, let alone a month for that matter. I can see baiting for trailcam pics is the ticket in the higher elevations (pines, junipers, oaks).

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cool pic suprised they are still eating alot of salt. pulled one of my cams today had alot of doe activity but in the two years staying at this spot never had nothing monsterous!

 

 

Dumb question, why would they stop eating the salt? I've been trailcammin' for about 8 years and have only captured a few true trophies, although I was in Minnesota and baiting wasn't a very helpful tactic in attracting game because of all the availability of agricultural fields. Never have I had 1181 images in a week, let alone a month for that matter. I can see baiting for trailcam pics is the ticket in the higher elevations (pines, junipers, oaks).

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Here's a couple more shots from the same set of pics. :)

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Buck are much less interested in salt after they shed their velvet. You can have specific bucks coming consistently during the week and then pretty much gone when they shed. I think they have different cravings while in velvet. Does seem to hit salt year round much more consistently than bucks.

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Buck are much less interested in salt after they shed their velvet. You can have specific bucks coming consistently during the week and then pretty much gone when they shed. I think they have different cravings while in velvet. Does seem to hit salt year round much more consistently than bucks.

 

 

Plus 1 on that and we have had the same results with the cameras as well.

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I think that one fawn ate all 50lbs of corn :lol: ...I don't understand though.you are trying to bring bucks in with feed and salt but you won't hunt it?? Absolutley nothing personal but I believe you are splitting hairs my friend...It's great we still have the right to decide for ourselves to use bait or not but I think your torn in staying true to your own morals on the issue...maybe not but it sounds like it.

 

Nice pics and best wishes with your spot, sounds like you have some work into it and looks like you will get your chances there.

 

 

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Last year the big bucks didn't show up on my salt licks until mid November, and really started hitting the salt after the first dusting of snow.

 

 

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I think that one fawn ate all 50lbs of corn :lol: ...I don't understand though.you are trying to bring bucks in with feed and salt but you won't hunt it?? Absolutley nothing personal but I believe you are splitting hairs my friend...It's great we still have the right to decide for ourselves to use bait or not but I think your torn in staying true to your own morals on the issue...maybe not but it sounds like it.

 

Nice pics and best wishes with your spot, sounds like you have some work into it and looks like you will get your chances there.

 

Lol! I have absolutely no interest in hunting deer over bait. I have no issue with others doing such, although I trulely would have no feeling of acomplishment hunting over a pile of corn. My sole purpose in baiting is to see what is in the area. I can honestly admit that I am a trophy hunter and using an attractant pre-season to see the quality and quanity of deer in the area via trail monitoring cameras is a great tool for determining if there is an animal in the general vicinity that I would want to pursue. I've been hunting Whitetail for 25 years... the enjoyment for me is being silent and stealthy enough to be able to have a deer walk within 20 yards of me and have no clue that I'm right on top of him! That's how I like it..."Be the Woods"! :D

 

 

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Last year the big bucks didn't show up on my salt licks until mid November, and really started hitting the salt after the first dusting of snow.

 

Interesting... Thanks for the info!

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Buck are much less interested in salt after they shed their velvet. You can have specific bucks coming consistently during the week and then pretty much gone when they shed. I think they have different cravings while in velvet. Does seem to hit salt year round much more consistently than bucks.

 

Thanks for the info.

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