I was just wondering if anyone has had successful hunts over apple trees? Maybe times where you see the most activity or stand setups?
Not apples, but I hunted in a persimmon patch last year three different sets at different times in the fall. I had a doe come through two of the three sets and neither of them touched a persimmon. I had a few though and by the looks of the coyote scat, they were hammering them.
I hunted around some apple trees while one of my buddies hunted an oak patch the same season, it seemed to be split down the middle of how many deer were hitting the feed but I was curious if anyone had better luck with one than the other.
I've had some good results in the spot I hunt. As long as the apples were falling, I'd see more does than anything. Once the rut came around I was seeing all sorts of bucks that I had never laid eyes on before. All attracted to the does I guess. Last year was a bust though, not a single tree produced and that spot was as dead as a doornail. The deer would come and bed in the apple grove. So activity was constant. I saw more deer in the afternoon/evening then I saw in the morning.
Yes I have many apple trees and sets near most groupings. I always have a cam on at least two sets and get great pics. I've taken several doe and a couple of buck. I'm lucky in that when one or two in a group are duds in a year there is always one producing. Also due to most being wild when transplanting I placed two seedlings in several single holes. They grew together and alternate opposite years in production. The cam is key though in knowing when you can hit a stand without spooking deer . Also great spot to set up a mock scrape.
I have apples in the yard and apples in the pasture spread out it would be pointless, or more accurately very random to sit by the apple trees. Deer typically clean up the apples because the food plot is fenced off from August till October.
I'll tell you where I will be ,one way or another, this fall...the plums. They only produce well every 2-3 years and this is a year. Holy hanna I sat in a stand opposite from them and the deer movement was crazy 2yrs ago. Unfortunately I have just one possible tree set and its 40 yrds away. But I can do a blind set, they change how the deer enter and exit the area.
My daughters in-laws have Cheery and apple orchards. We see deer in both. The apple orchard holds more deer. Here Father in law hates them in there. So he gets depredation tags for us. That is out west here and Mule deer. We are stalking them. We cant put a stand in the orchard. Anyway I don't know if Whitetail would react the same.
deer love apples like I like whiskey. that should be all you need to hear. Unfortunately the apples tend to be mostly dried up by the time Oct 1 rolls around. Unless you got a grove don't set up right on top of them- set up on the access trails. If it's just one or 2 trees close together the deer focus on them like a laser and any move you make you can get picked off if you're right on them.
Knew a guy who sat in a barn loft in a rocking chair and hunted the apple orchard next to the barn. Talk about having it easy!
I work in an apple orchard and I personally think the deer enjoy the apple blossoms more than the apples themselves! however, a tree that is dropping ripe apple can pull deer from miles around! if your timing is right you can see a lot of deer in a short amount of time!
If you can find apple trees in September during our expanded archery season, that's where I would be!! Looks like its going to be a big year for acorns this year, and the apple trees had some wicked blossoms on them this spring.. In Southern Maine anyway.
Little off topic, but one of the most difficult gutting job I've had was a morning shot buck. He was so stuffed with crab apples I had a heck of a time making the cut with out nicking the gut or me. It was almost bizarre looking. After clearing him I opened it and most looked like he swallowed them whole. He should have died from gluttony.
Yeah I hunt expanded in the Northern part of Maine, the apples were a bust last year, hardly put out. I should have been setup over the acorns last year. What part of Maine are you hunting? Expanded?
I have shot several deer around apple trees around here. Sometimes that't the only food around if no acorns.
It has been my experience apples trees are a good early season spot. A property I hunt has a few apple trees and when they produce deer hit them pretty hard late summer early fall. They'll stand on their hind legs and pick what they can. Persimmon trees and pears are winners too.
Up here in certain parts of New England, we don't have a ton of rich farm land. Most of the areas I hunt in Western MA are big woods. If there aren't acorns, but you find a tree with apples, you will find and kill deer. If there are acorns, you still will, but not quite as easily. I cannot speak for other parts of the country, but certainly in my neck of the woods.
I agree, last year the apples were a bust. Most didn't even produce so the deer obvisouly didn't hang around the apple trees. But this year is looking much better. I got lucky and found a group of 4-6 apples trees with a patch of oaks right next to it. Had a couple chances last year but never let it fly because I didn't like the shot.
