Hunting near an apple tree

[Naki]

There is a apple orchard that neighbors our deer hunting place. The first two weeks of October that's the place to be hunting the deer will be in there all night eating.

[buckeye_hunter]

Do you guys think cutting in some areas now would be too close to season? If I cut some areas now, it could sit undisturbed for about 3 weeks.

[magnus]

If your gonna do it do it now!  They might be Leary coming in though. Find the corridors leading to it. How are the beans there?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Funny,I was thinking apples are the ticket.  I have seen a few trees loaded with them while horseback riding.

I went back today to put up the trail camera near one since my last 2 trail cam sets came up empty.  These trees have deer trails passing by but are very small.  the apples are piling up on the ground.  I collected a few apples and the horses ate them so I know they are not too sour.

My little brother said the trees on the family farm have not been hit yet either. thats a 1000 miles from here.

Confused from NY   :confused:  

must be  abetter food source elsewhere    or maybe too much food as the corn is still up and acorns are all over, not to mention the alfalfa looks good too.

[buckeye_hunter]

Some of the beans have started to yellow out. The guy that farms the field said he will be cutting them right about the week after deer archery season starts. There is also quite a bit of corn in the next field over. Maybe 100 yards away that will still be standing for the opening day on a separate property. I have looked at aerial photos from the past. These photos show an overhead view after the crops were harvested. You can actually see the 2 deer travel routes across the field to get to the apple tree on the overhead photo. I guess that would indicate they have been eating from this tree heavily for a long time. I would have thought that the deer bedded near the swampy thick area closer to the tree, but there are 2 VERY clear paths coming from a different set of woods on another property to the apple tree through the open field? Seemed weird to me, but it is extremely evident in the photos.

[GabeGa]

you can always Buy some apples and lay them under the tree ...    on weekends until then

[overbo]

Why wouldn't those 2 trails be from deer leaving the appletree?

[buckeye_hunter]

Originally posted by overbo:
Why wouldn't those 2 trails be from deer leaving the appletree?

And that folks is why Tradgang is such a gem! It may very well be overbo. Never though about the photo that way! I love this place.

[RM81]

Originally posted by Roger Norris:
I wouldn't bugger up the spot by adding apples....just my opinion. Hang back, stay down wind of it. Every "wild" apple tree I know of draws deer year round. Especially alongside a mature soybean field....even the bits of apple and the dried out 'rotten' ones will draw deer for a long time. I have seen deer licking at the "apple cider mud" well into January.

Same here.  I have a few apple trees in my back yard and the deer scrape the ground all winter looking for apples and eating the old rotten ones.

[katie]

I can see an apple tree from my front door. Every day starting about 1 hour before sunset, they come. All winter long, they come and dig in the snow. I have noticed that they tend to come in the morning once it gets cold.

[jonsimoneau]

If you have to do any cutting i would go in with rubber boots and rubber gloves and do it. It will bother the deer for a day or two but they will be back. I doubt you could keep them away from an apple tree if you tried!

[buckeye_hunter]

Thanks for all the input guys and gals! It's always good to get different perspectives on hunting strategies.

[magnus]

I would make sure and maybe fertilize that tree in the spring and maybe summer too if you can. Sounds like you got a honey hole and from my experience apple trees that produce are just that. Especially one in seclusion like yours. Good luck Charlie!

[buckeye_hunter]

Added bonus... There is a huge white oak now dropping acorns 30 yards south of the apple tree! It is already being hit as well and I ws able to put together a great stand.

[RM81]

Originally posted by buckeye_hunter:
Added bonus... There is a huge white oak now dropping acorns 30 yards south of the apple tree! It is already being hit as well and I ws able to put together a great stand.

Sounds like the perfect storm.  Good luck this fall.