# Baiting with apples.



## Oldcountryboy

I've scored a ground covered with fallen apples. The guy said "yes, just pick up all you want, I want be using them". 

Anyone ever transfer a load of apples to another site for deer hunting? How oftern would you take a load with you? 

I wished youth deer gun season was closer so I could hopefully lure a big buck in for my daughter to shoot. But YDG isn't till Oct. 19 - 21st. I'm afraid the apples will be long gone by then. 

Wonderine what would be the best way to preserve a bunch of apples to make them last as long as I can. If I remember right, seems when I was a youngster my mom would wrap apples up in newspaper and store them under the bed and we would have apples way up to Christmas. Anyone know anything about this?


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## poorboy

Illegal to bait here in the Misery state, few years back a youngin' bawt a sack o' corn and carried it out to his deer stand an dumped 'er inna pile:indif:.. left the corn sack back in the back of his pickup,came back the next day to hunt..:whistlin:
Directly the possum cop came along,:runforhills: stopped and seen the sack inna back of his truck, trailed 'im out to his stand an give 'im a trophy fer baitn' deer!:awh: Cost 'im a lot more than the corn!:clap:


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## JJ Grandits

It's pretty illegal here to. Baitin' aint hunting, its fishing.


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## gone-a-milkin

Considering how illegal it is to bait deer, they sure sell pallets of stuff in the dptmt stores. 

To the OP in order to keep apples it is important that they dont have any worms in them or bruises.
Better to pick them than to use drops.

If they are nice and clean, undamaged, I have had good luck storing them in single layers w/ paper inbetween.
Keep them in a cool place and check through them often.

Good luck to your DD on her hunt this year.


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## Micheal

I heard rumored that once upon a time a person took a few 5 gal buckets of apples from under one fruit bearing apple tree to a different "unfruitful" apple tree and scattered them about........ seems it was easier than to try and move a tree stand. 
Don't know if it would work - just dumping them out on the ground as "bait" though - nor the quanity you would need to attract deer to a "new" spot......
There was no mention of trying to keep "buckets" of apples into the season.


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## alleyyooper

Years ago when My brother and I were first starting to bow hunt (Oct 1st season opener.) we would take the tractor and loader to the apple trees rake them into the bucket, take to the woods and dump them near the tree stands. A good bucket load would last a week end, 2 days. Once the deer found them it was almost impossiable to get in the stand with out spooking deer off. Found the best thing was to fill a five gallon pail and take it to the stand when we went in to hunt, dump out the apples crush a couple and get in the stand. Deer would clean them up in a hour or so and move on. But would always have the late comers coming to look. Now there is wild apple trees all over the woods. There about 35 years old and most produce apples every year now.
In UPPER Michigan they sell them in Nov when it is cold in plastic sacks. The deer seem to like them till they turn brown and are mushy.

 Al


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## frankva

Illegal here to bait deer. Have a relative in another state that puts apples in the freezer. Once it is cold the deer kick thru snow to get at them. 

Seems like it would be easier to find some cabbage or turnip when he needed it...


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## Oldcountryboy

Not illegal here in Oklahoma, except on department lands, and that's only if you are using corn and anything with corn in it. Other then that, we can bait all we want.


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## Oldcountryboy

JJ Grandits said:


> It's pretty illegal here to. Baitin' aint hunting, its fishing.


Then I guess if you use a deer decoy (artificial luring device), or flavored scents such as apple or acorn to attract deer, then your just fishing instead of hunting. 

Maybe we don't have to buy a hunting license anymore, we can get by using our fishing license.


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## Bearfootfarm

Take apples out a bucket or two at a time.

Buy some apple juice and a spray bottle, and spray the juice around when you spread them.

Then when you go hunting, spray juice where you want them to go.
They will be used to the scent and know it means treats

Just dumping apples where they have never been before could spook them, so start BEFORE the season opens


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## braggscowboy

Pears under the bed!


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## alleyyooper

Apples in a cedar swamp don't spook deer. There is enough wild apple trees about around here they are used to it as they are corn.
Just crush a few to release the scent.

Gas stations and party stores here in Michigan make a ton of money every fall selling sugar beets, carrots, apples, shelled and ear corn. All but the corn is culls so the farmers have an outlet for them now.

 Al


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## greg_n_ga

Southern half of the state here you can hunt over bait. Northern half you can't !! I ain't figured that one out yet !!!


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## frankva

That is cuz there are so many salt licks in the N.


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## Homesteadwi5

we pick bags an bags of apples every yr,they work great and keep pretty well here,but its alot colder here than ok.yea the holiday and citgo gas stations here stock tons of apples beets corn and carrots every yr,they make a boat load of cash


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## Forestdude

I got a pear tree in the yard that deer used to eat from before I moved in and fenced it off. Over the past few years, I've brought pears out to the feeders and took pictures of what ate them. For the most part, the deer don't mess with them. Some of the younger deer will nibble on them, but they're mostly interested in the rice bran, corn or mineral block. ***** are usually the ones who really enjoy the pears. 

I gave out several 5 gal. buckets full of pears to a guy that uses them for trapping hogs.

So, from my experience, the pears don't scare the deer, but they don't seem interested either. I guess it all might depend on how brave/experimental the deer are at your place.

I'd throw some down and put a game carmera on 'em and see what happens.


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## Calhoon

Oldcountryboy said:


> I've scored a ground covered with fallen apples. The guy said "yes, just pick up all you want, I want be using them".
> 
> Anyone ever transfer a load of apples to another site for deer hunting? How oftern would you take a load with you?
> 
> I wished youth deer gun season was closer so I could hopefully lure a big buck in for my daughter to shoot. But YDG isn't till Oct. 19 - 21st. I'm afraid the apples will be long gone by then.
> 
> Wonderine what would be the best way to preserve a bunch of apples to make them last as long as I can. If I remember right, seems when I was a youngster my mom would wrap apples up in newspaper and store them under the bed and we would have apples way up to Christmas. Anyone know anything about this?



:goodjob: OldCountryBoy , I'd go ahead and put them out now , it'll take the deer a few days to find them , and you want them to feel safe in coming into feed on them . . they'll come in the night to feed on them , and they'll bed down close by , especial if theys a bit of water about . 

The safer they feel , the longer they'll hang about in the early morning daylight hours , and the better shot your daughter will have  when cooler weather hits , 

I'd save a few of the best apples in a stout cardboard box in a cool place , put them out a day or two before deer season starts , and your Mom is right , wrapping them in newspaper slows down the maturation of the fruit . :goodjob:

If ya run out of apples , put out raisins , the deer love them both , and you'll already have them coming in to the apples , so they'll already be there . 

Deer Love Apples & raisins , and I'd put out some salt on an old stump on a trail to water as well , deer love salt with their apples , especially going towards water , but onct you put it out , don't go back until you're ready to hunt , have your stand or blind already up , then slip in and I sure hope your daughter gets a big 'en :happy:

If you on private land , that is ... I wouldn't do on Gov't Land , just too risky. 

I've done the same many times to put meat in the freezer .


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## alleyyooper

I have friend that uses marshmellows and blue berry syrup.


 Al


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## tarbe

Most places I have lived, you can't "bait", but you can plant food plots.

I don't see the difference.

If it is legal to plow and sow, you should be able to tear and throw, at least on private property.

Just my $0.02 on the subject.


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## Calhoon

alleyyooper said:


> I have friend that uses marshmellows and blue berry syrup.
> 
> 
> Al





tarbe said:


> Most places I have lived, you can't "bait", but you can plant food plots.
> 
> I don't see the difference.
> 
> If it is legal to plow and sow, you should be able to tear and throw, at least on private property.
> 
> Just my $0.02 on the subject.



:happy: never have tried marshmellows & blueberry syrup , but I will , and thanks Alleyooper for the reply . It looks like it'd work just fine for deer and bear as well , bear meat is good too , ya know ?  and that pure white lard is great as well  

Tarbe , I agree with you 100 % , I plant buckwheat for the turkeys , and put out 'yellow acorns' for the deer ,  

I'm on my own land , though , just too risky to do so on Gov't Land . :grumble:


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## Forestdude

Calhoon said:


> Here in Louisiana on private (not gov't) land it's legal to hunt deer over bait, whether that be a planted food plot, corn feeder, peanut butter jar, mineral block, rice bran or whatever else you can get them to eat:grin: On the gov't land around here, it is illegal to bait deer, and people do get caught regularly. There's more people out in them woods than folks think
> 
> The best legal bait on gov't land is a patch of oak trees raining acorns:goodjob: Knowing what the deer are eating is where to hunt. Most of the big bucks around here aren't killed standing under the corn feeder. Of course the does:hrm:...well that's a different story


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## Calhoon

yep , Forest , when the white oaks start dropping acorns , that's where the deer will be . 

Gov't or private land , deer know the acorns will put fat on quicker than any other food source . . 

where the does are is where the bucks will be , onct colder weather comes in and the bucks start running the does . we had out first frost yesterday .


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## Forestdude

You got it right Calhoon! I quit feeding corn when the acorns start dropping heavily. They prefer the acorns more than anything you can give 'em...well, except maybe peanut butter haha. And yeah, when the fellas start getting horny, they're coming to where the ladies are at. That's why I try to keep the girls around here happy


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## alleyyooper

Around here the geer like the corn better than acorns. While it is standing they have thick cover to bed in right in the corn olny reason to leave is for water if there isn't any puddles in the fields. There wasn't any this year and the creek was dry so they came to the doggie pool in our back yard.

Food plots spread the deer out when they are eating, food plots also remain after the season providing foot for the deer for some time after deer season.

 Al


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## ||Downhome||

To address your question OCB, take out any bad ones and store in a cool spot. they should last fine, go through them if they are going to sit a while and remove any bad ones.

take those bad ones out to where you plan on hunting.
Make a small pile to start after its gone, go throw about 15 all around every day. they will find them but make them work at it though.
Once they know they can find food they will come back and check.
deer leave a scent trail so once you have a few coming in,more will follow.
My buddy actually starts out with 10 in a tight area,then starts scattering them and works down till hes only tossing out 4.
gets his bucks every year. We can take two per person here. 



Oldcountryboy said:


> Then I guess if you use a deer decoy (artificial luring device), or flavored scents such as apple or acorn to attract deer, then your just fishing instead of hunting.
> 
> Maybe we don't have to buy a hunting license anymore, we can get by using our fishing license.


Ya I suppose if you have a few thousand acres you can actually hunt.
I don't really consider what we accept as hunting hunting.
Sit and wait for some hapless animal to walk along and shoot the first one to come through. psssh
with smaller and smaller parcels and the modern schedule, bait is almost necessary.
even with bait there's no guarantee you'll get a good shot or even see one.

Seriously dont hunt near any food source,dont hunt near any food or water if you are truly against bait. 

the only difference is one was placed for the purpose and another occurs naturally or for a different purpose.

the results are the same.

Seems all those against bait never take into account that the deer they got could of been on his way to a pile next door,a food plot or the browse bar.

Kind of like those vegans that abhor meat and denounce us who crave it.
they never take into account that they would not be around to eat veggies at their whim had their ancestors not par took of that evil meat.:hohum:

With that said I hunt bait. I also sit runs and stomp the larger property's I hunt. Its all on location, I like my ancestors will take any advantage I can.
Its nice to be sporting but at the end of the day I want my investment in time and money to fill the freezer.


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## Bearfootfarm

> Originally Posted by *Oldcountryboy*
> _Then I guess if you use a deer decoy (artificial luring device), or flavored scents such as apple or acorn to attract deer, then your just fishing instead of hunting.
> _


Most of the woods around here were either logged many times in the last 500 years or so, or can NOT be logged because it's too wet.

That means *visibility* *in the woods* is often measured in "feet", not "yards".

A little pile of corn or a few apples that makes a deer pause in the ONE *open area* where a clear shot is available is no less "hunting" than any other form of *outwitting the animal.
*


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