Apple trees near bedding
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Apple trees near bedding
Found apple trees not far from bedding area.The apple trees are in thicker vegetation with deer runs leading to the apple tree area. With the trees being closer to beds would it be a better spot for a afternoon hunt? or later morning hunt thinking it’s very thick and the deer will be back after a few hrs after bedding down in am.
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
If it’s me I’m getting in between the apple trees and bedding. Set up accordingly for an evening hunt.
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
#1 question, are the trees bearing fruit when you can hunt?
- jmaas07
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
Is this pressured land or a lower pressure spot? If its higher pressure get as close to bedding as you can, low pressure id sit the apple trees if they're a couple hundred or so yards from bedding, they'll make it there if it's the closest food source. I'd hunt it in the evening. Areas of apple trees near bedding is a good place for scrapes too, id give it a shot early season when apples are dropping good and also pre rut when there hitting scrapes. I've killed a couple mid day in that situation near apples around 3rd week of October
- seazofcheeze
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
jmaas07 wrote:Is this pressured land or a lower pressure spot? If its higher pressure get as close to bedding as you can, low pressure id sit the apple trees if they're a couple hundred or so yards from bedding, they'll make it there if it's the closest food source. I'd hunt it in the evening. Areas of apple trees near bedding is a good place for scrapes too, id give it a shot early season when apples are dropping good and also pre rut when there hitting scrapes. I've killed a couple mid day in that situation near apples around 3rd week of October
x2. I'd totally avoid mornings unless you have good reason to believe you can get in undetected (e.g. trail cam pics are void of any deer the hour you'd be accessing.) I would definitely give it a few afternoon sits first. Way higher odds, in my opinion.
To add to what jmaas said, early season, while things are still green, I think you have to be extra stealthy on your access and setup, as subordinate deer will often be bedded incredibly close to the apple trees if the cover allows (and it sounds like it does in this case).
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
Good information thanks. Yeah I would definitely have to be stealthy with my access. Also good I would say it’s pressured being public so I’ll take that into consideration.
- Grizzlyadam
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
I have two places similar, but both are very little pressure private. They are very thick overgrown cow/horse pastures with bedding all around and apple trees in random spots. Very little agriculture in and around the area so I used to think it was a gold mine.
My experiences are that most of the time the deer totally hammer the apples but it's usually a very short window of time (few days to a week) and it can happen at any time. I have found it to be totally unpredictable. Sometimes they will hit one tree and totally ignore several others right nearby and the apples will rot.
Once season I had a big tree with a heavy crop of apples all fell in the fall and the deer didn't touch them until the first hard freeze in December then they cleaned the place up in just a few days. Looked like cattle trails going in and out but only lasted a few days then they never were in there again.
I also often see trees have a good crop once then don't produce for years after.
Another time a big apple tree had a great crop and I hung a trail cam in it for inventory and all I got pics of were young bucks, does with skippers, and bears. The action only lasted a couple of weeks and many of the apples didn't get touched and rotted.
Mornings or evenings would really depend on the property and access. If you can get set up in the apples without tipping them off in the evening that would be your best bet if bedding is not too close and the time is right. Or if you can set up near bedding in the morning without spooking them at the apples that would work but it is usually more difficult because they are often coming back to bedding with wind in their favor. Either way it is likely you get one chance at them then they are tuned in so play with the highest odds to make it count.
I tend not to bother wasting my time with apple trees these days and focus more on the bedding areas than the food source, they are much more predictable imo.
I guess an exception would be hanging a cell cam to monitor the tree and move in when the time was right. Personally that's not my thing though. Of all the food sources available in the type of habitat I hunt the ones I have the most predictable success on are isolated green fields or isolated corners or edges of green fields.
My experiences are that most of the time the deer totally hammer the apples but it's usually a very short window of time (few days to a week) and it can happen at any time. I have found it to be totally unpredictable. Sometimes they will hit one tree and totally ignore several others right nearby and the apples will rot.
Once season I had a big tree with a heavy crop of apples all fell in the fall and the deer didn't touch them until the first hard freeze in December then they cleaned the place up in just a few days. Looked like cattle trails going in and out but only lasted a few days then they never were in there again.
I also often see trees have a good crop once then don't produce for years after.
Another time a big apple tree had a great crop and I hung a trail cam in it for inventory and all I got pics of were young bucks, does with skippers, and bears. The action only lasted a couple of weeks and many of the apples didn't get touched and rotted.
Mornings or evenings would really depend on the property and access. If you can get set up in the apples without tipping them off in the evening that would be your best bet if bedding is not too close and the time is right. Or if you can set up near bedding in the morning without spooking them at the apples that would work but it is usually more difficult because they are often coming back to bedding with wind in their favor. Either way it is likely you get one chance at them then they are tuned in so play with the highest odds to make it count.
I tend not to bother wasting my time with apple trees these days and focus more on the bedding areas than the food source, they are much more predictable imo.
I guess an exception would be hanging a cell cam to monitor the tree and move in when the time was right. Personally that's not my thing though. Of all the food sources available in the type of habitat I hunt the ones I have the most predictable success on are isolated green fields or isolated corners or edges of green fields.
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
Might have to try a cell camera good idea. Never used one before! Any suggestions on what’s reliable??
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
briar wrote:#1 question, are the trees bearing fruit when you can hunt?
Right on ^
I never had much luck in apple orchards on public. Too much pressure. There's usually plenty of sign, but its all night time sign in my area. Its good intel though to see if their feeding in there, but I stay out of them or any destination food source. I would find where their primary bedding is and get as close to it as possible. More so in the evening for early season.
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Re: Apple trees near bedding
I’ve spent countless sits and hours on apple trees in Maine. obviously, not all apple trees are created equal.
I’ve spent too much time on apple trees among alders which seem to be close to cover but I just takes deer too long to get there ( with an over tree set up). Success with does on very low pressure areas.
I’ve hunted crab apples in late season without much success (does), but this was in an urban setting. Probably a unique food source under normal circumstances.
I have a love affair with a spot that has a “wolf apple” trees ( super large green/yellow apples) but the bedding is so close it’s hard to access. Apples gone by first week in September.
Eventually I’ll learn my lesson, but until then when spring scouting I still look for and mark that characteristic apple tree trunk when I see it.
Note: have found some “random” apple trees among timber and the verdict is not in yet. These are typically a single tree with Harvey canopy cover and limited production.
I’ve spent too much time on apple trees among alders which seem to be close to cover but I just takes deer too long to get there ( with an over tree set up). Success with does on very low pressure areas.
I’ve hunted crab apples in late season without much success (does), but this was in an urban setting. Probably a unique food source under normal circumstances.
I have a love affair with a spot that has a “wolf apple” trees ( super large green/yellow apples) but the bedding is so close it’s hard to access. Apples gone by first week in September.
Eventually I’ll learn my lesson, but until then when spring scouting I still look for and mark that characteristic apple tree trunk when I see it.
Note: have found some “random” apple trees among timber and the verdict is not in yet. These are typically a single tree with Harvey canopy cover and limited production.
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