Acorns???

Hey guys,

I think i’m going through hunting withdrawls and I’m really starting to think outside the box these days…Here is my question.

I figured that with all the time and effort I put into food plots that don’t ever grow, I might be better off offering the deer a preferred food source, along with a more natural means of baiting than using corn.

I know this might sound a little crazy but has anyone ever “baited” with acorns??

I guess what I am trying to say is that I am thinking of going to a couple of local parks in the fall and collecting a good mast of acorns to place within bow range to draw the deer in closer.

First off, am I crazy for trying this???, and second is this legal to do? (Transporting/using acorns for bait?)

Thanks in advance!

I don’t believe using them pre-season is illegal, I would imagine (have to check the regs) but “placing” a food within 10 days of the start of a season, I believe is baiting. Now if you happen to be sitting in a big old oak, I don’t know what they could say….????

I wouldnt say crazy…but it would be A TON of work Kinda like baiting for bears before the season. Going back and forth, contaminating the area and hoping that they won’t have eaten it all up in that 10 days before the season Try using Acorn Rage That stuff is unbelievable!!

Its not crazy at all…I have trails through my dads woods down to hard pack dirt and its all Oak trees..I take the lawn sweeper and usually can get five or six 5 gallon pails full per sweep….But I used them in WI bow hunting where it is legal to use an amount of bait. I believe Big G is correct that if you move food that is naturally grown or not naturally grown (corn cobs, Acorns), its not legal during hunting season and condidered baiting. If you do collect them and decide to store them be careful because you will have little white worms crawling around everywhere in a week or so after collection that come from the acorn…good luck….Jay

Acorn Rage is also Illegal in MN. Mainly because it is chopped up acorns (nut) that is placed.

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Among the baiting restrictions are:

“bait or feed” is grain, fruit, vegetables, nuts, hay, or other food that is capable of attracting or enticing deer and that has been placed by a person

hunters are not allowed to use or hunt over bait or feed or hunt in the vicinity of bait or feed if the hunter knows about or has reason to know about the placement of the bait or feed

a person otherwise in compliance with this section who is hunting on private or public property that is adjacent to the property where bait or feed is present is not in violation if the person has not participated in, been involved with, or agreed to baiting or feeding wildlife on the adjacent property

an area is considered baited for 10 days after complete removal of the bait or feed

liquid scents, salt, minerals, and bird feeders containing grains or nuts that are at least 6 feet above the ground are not considered bait or feed

this restriction does not apply to foods resulting from normal or accepted farming, forest management, wildlife food plantings, orchard management, or similar land management activities.

The penalty for baiting includes a fine of between $150 and $200. If the deer is shot over bait, it’s an automatic $500 restitution payment.

It has been illegal to bait deer in Minnesota since 1991, but the law was strengthened at the request of hunters.

“These new provisions are intended to close some of the loopholes associated with baiting,” Smith said.

Such excuses as “I’m feeding the pheasants not the deer,” or “I didn’t know there was bait here”, and “I didn’t know there was bait placed here last week” will no longer work, Smith said.

The DNR’s deer committee has spent a great deal of effort trying to come up with the best options. As is often the case, Smith said there is no perfect law, but hopes the changes will provide some additional tools for closing the gaps.

Baiting deer is a form of poaching and poachers should be reported.

People who have information on illegal baiting in their area, should contact their local conservation officer or call the Turn In Poachers Hotline at 800-652-9093 or for cell phone users dial # TIP.

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But I used them in WI bow hunting where it is legal to use an amount of bait.

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Sorry I didn’t clarify, but this would be for bowhunting in WI. I figured that this may offer a better alternative to baiting with corn, which I try to stay away from doing. In the area that I bowhunt, it’s pretty pressured, and most bowhunters in the area, as well as residents use corn.(And much more than allowed IMO). I though this may offer a more natural food source, and may be the one of the few food sources that they would hit over a pile of corn.

The easy solution would be to move my stand closer to a good crop of acorns, but I want to try to avoid doing that. I’ll have to set up the trail cameras this fall and see if this experiment works. I’ll post back and let you all know what I find out.

Justin, time consuming maybe, but it would work IMO.

I’m not sure what type of deer you are looking to harvest, but when it comes to hunting mature trophy bucks, IMHO, very few are taken over bait regardless of what it is. My taxidermist also mounts over 160 bucks a year and he can count on one hand the number of big bucks that were killed over bait and the ones that were killed, were scent checking does that were hitting the bait.

I believe it’s more beneficial to find their natural food source(s) and figure out their travel patterns to and from it.

I have also seen reports that deer harvest numbers actually decreases when bait is introduced.

I agree 100% with what Lip and Brad are saying.

The problem is that there is there are not many natural food sources that stick out in the area I hunt. Ones that I used to hunt are now overlooked as deer travel to nearby bait piles.

I’m thinking of abandoning the area in general, and searching for areas that don’t see as much pressure. This would at least give me the opportunity to seek out natural food sources that are being utilized.

I have also heard and witnessed that mature bucks rarely come to bait or feeders during daylight hours They are incredibly smart when it comes to detecting what is natural and what is a “natural” food source. You might get a lot of pictures of mature bucks at night but it all comes down to if they will show during shooting hours
I would try to plant something else in your food plot if you haven’t had success in the past. Try putting in brassicas or chicory I can almost guarantee that those deer haven’t tasted that before and will visit that more than a corn pile

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can almost guarantee that those deer haven’t tasted that before and will visit that more than a corn pile

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Believe it or not, i’ve planted everything I can think of and still cannot keep those deer away from the neighbors bait piles. My problem is that the plot that I have is very small, less than a quarter acre in size, and I also have 3-4 guys baiting within 1/4 mile of me that have a large enough bait site to support a deer herd for a while.

Trail cameras have proven this time and time again for me unfortunately…

Chowdski…you say that they have a big enough bait pile to support a deer herd for a while…I believe the rules in WI are a 5 gallon pail of bait per 40 acres only…and you can not put 10 gal in one pile if you own an 80 etc…check the regs and if they are breaking the law and its effecting your hunting…you have other options…good luck Jay

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Chowdski…you say that they have a big enough bait pile to support a deer herd for a while…I believe the rules in WI are a 5 gallon pail of bait per 40 acres only…and you can not put 10 gal in one pile if you own an 80 etc…check the regs and if they are breaking the law and its effecting your hunting…you have other options…good luck Jay

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2 gallons per day per site 1 site per 40 i believe