How to properly prepare a new bait site?
The hunting season is approaching and if you wish for some tips to attract deers on your site, here you will find some advices on how to manage the appropriate technique.
To start a new lure site, you must first of all get acquainted with the premises. During the months of May and June, take some time to cover on foot your hunting territory in order to find the ideal place to install your site. Personally, I try to locate a transition between leafy tree and conifer essence. If it is possible go for fir or pine tree essence as these are mostly prefered by deers.
If not, simply look for a cluttered or even filthy space on your hunting territory or hillside. The reason for this is that the deer being a prey will feel much safer in a covered space rather than in an open space.
To locate the best spot, check the easiest access to your site while paying attention to the wind factor. The deer has a keen sense of smell so you must make sure that the wind will not bring back odors on your lure site. You must as early as Spring locate your future hiding spot. You may wish to consider setting up in the periphery of your lure so that you may hunt around it rather than directly on it.
From personal experience, once I have located my spot in the Spring, I start with saltworks. Thanks to this method, there should be good trafic all Summer long. Deers will leave tracks and spread odors. It should create an addiction and a sense of security.
When the time has come, I use two distinct techniques to lure our cervid. First, a few weeks before, I start by placing a good quantity of apples. carrots, corn and feed. Deers appreciate variety so I like giving them a choice. I put enough of a quantity so that I don't have to go to my site too often. This will stop spreading human scent, not to mention that I don't disturb them.
When hunting time has arrived and if I see that my deers have changed their routine and they move mostly at night, I go for the surprise. I move just about 100m in a cluttered space watching out for the wind and then I put in a new bait in large quantity. In this case, I add one or two olfactory decoys so that deers will find my site as quickly as possible. As they have never seen bait on this site before and unknowingly, you might even be able to take a picture of a male, during the day, in the following 24 to 48 hours. After this delay, the deers have usually understood that this is a second lure and might be on the look-out and start moving again during the night. You may then start hunting in periphery of this site to outsmart your deer before he gets back to your lure.
Important details for the days preceding hunting opening :
During the two weeks prior to hunting opening, it is important that there is almost no human presence on your territory. No human scent must be left and beware of your moves on your hunting sector. During these two weeks preceding opening, I usually dress myself with hunting or neutral odor clothes. I don't move around too much in forest so that I do not leave any scent or disturb the deers. If I have to set up a lookout or cameras, I make sure to spray my equipment with some odor destroyer. If your start your hunting season later, say October or November, make sure you rake your access trails carefully in order to make less noise as possible. The purchase of cellular cameras might be a good asset as it might prevent from stepping in your hunting sector.
Have a good hunting season!
Etienne Bergeron
Meunerie Soucy