Bait for camera sites?

[CAW]

Just curious, other than traditional camera sites (trails, food plots, scrapes, etc.) what do you use to bait your camera sites? I know that there are a lot of products on the market designed to "attract" deer. But, I've always just used corn in my feeders and trophy rocks/minerals at my mineral sites. Have any of you had any success with something different?

 

[Beardendy88]

My favorite to use is good ole fashion molasses. I have used swamp donkey and its alright. Purple crush by wildgame innovations is not much pumpkin. Comer Deer has this new stuff out called corn coat and what I have seen so far its awesome stuff

 

[Shed Hunter]

I use deer cane. it's very hit and miss though

 

[cecil30-30]

Salt

 

[easy45]

I actually rarely use bait, I just try to concentrate on natural travel routes

 

[Vermin93]

Trophy Rocks get me lots of pictures and videos.

 

[BlountArrow]

I also rarely use baits, but recently started going with corn and molasses just to mix it up and see what happens. There are some bears in my area unfortunately and I haven't seen them or got pics of them this year yet. Molasses and corn will be sure fire way to know if they're still hanging around or have moved on. I will let you know how it works out. As for trophy rock, nothing against it, but remember it is over 93% salt.

 

[bassybuck47]

I just put out a bag of water softener pellets, added a couple of gallons of water, and mixed it into the dirt. The deer began hitting it almost overnight. Actually, they seem to be visiting it more than the blocks or deer cane. Could just be a coincidence, but the pellets seem to dissolve into the dirt quicker. The pellets are also about $3-4 per 40 lb. bag!

 

[timberjack86]

I sometimes use a little trails end scent to bring them in. It works year round.

 

[Phil1979]

Salt

 

[MUP]

Trophy Rocks get me lots of pictures and videos.

Same here.

 

[spitndrum]

Corn, Trophy Rock, Apples

 

[Knothead]

 

[gondo]

what does that stuff do? im not sure i know what that is for..

 

[Pic IN the Casa]

Trophy Rocks get me lots of pictures and videos.

Yep, I consistantly get more pics at TR sites than anything else.

 

[gondo]

how long do you continue to get pics at trophy rocks during the season?

 

[FIREMANJIM]

Trophy rock or go to the local co-op and get the red trace mineral salt. Dig a small hole or find a rotten stump and pour it in it. Then get some Grape Kool-Aid powder and pour it on top. Set up your camera and I bet a deer will hit it in less than 4 hours after you leave. They can not resist the Kool-Aid and the minerals keep them coming back. I guess the Kool-Aid helps them find the site. Works GREAT!!!

 

[DMD]

Usually put them over salt licks and put out a little of the gold nuggets each time I check my cams.

 

[double browtine]

Peanut butter works good to. Smear it on the bark of a tree.

 

[Josiah]

Would kool-aid count as bait for hunting?

 

[FIREMANJIM]

The smell from the kool aid just helps them find it really quick. They love it. Also if you guys will do some research you will find corn is the worse thing to feed deer. It is almost 100% carbohydrates. Provides nothing for antler growth at all. Also causes a hoof disease which makes them go lame.

 

[TheLBLman]

. . . . . corn . . . . . almost 100% carbohydrates. Provides nothing for antler growth at all.

Although deer need carbs in the fall and winter (which they typically get primarily from acorns), they need PROTEIN in the spring and summer.

If you artificially feed deer carbs, they will naturally eat less protein. Kinda like giving a kid a sack of candy right before dinner. Corn fed in the spring/summer will make the deer fatter, but may simultaneously reduce antler growth.

Ever since I had some corn kill off most of my turkeys a few years ago, I've used nothing but salt at a "bait" at camera sites. I use both red trace mineral salt (cheap and effective) as well as Trophy Rocks. But most of my cam set-ups are unbaited.

By the way, you can learn more about natural deer movement by using unbaited cam sites. Side benefits include being less likely to attract a poacher, being less likely to have your cams stolen. When you "bait" a location, that location becomes very noticeable, especially if you're using a pile of bright yellow corn. I've been able to discover previously unknown corn piles (put out by someone else) on several occasions from a distance of over 100 yards. Red trace mineral salt and trophy rocks are much less visible to others than corn.

 

[Obsession]

I use a variety of things including Trophy Rock, Black Magic, Deer Cane, and apples.

 

[lpo1981]

I have a mineral site here on my property I've used for 9 yrs now. Usually get loose trace mineral, stock salt, dical phosphate, deer cain, trophy rock and even used grape kool aid mixed with it. I usually get more pictures during the summer time when I have a trophy rock out. Checked my camera the other day while I was out and had 84 pictures in less than 48 hours with trophy rock and grape koolaid.