Okay.. so I haven't hunted but once in like 8 weeks. My new girl has gotten all my attention this year... as she should.. but thats not the point of my post here. This one is about last night in which I went out to some Illinois public (1200 acres of cattail swamp).. walked over a mile out to where I wanted to go... and took a doe. This morning I went back to get her and came across a pile of apples.. STILL WITH THE STICKERS ON THEM!! And no more than 150 yards from the parking lot!! So.. I had the local CPO come out and investigate since they were not happy about it either. Seriously!! I've helped out the local CPO's at least 3 times a year for the past 4 years or more. Usually baiting piles. I once found a pile of corn so high you could bury a man under it. No joke! What is it with some hunters. I don't get it. I got no problem with baiting.. really.. I don't. Unless its near me.. cause its illegal in my state and I don't want any trouble cause someone else was lazy. But on public land!! 150 yards from the parking lot!! What would compel a hunter to do such a thing? A.) It's illegal here... and B.) Why even bother baiting if your position is SO far away from the bedded deer they couldn't possibly arrive til after dark.. WAY after. I just don't get it. Don't bother asking about a pic of my doe either.. I only took one photo of her and that was with my phone.. so I have no pics of her. I was just looking to rant on the stupidity of some of the area hunters. Cause.. I just don't get it. (By the way.. this entire post is in jest.. cause I actually thought it was funny when I found the apple pile.. I mean.. the apples still had stickers on them.)
Same reason he is relying on the bait- he doesn't know hot to truly HUNT, so, he throws out a pile of corn and sits over top of it, waiting for something to "possibly" happen.
Hey DT, remember saying this? Shot my two does this week over bait, which is legal here in WI and I did it just to take some does out. Congrats on the doe Mike! Sorry to hear about the Illegal activities you found again.
But could you be that naive to believe deer would venture within 150 yards of the parking lot on pressured public land? I like to give the human race more credit than that.
Like I said Dan.. I gots no problem with baiting. Except when its illegally done next to me. I just thought it was humorous where the pile was.. and that the stickers were still on the apples. I mean.. wouldn't you at least try to hide that? Hard to believe the apples fell from a tree with stickers on them.. don't you think?
No.. but I should have. They were those BIG red delicious apples.. and ya.. they looked quite tasty. I can picture the CPO now as he asks me what happened to the missing apple.. and me replying.. "that apple... that apple... i wouldn't worry about that apple."
Just chew some gum-o-flage to hide your apple breath. If it can fool deer it certainly can fool your CPO.
I know you don't buddy. I just found DT's response a little funny, since he basically said baiters don't know how to hunt......and he admitted to baiting in another thread. Two things bug the hell out of me.....people who break game laws and hypocrites. Some people think baiting is a magic potion, like the person in your post or those who have never done it. Really, its not an easy thing to do. Anyways, glad to hear you have no problem dealing with those that break the law.
LOL this sounds kinda funny...Like he needs some kind of hip moniker for his elusive apple baiting criminal activity.
Well you don't want to get scent on the apples by touching them to remove the stickers. That would just be stupid. What kind of apples were they? I hear those IL deer are kind of snoody. They won't eat cheap apples. Has to be be honeycrisp or something. Sometimes its hard to tell the difference between honeycrisp and gala without the sticker. If you leave the stickers on, they will know its the good stuff. You obviously know NOTHING about baiting. Oh, and congrats on the doe.
Good one Dan! I know what you mean though Duke I wouldn't want to risk getting in trouble for someone else breaking the law. Gotta Love late season hunting!! Dan
Good work Mike! I think we are in the same boat as I have hunted like three times in the past 7 weeks. I have one more hunt tomorrow morning to try to kill one more deer. Saturday is the last day of the season.
Congrats on your doe Mike !! Becareful that the Apple Sticker Parking Lot Outlaw doesn't seek revenge. If you find an apple with a sticker sitting on your pickup hood... I'd be scared !!! LOL Tim
I here ya Mike and understand your rant. I had a guy walk right under my stand carrieng a rifle (in Bow season) and packing two bags of water softner salt and a hatchet. He burried one 15 yards from my tree while I was in it and then went deeper into the woods. I had the warden waiting on him when he came out! Congrats on the Doe to Mike
Thanks for the congrats gents. And Vito.. Red Delicious my friend.. those REALLY BIG ones. Blood.. bet you are glad you didn't say anything to the dude with the rifle being in a tree and all. Tim... I actually joked with a buddy of mine that the dude would do something similiar to what you described.. only the apple had a knife going through it.
Congrats on the doe Mike. I know how your season has been-new baby and all. I'm happy you have managed some time in the field. Let's not jump to conclusions on the apple bandit though. This very easily could be the handiwork of a non-hunting deer lover with a, "Here ya go cute little deer" attitude. If the conservation officer has been after this person for years, it might make sense that this is a once a year occurence. I would think a hunter would have been caught returning to hunt over the scene of the crime (i.e. somebody is not returning). If it is a hunter, I agree with you and I hope he/she is caught.
The problem being.. there was an obvious ground blind 10 yards away. We have snow here.. so one could easily draw the obvious conclusion. I can't really give anymore details though.. It's in their hands now.
