Hunting over bait

I’ve deer hunted for over 50 years. In SC, not Texas, but have enjoyed my Texas hunting and the great people I met there. And I’m not trying to start a war, but just wondered if others feel the way I do. I see the great extent many go to “enhance” their deer hunting. Elaborate feeders, nutritional supplements, high fencing, etc. Our state just legalized deer baiting a few years ago, so now it’s become pretty common. And yes, I’ve done it too. It certainly is effective. But I wonder if maybe we have gone too far and are forgetting that hunting the “old fashion way” without baiting deer really requires more skill and is more challenging. And perhaps our obsession with scoring deer has gone too far. Shooting a 200 class deer that has grown large due to high protein supplements in a high fence versus killing a nice 8 point after scouting and figuring out his patterns are two different ways of hunting. I prefer the latter. And I’m not condemning all the guys who spends tons of money baiting deer and growing them, but I think I get pleasure out of hunting the old fashion way. I wish baiting deer was never legalized here in SC.

Just the evolution or devolution of hunting I suppose depending on the prism you view it through.

There are so many directions I could go with responding to your post - most you would certainly not like...But the easiest is - if you don't like it - don't do it.

It's just that easy...

Nothing stopping you from hunting the old fashioned way….

I agree.. no need to divide this lifestyle like the naysayers. Keep it legal and the style you prefer and stop worrying about everyone else

“old fashion way”

Then you should be baiting and running them off cliffs.

Thats the beauty of hunting...to each there own. If wild game food is your main goal then kill them anyway within the law. If "sport" is the goal then take that as deep and challenging as you want. I personally cut down bois dark trees and made my own self bows and crafted wooden arrows back when I was younger. Deer, hog, elk, caribou and various small game all fell with those tools. I then went to "traditional" bows....wood wrapped in glass. Today I shoot a compound. I've seen hunting from all perspectives. To me its about just being honest with yourself as to what your doing. I've truly "hunted" in N.E. Tx with self bows over trail/rubs....and I sit in tripods over corn feeders with my compound today in west Tx. And in sept. I'll chase elk for weeks with my compound deep in the back country of the Rockies.

All the arguments and disagreements over weapons/tactics are just a big pile of horse$hit. You should hunt in your own world with your weapon and tactics and not let how someone on the other side of the country is doing it bother you. Poachers, pricks not picking up their trash, keeping public lands open, etc....those are where our concerns should be.

Rephrasing what the others have said--------That's the good thing about America -------- pick the way you like and do it that way ------ the gov does not dictate to you how to hunt.

This is the correct answer

Hunting the old fashioned way involves having lots of land to hunt. If you have lots of land to hunt, get after your old fashioned hunting. If you only have 100 acres or so, old fashioned hunting will only take you a couple of hours and that is if you are very thorough. The price of leasing land determines how you hunt to some extent.

I agree completely, and not trying to stir things up. My only reluctance and concern is that by allowing baiting, it affects me. Understand, unlike Texas, our hunting here is on much smaller tracts. There are no giant ranches or leases. My 300 acre property is pretty big as is my 1500 acre lease. But to a deer, that’s small. And when neighbors are spending tons of dollars on corn and commercial feed, it certainly affects natural deer movement. That’s my biggest reason that I wish baiting wasn’t legal. Otherwise, I’d have no problem with it.
Baiting doves or turkeys is illegal here. Why not deer? What’s the difference?

And I agree with DSpur, I don’t do it and can accept that my buddies do. It’s legal therefore I don’t have a problem with those that do. I just wish it weren’t legal. That’s just my opinion.

But sitting over a feeder or even over a food plot is not the kind of hunting I enjoy. That’s my choice. Guys that do that (and many of my friends do) are free to choose. But as I grow older, and after killing many deer, I’d rather hunt without these aids. That’s all I’m saying, certainly not condemning guys that hunt differently than me. We’re all hunters.

When I was a kid we used to be able to spot and stalk on 10,000 acres. Then people started leasing. No more spot and stalk. Feeders came in and I mean the old garbage cans with a mop stick feeders. Then came the spin feeders with timers. It was mostly about getting a hunter on a deer because the time they had to hunt was short. "Real hunting went away after the depression" my grandfather said. "People were hungry and game was scarce. Then people just killed to brag not because they were hungry. Hunting was a rich mans sport for a time. Poor people couldn't afford to hunt so they called it poaching."

I always get a kick out of out of these questions. I work with alot of rural out of state guys who hunt and they have brought up Texas hunting and feeders/deer corn and how it's cheating. Where I hunt planted fields bring in WAY more deer in than feeders. I had 23 deer last night in a 10 acre oat field, they all walked past a feeder that had went off before they came out. Plenty of corn under it but they didn't care. They wanted the green stuff. Most out of state guys that hunt farmland/crop fields think nothing of it but act as if putting a feeder out will have deer stampeding into your spot.

Range management and hunting travel corridors might be your answer. I doubt your state will change the law back, but you can try...

That’s true. There’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. Maybe if Wildlife Departments discover that central feeders promote the spread of disease (and that may be true) I don’t see the laws being changed back.

I’m with you every farmer should have to HF deer out of their ag fields; winter wheat, alfalfa, corn, soybeans etc. it’s complete BS and not fair as those legumes and grains greatly inflate carrying capacity and creates an unfair hunting advantage

My understanding as baiting rules for dove hunting is concerned, is that any normal agricultural practice is legal. But just throwing wheat on the ground to attract birds is not. That seems pretty reasonable and I believe would be a better law for deer as well. But that’s just my opinion. Obviously, most states now allow baiting for deer. Just wondering, can you bait other game in Texas, like turkeys?

By the way, high fencing is illegal in SC. That’s another touchy subject.

It’s my observation that the people that complain about baiting and hunting “the old fashioned way” have usually only hunted whitetail deer, usually only in one area of one state, and typically only use a scoped modern centerfire rifle. Baiting is wrong, but it’s ok to shoot them from 300 yards out with a .270 and a 4x12 scope down a right of way that was made with a bulldozer……

Your argument is silly and is meant to be divisive. If you don’t want to bait, you don’t have to. No law stating you have to. End of story.

That’s dumb, how do you keep them out of baited ag fields?

You have any ag by you?

For turkeys most just plant milo field and shoot them with a 22-250, that way you can fill all 5 tags pretty easy.

I do both, plant and feed. I was told big deer don't go to feeders anyway.

It's my observation that people who engage others, who are trying to have a dialogue, like this are silly and actually divisive. The OP's thoughts and questions are not an argument, but a discussion, and it is impossible for you to know his intention unless a person states it.

To the point of the discussion, baiting on small properties does affect neighbors, but at some point as the old sayin goes "if ya cain't beat 'em, join 'em."

The real bait is starting this thread, and I ain't taking it.

If you don't think his post was not meant to be divisive ( and therefore silly ) then maybe, ya'll should get on a no-baiting lease together

I think part of the answer to why we put out feeders in Texas is that are not that great of a "food" agricultural state- sure we grow sorghum and some corn, but mainly cotton and hay. Southeastern states are more food agricultural states- corn, soybeans, wheat. About 20 or more years ago I started taking annual trips with my dad to visit family in eastern North Carolina. The farm my dad was raised on is still in the family and I got permission to hunt there when we would go visit. One year I noted that baiting became legal so one year I took a bucket feeder with me to hang from a tree- the husband of one of my cousins whose dad actually inherited the farm when my grandfather passed away is a big farmer- leases land all over and farms where my dad was raised. I said something to him about hanging my feeder and needed to go buy a bag of corn- he laughed, pointed at a silo, and said go get all you want. I hung the feeder but within two days the black bears had torn it down. From that point on I just looked for trails entering the fields and hunted them. Best year I ever had was one fall right after a hurricane- had flattened a big part of a corn field and was covered with deer, and bears if I had purchased a tag.

Large part depends on rainfall an area receives. Its common knowledge that hunting a corn feeder isn't a guarantee to a deer in East Texas. Lots of rainfall there and good natural groceries but very little agriculture aside from hay fields. Lots of deer get shot down in Frio County over feeders when there is a peanut field next door....and deer love peanuts. Lots of deer get shot off of alfalfa and wheat fields in the northwestern part of the state as well.


Its proven, in areas where people can bait, they will bait. It makes the game hunt the bait pile. but its not a guarantee for success. My buddy has a large ranch in South Texas. 30 + corn and protein feeders and 100's of acres of food plots. We always hunt the blinds with the food plots, because you will see alot more game at those stands than blinds without food plots. Most of the deer I've seen shot there came out of the oats patch, not under the corn feeder. If a deer has more natural options in my experience, it can make hunting bait less effective but not obsolete.

There is a difference between baiting and supplementing nutrition. You can bait with corn, protein, small grains, alfalfa, lab lab, agricultural crops, cowpeas, turnips, salt, minerals, acorns, water(yes I said water), etc. You can supplement with corn, protein, small grains, alfalfa, lab lab, agricultural crops, cowpeas, turnips, salt, minerals, acorns, water(yes, there I said it again), etc. Deer are going to eat every day and drink water everyday whether they find it on their own or we provide. How you approach and what you call is up to you. Many places in Texas don't have the soil quality or rainfall to grow crops. Many if not most of those who supplemental feed do not hunt over those feed stations. They use baiting as a way to quantify, observe, and manage the deer on their ranch, be it low fence or high fence it is still a management program copied by almost every other state. There many low fence ranches that produces just as good, if not bigger native deer than their HF neighbors do. HF does not guarantee bigger deer....older deer..100%. There are still ranches in the state that do not feed corn, supplemental feed or plant ag crops for their wildlife. They do manage the deer and allow to them age. As the flux of new Texas residents and those from cities flocking to the country buy up what was once large ranches for their little homesteads baiting is here to stay. When baiting is deemed as advantageous it is due to one issue....to many deer for the habitat to support. If it is successful it is due poor management. When deer have enough native forage they will only show up at a feeder if they are passing thru the area. When it gets dry they will visit more often but if the numbers are in the CC, then they will still not have the need to live off the feeder or food plot or ag crop.

What I think is irrelevant. Not surprised you missed the point. Not only is it literally impossible for you or anyone else to know anyone's intention about anything, the context of his words make it pretty simple to see he's not trying to be divisive but have a discussion. But hey, you go on thinking you've got things figured out and keep on being the divisive one who is unable to see or engage in thoughtful dialogue.

Oh and by the way, I've personally and professionally guided hundreds of kills over bait. And I've also hunted a great 80,000 acre Texas ranch with no bait, just all spot and stalk.

Don't argue with the Irish. Truth is a social construct and exaggeration is an art form with that bunch. (I just made that up. True story.)

The same folks from northern states that would snort in derision about hunting over a corn feeder have no problem hunting over a pile of sweet potatoes or apples that have been dumped to attract deer/

I use feeders not thinking it will attract a good buck but to attract the does that might bring in a buck during their rut stupidity.

in Many Mid West states ag areas if you stopped at production you would see a very large decline in herd numbers as the carry capacity with out it is nominal at best, essentially winter due off would be extensive

Yes, there has been a steady progression of changes in how people view the concept of free chase. For me, it started in Mississippi back in the 70's when food plots first became popular. I used to chuckle at people who for some reason saw food plots as not being bait even though it was obvious they were planted to attract deer. They would rationalize food plots as being different on the belief they provided better nutrition. It's a belief that falls apart when you consider the nutrition that can be provided to deer through high-protein feed placed in feeders. As I would tell people back in the those days, it makes no difference, if you plant or provide it so that deer will show up to eat it, it's bait. If people want to raise and grow deer as if they were livestock, I say more power to them so long as they buy a license and obey bag limits.

I just hope enough people continue to hunt deer without the aide of bait so the knowledge and skills of past generations is not lost to future generations.

The beauty is you have the freedom to do as you choose. I have a neighbor who's lease allows bow and muzzleloader only and no feeders. You have the freedom to put together a lease with similar rules if you wish. I have had many years where although I was on a lease, I spent more of my time deer hunting with a group who camped and hunted on public land where no feeding is allowed. On my current lease of 20 years, yes I have feeders, but much of my time there is spent hunting funnels, trails and lookouts, but if I wish to hunt the feeder I can. I have a choice. I have random chairs in the woods and on rocky bluffs all over the lease with trails cut to still hunt between them and no feeders are in those areas. Despite having hunting leases most of my adult life, every trophy mount on the wall in my house was taken on public land without the use of feed or food plots. When you also have those freedoms in Texas to choose where and how you hunt, why would you care how someone else hunts?

I agree how you hunt is a personal choice. My only problem with year round feeding with feeders is that it certainly draws deer from surrounding properties. My neighbor spends thousands of dollars on feeders. Do I think it affects my hunting on my land? Of course it does. So it either forces me to compete or accept that he’s drawing deer to his property. So it changes the natural order of things and favors those with more money and maybe lesser skills.

I also wonder if it’s really healthy for the herd to congregate them at the same feeding spot. I’m not a biologist so maybe someone can answer that.

But it’s legal, so I’m not bitching, just sharing my opinion. To each his own. Texas Dan and Sniper John, I agree with all you guys are saying.

I’ve seen many times that guys new to deer hunting immediately think putting out corn is the way to go, because that’s hyped so much. They never learn to study deer’s habits or learn the lay of the land. That’s the part of hunting I enjoy. Shooting a deer under a feeder just doesn’t thrill me like outsmarting him in his daily rounds.

But we’re all hunters and each of us can choose how. I’m ok with that.

I disagree. After a lifetime of hunting both private and public adjoining private, both over feeders and without, it is not what I have experienced. Deer love corn, but they need more nutrients than what corn provides and do seek it out. Your statement is no different than saying my neighbor has a pond and I don't so they never come to my side of the fence to drink. My neighbor has lots of oaks and I don't so I never see deer on my side eating acorns. Of course it does not work that way and Deer don't camp out at those places 24/7. Most people place stands and feeders at places deer want to travel no matter if a feeder is present or not. Feeders alone can't make up for poor deer habitat. You either have the habitat deer require or you don't.

To bad your other neighbors deer on the other 3 sides won't be crossing your land to access the neighbor who is feeding deer.....silly deer.

Golf is always an alternative...Sure wish I had a couple of neighbors that fed like that, we would have some monsters.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence....

Usually because the neighboring property owner takes better care of it.

Just because baiting is legal does not mean you have to bait. If you don’t like hunting with bait don’t. This is pretty simple.

Deserving of a like.

This is your issue right here. You want to level the playing field by taking something away. Your neighbor is feeding more and you don’t want to, so instead of choosing to feed to the same level he is, your suggestion is to do away with it.

If it has to do with nature, nothing will ever be equal. Take away the feeders and he could still have better quality land, and therefore hold more game naturally. What would be the argument then?

There a so many things you can do to improve the hunting on your property besides feeding. Deer have daily and seasonal needs.

The guy with more money than you might also have more skills than you. They're not mutually exclusive. This basic jealousy, although stated above politely, has been around since the dawn of man. Hence the 10th Commandment.

Nothing wrong with competition. In fact, it should make you stronger.

I agree. I've noticed that any time these ridiculous threads are posted, most of the time "I don't care how other's hunt" themes actually mean that they do care. They actually care alot or they wouldn't post a stupid question on the subject.

I think it would be a great idea to make feeding, baiting, or whatever you want to call it illegal. That way we could run over 10 times as many as we do on the highway ever year. I'm sure insurance companies wouldn't mind. I'm sure range conditions would vastly improve with the deer population increasing by about 5 times.

I feed a lot, year round and I appreciate the opportunity to be a good steward of the resource. My neighbor doesent start feeding until October, I’m certain he takes a deer or two that have been surviving off the feed I put out. But I’m not mad about it, because I’m certain I take a deer or two every year that spends 90% of its time on property that is not owned by me, only coming across to hit the drive thru and then walk back across. It’s part of the give and take. Unless he is shooting more than his share I don’t see why it matters f he is feeding more. Wildlife is certainly benefiting from it.

It’s the people that don’t want to give equal effort but want everything to be equal that stick in my craw

My neighbor told me he didn't see any deer except the ones on my side of the rusty old fence this year. I feed year round and he starts in September maybe. I did add an extra protein feeder that the deer love to hang around. The buck I took was never on any of my cameras set on 20 acres. He just showed up one day during the rut and I couldn't resist.

My “ridiculous” thread was simply questioning if others think too much emphasis is placed on feeders. Some of you guys are pretty touchy on this subject. But I don’t really appreciate being called “stupid.” I’ve hunted deer longer than many of you have been alive, and feeders are a relatively new trend. I know it’s widespread in Texas (certainly more than any other state) but it’s not common everywhere, nor legal. My opinion (and I respect the right for each of you to have one) is that I wish it wasn’t allowed by the Wildlife Department in my state. It only became legal here 4 years ago. I choose not too, but like many, have done it too. Frankly, I got tired of buying corn and feeding raccoons and turkeys. But I work countless hours improving the habitat on my property, by planting trees, agricultural fields, etc. And I’m not “jealous” of others who tend their feeders. But there’s no doubt it affects deer movement, or people wouldn’t do it. Does it guarantee that you’ll kill a monster buck? Of course not. But does it draw deer to the feeding site? Absolutely it does. Who can deny that? Of course, the same could be said of my plantings, but I prefer enhancing the habitat to bait, and I think it’s healthier for the deer herd.

But I don’t understand your logic. You’re saying if feeders or baiting was made illegal, the deer population would increase by “five times”? Can you explain how that would be?

Forums are for having mature discussions. Maybe I’ll learn something, or maybe you will. Nothing I’ve said was meant to be confrontational, or criticizing others for their actions. I simply expressed my opinion and ask what others thought. And I don’t think anything I’ve said is stupid or ridiculous. I think my points are valid, and I know feeding deer corn and supplements is here to stay.

I hunt over corn feeders sometimes, and sometimes just in areas known to have deer movement. If we compare that to how I hunted decades ago, I hunted on the edges of bean fields - soybeans - and sometimes just in areas known to have deer movement. Not much of a change, except corn replaced planted soybeans.

I started hunting deer in the mid 60's when I in grade school and we fed corn out of coke wooden boxes or 320z soft drink bottles or hand corn. We then had hanging wind feeders in the late 60's to early 70's. I had a friend build me my very first corn timed feeder when I provided him with a 24/7 oilfield battery operated dial type clock. We made our first spin feeder then bought new ones that were solar eye type after that and have one or more out since then. Texas has a very long deer season and liberal bag limits due to a huge population of deer. If we could not bait or use feeders the population would boom and bust in cycles depending on weather. Feeders and deer blinds allow hunters to take more deer off of an already stressed habitat. Most of the regions in the state are over CC. Herd management decisions on which and what type of deer are based off of trail cam info from feeders. Then you know where to go to remove those deer. Same can be done on food plots or at water sources. Feeders, habitat enhancement, supplementation, etc are all a part of deer management program on the vast majority of ranches around the state. Owned or leased land all fall into that category.

Thanks for your reply. I’ve hunted deer in Texas 3 times. (And many other states). It’s definitely far different habitat than anywhere else I’ve hunted. And no doubt feeders do all you say. We don’t have the weather extremes in SC, so our deer population is pretty steady. And for sure, feeders allow you to get photos and gather info. So I understand supplemental feeding in Texas is huge.

What do you think would happen to the deer population in Texas if supplemental feeding (corn and protein pellets) stopped?Do you think the population depends on it? I’m just curious.

SC is different. I don’t see feeding used so much as managing the herd, but more a way to make it easier to hunt. And to take photos. We just don’t have huge ranches to manage. Most guys I know hunt small tracts or even public land. So understand what I see of guys who use feeders here, they don’t do squat to enhance or develop the herd. They just want to put up a stand over the feeder and pop a deer that is stupid enough to show up in daylight.

I’ll say Texas is an amazing place. First time I hunted there near Throckmorton, I couldn’t believe the wildlife in a place that looked so desolate. I saw so many deer and other game. Plus the people I met were super nice. That’s why this SC guy is on this Texas forum. You guys live in a hunting Mecca.

No the population does not depend on any supplemental feed or corn. The do use any and all feeders when they need them. If they are dependent on those feeders then that property has way to many deer for the habitat to start with. Many ranchers or leases use feeder year round now but the vast majority who feed it do not feed it year round nor do they do it properly. The major issue with Texas now is the vast size of the state and the sheer amount of deer. Texas has 254 counties....252 have whitetail deer and the population is now 5.3 million deer. If hunters did not bait/ feed the population would be even more difficult to control. Statewide we do not take enough deer off every year. Road kill by vehicles can attest to that. Antler Restrictions have helped buck numbers grow but also doe numbers in many areas. Buck quality in almost every region of the state is really good. Hunters like seeing deer and are reluctant to kill a doe or enough does. I was told by Dr. James Kroll that in some research they did back 30 yrs ago, that if a hunter did not see 7 deer per sit ......they felt it was not a successful hunt. Hunters want to see deer, so they have helped the population grow. Less does in the herd does not mean less fawns are born...it can mean more fawns survive. Being that Texas is huge in size and almost all private land, the landowners care about the wildlife on their land. It is a renewable resource that has value. Many landowners want and encourage hunters or even require hunters to manage and/or supplement when they lease. It means more money for the landowner when he leases due to heathier, older and larger deer on the ranch. Hunting in Texas not really a hobby but a lifestyle. Many from out of state view Texas landscape and hunting from what they have seen in movies, in print or on TV hunting shows. Many view Texas flat, arid desolate land and all of it being HF with only bred and released deer. If they ever come to Texas they will find it much different than what they have perceived it to be.

Feeders are ( and have been ) so widespread here in Texas that there are vastly more properties hunted that use them, than do not. Even ranches that do not have alot of spin feeders still spread corn by using tailgate or road feeders.

Its more of a foreign concept in many other areas ( and very well may be less effective ) plus you have to factor in issues like potential CWD spread in areas like michigan and ohio where they herd up in the winter time. There, food plots are more common.

IMO it affects deer movement to the same degree as a productive food plot or heavy acorn producing oak tree would. Here in central texas movement at a feeder becomes very slow when the acorns are dropping. A big oat or wheat field will also pull deer in from miles around.

We also have a very unique terrain here in Texas that is unlike other areas of the country. If you took away feeding, it would be very hard to hunt the brush country of south texas or the western edwards plateau around Ozona.

For whitetail, blind and feeder combination is not my preferred way to hunt and would much rather hunt a open food plot or heavy used trail, but to aschew feeders completely would mean I would get very few opportunities on the majority of the places I hunt.

Aside from rattling, majority of whitetail deer hunting is an ambush type of situation…..your either watching a feeder, watching a trail, watching a field, etc. the type of terrain most of them live in and their nature isn’t very conducive to spot and stalk type hunting.

No the deer population in Texas do not depend on supplemental feed. We don’t have harsh winters like mid west which actually does depend on supplementation through Agriculture to help with winter survival and carrying capacity

High density deer areas in Texas typically just mean lighter body weights.


Essentially if you want to play this game you need to have a better understanding of ecology specifically whitetail deer

BDB nailed it. Bam. Done.

I wasn't representing that our deer in TX depend on supplemental feed. I was stating an obvious fact that thousands of deer are killed over/near feeders every year here, and if that stopped there would be more deer survive. Do that over several years and you have a population much higher than it is now, and the habitat will reflect that.

Three different properties with different deer density. Sure deer are everywhere but densities are not the same. You can't take a deer where there are no deer. Each place has different rules but the goals are the same. Hunting over bait is sometime necessary to keep things in check. Educating hunters on management is more important than stopping baiting.

Robertson County before feeding program


Robertson County after feeding program



Zavala County


Webb County

Amen. It does have a familiar smell to it though.

I honestly don't think feeders affect deer movement all that much. For example, I have two feeders 1200 yards apart. Each feeder has its own group of deer that frequent it. Out of 15-20 different bucks, only 2-3 show up at both feeders on camera. This was true even after one feeder was intentionally left unfilled.

Deer have a home range and outside the rut pretty much stay in it. Now, if that home range overlaps your place and mine, can I pull him over the fence to a feeder? Yes, but he can also go back just as easily and will, especially during the rut. Deer work their area, you can't guarantee which place he'll be on at any given time.

And for the record, anything more than buck-naked and bare-handed is an advantage. Hunt any legal way you want and remember we're all on the same team.

No, feeders is bad, bad, bad. inherently, they provide an unfair advantage which is not worthwhile. In addition, they sully the hunting experience for the ignorant ones out there who do not truly know how to hunt the right way. if a hunt is not successful and someone close by has a feeder, then the fault all lies on them. Can't be on the poor ethically minder hunter in his failed attempts at securing venison the correct way.

Unless it's a woman, I do not want to think about this. And young. A young woman. And slim. I forgot slim.

Now...what about water? There's a drill rig going to my place tomorrow to punch a hole on the south side of the ranch. From what I can tell off of 2016 photos on Google Earth, there's not a lot of surface water in that area. And, even though I'm fighting it, I know that there'll be a feeder (and blind) not far from there. Maybe the old fart that built a blind on the other place, not too far away, will like me at least.

yes, everybody wants you.

I can not remember a time when I have killed a buck at a feeder on this place. Only thing I shot that was at the feeder was that polka dotted pig. The does I shot, and the spike, were 60 to 250 yards from the feeder.

My theory, which is worth all you paid for it, is that feeders cause favorable movement patterns (favorable to me, I admit). Feeders bring rabbits, coons, and squirrels. They, in turn, bring coyotes, foxes, hawks, owls, and bobcats (none of which I shoot these days). And the deer and pigs come to the corn. The does attract the bucks. A good feeder has it’s own little ecosystem. Without a feeder, all you have is to hunt movement areas. Nothing wrong with that, but I like watching the wildlife.

When I was a kid, the family called me “the Mad Butcher” for all the deer I shot. I’m past that now, being more like Brother Jimmy Swaggert now. I like to watch…

Apologies to the Swaggert fans…

Guess it's against the rules and poor morals to look for companionship at the happy hour buffet at Wrinkles.

That would be an old folks feeder?

He's drinking more than I am. Pay no attention to him.

Heck, I’m drinking too. White wine. Most of a bottle so far, though that only puts me on the front edge of drunk texting.

You were on the OT section saying there was no problem fetching dogs off of someone else's property without permission, in your opinion, but you weren't trying to stir anything up.

Sure does sound to me like you're trying to stir things up...

Charlie

I never hunt over bait, its for the weak















Unless you consider corn bait

Yeah you started a war

Did someone say polka dotted pig?

Stxranchman - Your post is dead on - I grew up doing exactly what you described - I fed corn out of soft drink bottles and wood boxes too - also used the wind feeders - we could not afford anything else. To the OP - to say feeders are "are a new trend" is silly if for anyone who grew up in Texas - some of us are "touchy" because we have lived and hunted here all of our lives and you come from somewhere else and question how we hunt? If you do not like how we hunt in Texas then it is your choice to leave - goodnight

I can still remember Ol' Manlee feeding four senderos with corn out of a one pound coffee can and often seeing the biggest deer.

Should this be a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em thread"?

Anyone have some of those old buckets with the wind "agitator" on the bottom laying around? All the ones we had have drifted away and I could use one for over a hog box trap. 'Guess I could make one, but I'm not very handy.

Try Gibson's in Kerrville...if they don't have one I bet they have the parts to make one.

Seems simple to me, don't like bait don't hunt over it. No one is forcing anyone to hunt over a feeder.
I hunt 'em for hogs and they help quite a bit. Haven't had the pleasure of hunting deer on the family place in a good while but I chose to sit away from feeders, on travel routes and saddles.
Sometimes never know there is a feeder nearby.

I tend to give the OP a little break as he may just wonder about the hunting heritage in Texas and not mean to stir up you know what. Don't know him though so... the dog thread was enlightening.

Plenty of states that don't allow baiting, pick one of those to hunt if it bothers you.

Of the 50, 22 states have legalized the use of deer baits either in selected parts or in the entire state. On the other hand, the remaining 28 states do not allow deer baiting. 14 of the 22 states that allow deer baiting allow it state wide while the remaining 8 only allow the practice in specific parts.

It was Gene or Barry Wensal who wrote an article for Traditional Bowhunter or PBS magazine about ethics, etc. If your against baiting for animals that live on land, are you against threading a "minner" on a hook for a crappie? And some extreme hypocrites argue for baiting bears and not deer.

Very good article I wish I could post it

Hud is right about putting a coffee can of corn out. We have one hunter who does exactly that except he puts out more like 5 gallons when he does hunt. No feeder but he may have a feeder block. Most likely the hogs get the block before the deer do.

I bait fish too.

This is the second year for Alabama to allow hunting over bait. But our glorious legislature never wastes an opportunity to steal another dollar from their citizens. You must buy a $15 baiting permit. $51 if out of state.

They all allow baiting. Not one state that has restrictions on shooting an animal over an ag field. Colorado has language that’s essentially useless as it restricts food plots for hunting, but how do you regulate alfalfa and winter wheat, you don’t. You just turn cattle loose.

In reply to the OP's first post here on this thread.

I say to each his own and as long as you are hunting legally I'm good with it.

That said, I prefer to try and kill a mature buck with as big of head gear as he can grow and that includes feeding cottonseed and protein in the antler growing season. In fact, I'll be going back this weekend to put out another ton of cottonseed and I may even start the protein since antler growing will begin soon.

As far as hunting over bait to me it is a no brainer at all and it gives the hunter a much better look at the deer in the area and a chance to judge them and pick out a good, mature deer to take.


Again, I say to each his own but I've killed enough deer in my life that now it is not about 'killing a deer' anymore, it is about 'killing the deer'. Meaning a damn good one or at least one that I've picked out from game cam pics and have targeted.

I'm going to go out on a limb and hope that any hunter against baiting has never/will never hunt a leopard.

I'm going out on a limb and say no hunter has ever not hunted over bait. Food and water are bait

Yep. That's right. The woods are full of bait. Find the best tree, grass, tank or stream and naturally they are drawn to it just like they are drawn to corn scattered about.

If only natural food sources could be timed to become available much like a feeder throws corn at selected times during the day.

White oaks and persimmons trump corn 10-1, in my limited experience.

They are, it just normally takes more country then some have leased, or more time checking food sources for utilization.

My old ranch corn feeders were worthless. Deer would walkover corn to get to: alfalfa, winter wheat, soybeans, white oaks, persimmons, honey locust pods etc depending on which had hit it's preferred palatability

That's totally inconsistent. You're not condemning them - you just wish their way of hunting was illegal, while your way of hunting was still legal.

PETA folks also wish your way of hunting was illegal.

I've turned down free trips to kill 200" deer on high fence places to instead spend those weekends on massive, wild low fence places spot-and-stalk shooting smaller (but still very nice) deer. I get it. But I'm damn sure not going to go around wishing other peoples' approach to hunting was ILLEGAL. Not only is that meddling, it sets a bad precedent.

Baiting is a broad brushed word, is it considered baiting when I hunt over a 300 acre soybean field, 250 acre corn field or 300 acres of winter wheat? I have zero issues with however anyone chooses to hunt as long as it’s during daylight hours for deer and doesn’t involve a dog of which I wouldn’t have an issue with either if they stayed on their own property, I personally feel anyone that does have an issue with hunting over “Bait” whatever that may be is probably a hypocrite if the truth be told.

As a red blooded American I’m pretty open minded to everyone’s choices and decisions on how they prefer to hunt a furry woodland creature. Having said that I havnt hunted over a feeder for deer in a long long long time but it’s not because I wouldn’t, it’s because the deer we hunt are never seen around one so the only feeders we run are strictly for pulling\killing pigs to a certain part of ranch away from the bedding areas so to each thr own.

Your comments bring up a good point. That is, how someone can use a feeder to take far more deer than their small, two or three acre tract can support and see harm done.

I found a white oak tree, many other smaller acorn type trees, 3 persimmon trees and many plum trees. I know the plums rarely make it to maturity and are gone just as the fawn drop starts and bluestem is mowed, the white oaks drop in November, the persimmons last until December. The rest don't matter because the smaller deer and pigs suck them up. The time between each cycle the deer hit protein if its dry. If it's not dry then I don't see a lot of deer until the other acorns gone and they start hitting the white oak acorns. I guess there eating underbrush in the creek the rest of the time. It's all bait to me on 20 acres that I thought I didn't have deer on until I started watching a doe and a fawn lead the way to these other food sources. They still eat corn year round or at least something does but the big guys hang around the protein that no one is aloud to hunt. I've never really seen a big old buck eat at a feeder but the best bait are the hot does that do.

As long as you're hunting legally, hunt how ya want!

The men who taught me how to hunt would always cut open the stomach of every deer taken to see what they had been eating. A very common sense approach to determine where to focus your efforts. Of course, no need for that when it's obvious what you've been feeding them. It was also the best way to determine if your neighbors had been baiting them at a time and place where it wasn't legal.

Bait is what you put on a hook.