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Attractant

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Salt blocks will not do you much good this time of year. The reason deer seek them out has to do with spring green up. When they are eating a lot of green browse, their intake of potassium is high and it creates an instinctive desire for salt. The need for higher doses of salt comes from the fact the potassium interferes with sodium conversion in the body, which is crucial for antler development and lactation in does. Once they have completed both those processes and move away from green browse to soft/hard mast and agricultural crops, they have a decreased need (and desire) for salt. In essence, salt blocks are worthless for attractants this time of year.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I hope your little man gets to see some deer. I'm not a fan of the stuff on the shelves but I'm sure it sells well. . . .Every box store has a massive selection of it. I'm too cheap to buy corn or apples to set out. Sorry I am no help, but good luck!
 

Quantum673

Black Hat Cajun
Supporting Member
Having been through this myself several years ago. Best thing to do is plan short sits. Put some apples out in the morning and hunt evening. If he gets antsy and wants to leave, leave. Try to keep it fun for him. The sightings will come.

 

00buck

Junior Member
445
0
Thanks for the advice we managed to hunt about 3 or 4 hour sits last year hoping to do the same or better this year

 

Jake_C

Junior Member
buy some deer corn from a local feed store. corn and molasses mix sometimes they throw in ground apples. Thats what i used to put in front of my cameras and it would draw them in pretty quick. and its gonna be a lot cheaper than buying something in fancy packaging from walmart.
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
I put out apples and Pears. To be honest, last night was the first time I was considering shooting a target buck over my camera stand that I run bait. But he has been hitting it in daylight hours. The fruits will draw them in quicker than anything. Usually people will let you pick them up if you ask. And you can freeze them and throw them out later in the year if you so choose
 

Buckmaster

Senior Member
14,362
191
Portage
We managed to hunt about 3 or 4 hour sits last year hoping to do the same or better this year

I'd reduce that to 2-3 hour max sits. Just hunt from say 6pm till dark. Your sightings per hour sat will increase which will increase the fun level.
 

00buck

Junior Member
445
0
I'd reduce that to 2-3 hour max sits. Just hunt from say 6pm till dark. Your sightings per hour sat will increase which will increase the fun level.
Never thought of it like that normally he will play on my phone or something unless something moves

 

KYhunter

Junior Member
75
10
I've used a lot of the off the shelf stuff mainly just to see what was gimmick and what actually had some truth to it. Here is what I found with the deer around me. First I'll do swamp donkey since you mentioned it. Me and a buddy tried it, out it out at the same time and put cams over it on our separate property. My deer would walk by and not even sniff it. His camera however had a massive 170" 10 point start visiting the next day. That buck continued to visit as long as he kept it out, but his neighbor shot it after a hot doe. The only thing I've ever used that actually worked for me was the sugar beet crush. The deer on my place went wild for it and would be on it 20 min after I dumped it out. The funniest thing I've ever seen was c'mere deer lol buddy was getting pics of a few nice bucks! Decided to sweeten the spot with hank parkers secret weapon, and didn't get a single deer picture for 2 months on that spot lol
 

reo

Junior Member
484
68
N.E. Ohio
Corn. Just plain corn. No need to coat, pour or dress it with anything. Deer will come to a pile of corn next to a corn field or 5 miles away from a corn field. No need to complicate this.
Apples and pears work just as well but corn is readily available.