LAST EDITED ON Oct-08-09 AT 03:03PM (MST)[p]HH,
You know, you might be on to something.
Many years ago, I did an archery hunt near Rogers City, on the northern tip of Michigan. On the drive north, I was cracking up at all the places along the highway that had signs advertising the sale of sugar beets, corn and other various baits. They sold stuff by the bag or by the you-load truck loads, etc.
Unfortunately, I didn't know it before I went, but the humor of it was lost when I found out we were relegated to blinds that either overlooked a pile of sugar beets or a solar-powered, automatic corn feeder.
There were four us hunting a small parcel that probably wasn't more than a couple acres. So there was no other way for me to hunt without disturbing my buddies.
I was assigned an elevated blind that was acutally meant for rifle hunters. In order to draw my bow, I had to slump down so the upper limb wouldn't hit the ceiling. I also had to stand back from the window because it folded in and up, thus also would be a danger to the upper limb on release.
Sooo...bright and early the first day at dawn, I climb into my perch. As soon as it got light, I heard the "whirrrr" of the feeder and it spewed breakfast on the ground into a 20-ft. circle. Within five minutes several does with fawns were joined by a couple turkeys, a few black squirrels and a porky for the morning meal. As soon as the corn had been devoured, all the critters disappeared back into their daytime hidey holes. The scenario -- the loud "whirrrr" and procession to the dining room -- repeated itself again just before the sun went down.
On the 2nd day, a small buck came in, but since I had two more days to hunt, I didn't shoot. Same for day 3. On the last day, I decided to take the first buck that came to munch. It was the small buck. Sooo...I stooped down, drew my bow and had him dead in my sight. I released and watched my arrow sail a foot over his back at less than 20 yards. I was stunned, knowing I was shooting 3" groups at that distance.
Then it dawned on me that I had been looking through the sight, which was well above the arrow itself. Sure enough, when I looked at the window sill, I could see where the broadhead had sliced the edge on its way to the buck. It was just enough of a tick to send it upward for a healthy margin of miss.
This was the only time I've hunted deer over bait. I also hunted black bear ONCE in Ontario (1991?) over bait -- 55 gal. drums filled with steenkin' fish. I didn't kill a bear because the two that came in were barely 150 lbs. each. Beside, I was too busy wrasslin' with ticks.
The three big blacks I've taken were taken spot & stalk in BC where baiting is illegal.
Since the bait hunt for bear, I have refused to hunt any critter over bait. I also don't like using a blind or treestand because for me it's an awful boring way to hunt. Now, thinking back, I can remember only two deer I've killed from stands or blinds, and both were on the same hunt in TX during the early 1970s. There was no bait involved, however.
TONY MANDILE
How To Hunt Coues Deer
