My what would you do?
Whitetail Deer
Lou's threads got me thinking and I wanted to ask what people would do. This is actually a scenario that happened to me. I got permission on a huge piece of private in Kansas. I killed 3 big bucks from the same tree on this piece. I did not get back to Kansas for 2 years. When I finally got back to hunt I went to my spot as I had left stand and sticks and everything in the tree. When I got in there I see a trail camera and get to the tree there is a lot of corn spread all around the field I am covering. Turns out the farmers grabdson new about the big deer I killed and wanted to see if he could get one on camera and possibly kill one. I was not upset as it is not my property but what upset me is I am not someone who hunts over bait. So I checked his trail cam and there were 3 bucks over 150"s on it. I thought long and hard but I refused to hunt not only that tree but that whole sections as the deer were coming to the bait from various spots. So what would you do?? Would you hunt this spot or move on to a different part of the farm?? There are several thousand acres and plenty of other spots but this was "The Spot" on the entire farm. Thanks! Shawn
If his grandson was hunting and he was still letting you hunt it, first thing I would do was make sure his grandson was happy. Because if not your days are likely numbered. I'd give that spot up to grandson and try and make friends with him.
Yep! I would definitely give up the spot even if there was no bait! I’d rather hunt an area that none of the landowners relatives were hunting............even if it was a “lesser” spot!
The bait would be a deal-breaker for me. Big place, plenty of possibilities. Guess it just depends on what’s most important to you.
having already killed 3 nice bucks from that location makes it easy for me to give it up and move to another spot, especially for a youngster. i'd give the grandson some advice, sounds like he may need it.
Never leave your stands up.
I would definitely start hunting elsewhere on the property, especially since it is several thousand acres. Years ago two of my friends and I had permission to hunt an 80 woodlot. The farmer also had a grandson that liked to ride his quad on the trails. One day one of my friends was hunting when the grandson started riding the trails…….and, my friend actually stopped him and chewed him out for doing so. Well, long story short, we ended up losing that property to hunt. The other friend and I were not too happy for his stupidity!
I wouldn't leave my stand up on a property I was not currently hunting. For one, it indicates that someone deemed the spot good enough for the last guy, and it makes it too damn easy for someone to hunt it to find out for themselves if it was good enough to hunt lol.
Don't want to sound judgemental or rough no one is perfect . However its been two years since your return . Say someone stole your stand stuff and the grandson did not do it and was not aware of what you left and you arrive after two years and he is set up there . Imagine even though its not your land and the young man is accused of moveing your stuff ? Even in your mind . Another thing ( point ) regardless of bait etc why would you check another person's game cam if its not on your land or does not belong to you . Remember two years gone . If I misread your original post accept my apology .
I'd spank myself for leaving the stand and sticks up and be glad that the kid didn't get hurt on them. If the baiting is legal then I'd just find another spot away from the bait on the same farm. If the baiting is illegal I'd have to gently inform the kid that it's illegal and ask the kid if he was going to continue baiting. If so, I'd find another farm to hunt.
Show him that apples are better bait;-)
Just kidding Shawn.
Gift him the stand and sticks, replace the straps and attach a safety rope for him and move on. Stay in touch and swap stories.
Family first and foremost. Did you have permission to check the grandsons cameras? If not, you’d lose your permission on my property. I don’t care if the kid was baiting or not. I certainly would not hunt a spot that had been baited.
Matt.
I would move on as well. If this is a rut stand. You should be able to find another that is as good.
I'd agree. Chances are, the grandson will figure out how to get it all to himself anyway. Make friends while you can, and stop talking about the big bucks.
Yes!!! Stop talking about big bucks. He'll know what's out there anyway, find another spot and don't tell what you shoot unless you absolutely have to. Make friends with yhe kid and for sure change those straps!
Might find a better spot elsewhere on the farm. I know the grandson thing, and he may be calling the shots someday on who hunts. Keep him happy and be happy you have permission now. Everything could change next year.
I'd spike the trail, piss on the bait n steal the camera. (Grin)
Did you meet the grandson? Sounds like you are still in a position to be the envy of many, many hunters. Big chunk of private, with good bucks on it.
The bait would be a deal killer for me as well. Wish the grandson well and find the 2nd best spot
I would sit In the tree and shoot a 150 and smile:)
The bait would be a deal-breaker for me. Big place, plenty of possibilities. Guess it just depends on what’s most important to you.
I cant answer this as I would not have touched a camera that wasnt mine without specific permission to do so.
Is baiting legal there? Cameras? If 'yes', and the youngster is not violating any law, just find another spot. If 'no', talk to the grandfather. If he's ok with the kid breaking the law, move on.
I wouldn’t know HOW to check the camera, but I’ll say that does seem like a line I wouldn’t think to cross unless I knew that there was no one else authorized to have placed one there.
I used to hunt a property on which no one else had permission, but the caretaker was allowing another guy to maintain a bait station and cameras kind of on the down-low. Have to say I didn’t much care for never knowing if I was on candid camera when I was out there, but I knew approximately where the pile was and stayed out of that specific area. Just hunted the same tree that I always had, or spent my time on the ground on the network leading into that pinch point.
If a baited hunt is not your thing, but the bucks you saw on his cam are, they’re somewhere else for 23 hours of the day. Try and find them elsewhere and hunt them. Of course they’ll be a lot more patternable because they’re coming to bait but oh well. I bet you those deer are a lot more killable off the bait pile than on.
“I bet you those deer are a lot more killable off the bait pile than“
Worth repeating!!
Just be happy that you still can hunt he property, for now. The grandson is bound to have friends that will want to get in on the action. If and when that happens you may be the odd man out. Find another spot on the farm and remove your gear after every sit or chances are there will be a pile of corn there someday.
You would be wise to help out the grandson as much as possible and move on to a diff spot.
I'd find a new spot and try not to piss off the grandson or pap.
Can't believe how everyone complains about baiting, but love to hunt over a cornfield or a lush food plot. Same ol story all the time. Baiting is legal in Kansas , as it is in many states. Nothing wrong with hunting it. Sometimes i do, sometimes i dont. Killed far more deer without bait, but i have zero issues hunting near it if i decide to. Hell, we make hunting hard by taking a bow in the first place. Why sweat the methods? Is the grandson using a crossbow too?
If it means a lot to you, explain to the grandson why you were able to succeed on those good bucks in that spot without bait. Might be the best investment you could make for a variety of reasons.
The grandson is family, I would look to buy my own property and call all of the shots.
I am blessed to have permission from a landowner of a lot of property in Kansas as well. My buddy and I have hunted there for about 15 yrs and have become great friends with the landowner... we even stay at his house for 10-12 days every fall!
The landowner and son-in-law only rifle hunt. Last year I bought a bow and all the fixin's for his 8 yr old grandson. The kid was beyond excited!! So was his whole family! Dad, mom (landowners daughter)and Grandpa and Grandma (the landowners). Every day we were out there, I'd take him out to a big round bale and teach him alI could about form and safety. Later in the week he put on a shooting display for his other grandparents. He was pretty damn proud...and so was I!
My buddy was kinda miffed...kinda like "He might take the hunting away from us when he gets older!" I told him to stop bitching.
My thoughts are this kid will probably be our biggest advocate when he's running the show!
Honestly, like my brother I think you're better off killing those bucks not on bait. I would quietly retreat to a different spot on the farm, kill a big one, and then use that as a learning experience for the young guy. Results will speak louder than words and you can convert him to hunt proper with results.
I would not checked the kids trial camera,pulled my stand due to some rodent damage and learned to not leave my stands up for kids to find. You are last on the food chain,be smarter.
Surly you have a B, C, D spot picked out. Let the youngster have the spot, it is his grandpa's farm and you haven't been there in 2 years. If bait is legal, so be it.
I’d move on and as someone said gift the stand to the kid after making sure it’s safe. 3k is a lot of acres! Also don’t leave your stand up or risk losing the spot again!
Like most have said, talk with the grandson, move in to a different spot, ask him if he needs the stand, then I’d have a snickers knowing I can hunt others areas.
That’s awesome Fuzz! Very well handled.
Everyone assumes this grandson is a kid? Maybe he isn’t? It’s someone else’s property so you better respect it or which family is using it as well. Definitely move to a different spot, don’t check someone else’s trail camera, go introduce yourself and maybe make a new friendship.
So we are clear there was no issue with the grandson. He is not a kid by the way but in his mid to late 20's. He has killed some giant muleys and has offered if I ever drew a mule deer tag to put me on some great bucks. My point is the bait, Its just not for me but I know guys who after killing 160-170" deer in a spot would keep hunting said spot regardless. The landowner and I are what we both consider friends so no worries there either. He even said he would tell the grandkids to stop putting out food in the areas I hunt. I again am just curious if you would keep hunting that particular area having killed your best bucks there. Shawn
Also I have to laugh at a lot of the comments. The kid(27 years old) knew about my stand and my sticks. It has a safety line. The kid and I have spoken a lot, no issues. I guess i did not make it clear, my issue is putting out the bait. Kid could care less that I checked his camera. I just was curious who would keep hunting that tree now that it was being baited!! Hell the kids don't really care about whitetails, he has several 170" mule deer, he was just looking for a giant whitetail. Shawn
Shawn,
Why is that the “spot” on the farm? Pinch point? Mast? Local deer tavern?
Deer were coming there before the bait for some reason. Identify that. If “that” is still drawing deer, what does the bait matter? Hunt your standards, and don’t worry about others, except the owner and relatives.
I wouldn't hunt it unless the corn had been naturally dropped there by a combine. ;-)
Let's see some pics of those 160-170 bucks you've killed at that stand, Shawn!
If the bait bothers you (which I completely understand), just move your stand away from it. A few hundred yards maybe? They may be headed towards the bait but we all know a lot can change in 200 yards.
If you don’t own it, it’s only a matter of time before your OWT
Shawn,
Who the hell cares if he's putting out bait to get trail cam pics? Look at the pics. You should both hunt that stand. Communicate with him and give him the opportunity to hunt it and you hunt it when he isn't. Share intel. Become friends and help him. No need to be holier than thou and tell him the way he's doing is wrong. Who cares? Kansas is covered in corn, milo and wheat. Almost all of us sit on 100's of acres of it. No feeders or bait but I do.
Last year we weren't allowed to put up stands on a section of river bottom because the landowner wanted the grandson to have a sanctuary come rifle season. We respected that and it was a sanctuary. The grandson hadn't spent more than 4 hours hunting once rifle season came in the section and saw nothing. (you can't ride a side by side at dawn and expect to see one) He had given up.
2nd weekend of rifle I took the kid and we walked the section and at 9 am he shot a 150 whitetail. He had no one to show him how to hunt other than shoot em from the pick up window. Pretty sure we'll be able to hunt that section this bow season. :)
Grandson is a blessing. Who cares if he spread some corn in a state that's covered in it.
