Late winter bow hunting question???

[Big Blue]

Hello everyone.. Hope everyone had a great safe successful season so far.I posted earlier in the year and unfortunately was unable to hunt the property I acquired this season in Monmouth county. I heard it is known to have quality genetics down there. I am new to this bating scene and heard it can reap big benefits late season. I am hunting private property😁I put a feeder out about a week ago and so far only have three scrub bucks with one small 8 point on camera. Will mature deer eventually find this food source? I'm pretty sure there is zero pressure where I am hunting... Any info would be greatly appreciated thanks

[Nomad]

Did you put out a battery operated feeder?   I'm not sure how well they work for mature deer.  Maybe someone else will chime in about that.  I only used them for a short while and then the bears destroyed them.   Not worth the trouble trying to bear proof them to me. 

I scatter the bait around on the ground, usually twice a week at midday.  I do have mature bucks coming in to that, and if they are around, you should at least get night time pictures of them.

[Merkel]

For what it’s worth, I know guys who have consistently shot decent bucks walking to a tripod battery operated feeder in zone 12.   I use a hanging feeder and only seem to attract does and young bucks. I suppose it depends on where you are located but I’m thinking of abandoning the feeder next season in lieu of micro food plot and hinge cutting. 

[Bones]

I use one in the center on my lease all year long, it takes a while for mature deer to get  comfortable with the noise and the shape. After a while they will show up but if you stop using it or the battery dies and you don’t get to it for a few weeks your back to square 1 and have to wait again. We don’t hunt over the feeder the bigger deer will hang in the back and let the youngsters eat at it.

ive had better luck with gravity feeders no noise or the odd shape. Just my experience 

[Tbryant]

We have a "neighborhood feeder" that we were asked to put in the neighbors yard. Old people love looking at wildlife but usually does and little guys hit it like clock work everyday. The bigger ones that are around tend to stop in for a few moments then move out. Very rarely have we ever seen quality bucks stay and feed off the feeder. I don't use feeders at any of my stands so I can't compare the locations but I have mostly heard cons on using tripod feeders while trying to kill mature deer.

 

[Big Blue]

It is a boss Buck gravity feeder.... Ive never used bait before...I've had a pretty good season so far and was looking to top it off with a late-season bow kill.... I found some big rubs where I am hunting.... Just haven't been able to do any camera work until now..... I can keep the feeder fed and will monitor on a weekly basis.... I put the camera on a main run heading to the feeder. I heard Monmouth county has some big bucks and hopefully can get my hands on one.... I've shot two nice bucks already this year and have plenty of meat. We'll keep you posted. Thanks for the information. This is a really useful website. 

[Big Blue]

[nmc02]

Rut & winter bow are my favorite times to bowhunt. The tricky part is not shooting drop bucks. If the doe seems to be extra big....pass. Baiting in winter bow is normally the most productive time to bait. Lastly, I only hunt afternoons for two reasons....cold in mornings & tough not to spook the big bucks in morning. For whatever reasons, my buck pics are a few minutes before dark and dark. No first light pics. I am still hoping to catch up w a giant ghost

[JHbowhunter]

I would be very leery of introducing a new noisy "food machine" to mature bucks.     I think feeders would be great for the deer that "grow up with it" and become accustomed to it.

I feel bucks intelligence and survival ability DOUBLES each year they live. 

I would take Nomad's advice with what little hunting time we have left.    Maybe re-introduce the feeder later in summer - but again, bucks over age 3 may not acclimate to it.

[Lunatic]

IMO it take a long time for a baiting site to produce mature deer, They need to get used to it

[nmc02]

2 hours ago, Lunatic said:

IMO it take a long time for a baiting site to produce mature deer, They need to get used to it

I agree...however, that pic of buck I posted came two days after bait was put out and comes nearly daily ALL AT NIGHT.

[Lunatic]

2 hours ago, nmc02 said:

I agree...however, that pic of buck I posted came two days after bait was put out and comes nearly daily ALL AT NIGHT.

Well that’s the point. At night they will feed in your back yard

Edited January 11, 2019 by Lunatic

[Big Blue]

My first camera check had a thosands pics both day and night....no shooters....will check in a couple of days