What attractant infront of Tcam during winter

[snareman1234]

Plan on putting a Tcam out for elk over the winter. I want to attract the elk with either salt, food etc. and just wondering what you guys find to be the best attractant over the winter.

I will be backpacking the cam and bait in...could re-bait every 2-3 weeks if necessary.

[d6dan]

Alfalfa, oats, barley all work. Go buy yourself a couple of round bales and put them out.:mrgreen:. Let us know when you get some good pics...:-D

[CanuckShooter]

Round bales? He said he is backpacking the cam and bait in!!!

[bighornbob]

Round bales? He said he is backpacking the cam and bait in!!!


Then he can roll the bails in:):):)

I think a food source would be your best bet. I think salt really only attracts them in the spring, summer and early fall. I know one year I had a salt block out for deer and once it snowed nothing touched it.

BHB

[d6dan]

Round bales? He said he is backpacking the cam and bait in!!!

Well, he's young so I figured he can manage that task :shock:. In all seriousness, I would be using oats, barley, alafalfa pellets (40lbs bags). That should work nicley.:-D

[CanuckShooter]

Would need a good pack to carry 2-3 weeks worth, but like you said he's young. :-)

[d6dan]

Would need a good pack to carry 2-3 weeks worth, but like you said he's young. :-)

He could use a toboggan?. Unless its uphill.:wink:

[moose2]

He could use a toboggan?. Unless its uphill.:wink:

The toboggan works good. I just use a kids plastic one. I put a 50lb sack of rolled oats or barley in there and one on a pack board. I slip the sled rope around my hips and I barely know its there. I am guessing a herd of elk will eat 100lbs in a couple days if its cold. Camera batteries don't last as long in the cold either 2 to 3 weeks may be pushing it. Getting lots of pictures uses the batteries alot quicker as well. We check our stuff at least every 3 days. We also try to put the bait on a major trail intersection that way we still get some pictures even if the bait runs out.
Mike

[snareman1234]

Thanks guy....Its around 1500' straight uphill off the highway lol, sooo maybe I should just periodically bait, and get sporadic pics...tough call

And Moose, I had my bushnell 5.0mp trophy cam out from nov-april last year, never even opened it til april, and batteries never died...but the volume of pics may not have been as heavy as yours...only around 500, set just on a travelling trail

[hunter1947]

I use trace mineral loose salt and beside the salt I use oats ,corn .barley mix the mix comes together as one the elk really like this as the picture tells you this i whent throug 6 bags of the salt as for 6 bags of the grain mix this year each bag coast me $13.00 with tax etc.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/487.JPG (javascript:;)

[snareman1234]

thanks H47...did you experience the elk not touching the salt once snow came, as mentioned by others above?

[snareman1234]

Did some searching of baits and also found this-- what do you guys think?

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2008/february/020708.asp

"Each year, deer and elk die because they have been fed the wrong food by well-intentioned people. In Klamath Falls in January, a wildlife rehabilitator reported that six deer died because they had been fed grain and alfalfa. Deer die annually in the Bend area because they have been fed cracked corn. Biologists have found “starving” deer and elk with stomachs full of unsuitable high-protein grains like barley, wheat and even corn oats barley mixed with molasses.


Both deer and elk have very complex digestive tracts that require certain levels of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and the proper rumen bacteria to break down and digest forage. Their diet requirements change with the seasons and are best met by native forage, which in winter naturally has lower protein. An animal that has been foraging naturally may not have the proper bacteria to digest high protein food like grain. Deliberately feeding it may inhibit digestion, lead to secondary infections, and cause it to starve or die from infection."

[hunter1947]

thanks H47...did you experience the elk not touching the salt once snow came, as mentioned by others above?


Yes I did the elk lost interest in the salt late fall but keep in mind that when spring time arrives the salt over the winter months has melted

into the ground and you will have elk ,deer ripping up the ground licking the ground where the salt once was.

[Mountain Hunter]

I worked a couple winters around the Dawson Creek community pastures, and both moose and deer had beat trails in the snow to the livestock salt sites. Activity only really tapered off during the deep snow and cold temps of February and then picked back up again. Mind you these sites have been traditionally used for years so a new salt block put out in winter might not have much activity?

I'd look for good game trails (intersections) to put out some salt or minerals on during winter, in addition to your point earlier about winter/high protein diet effects, food wouldn't last long anyways. You will get more predator pics too that way!

[snareman1234]

So if I hike in a 50lb bag of oats, or grain....how long do you think this will last...herd of elk(15) + some mules winter here, but its a large hillside, so they may not stay right on feed....if it runs out and I just rebait periodically, every couple weeks, should be ok eh?

[hunter1947]

So if I hike in a 50lb bag of oats, or grain....how long do you think this will last...herd of elk(15) + some mules winter here, but its a large hillside, so they may not stay right on feed....if it runs out and I just rebait periodically, every couple weeks, should be ok eh?

All depends on how many animals will feed on the feed if lots feed on it it may only last a couple days if very little animals feed on your bait it will last for weeks ,you will find out when you go back in a week and find out if lots of animals feed on the feed you will have them on your trail cam to see what animals they are.

I had 10 baiting stations going for 5 months cost me big time for feed ,I found out the best way to save money to see if there are animals in the place you want to bait is don't put lots there just a 3 gallon bucket of feed go back in a week if no action then your not out the whole bag of feed.

[.300WSMImpact!]

The toboggan works good. I just use a kids plastic one. I put a 50lb sack of rolled oats or barley in there and one on a pack board. I slip the sled rope around my hips and I barely know its there. I am guessing a herd of elk will eat 100lbs in a couple days if its cold. Camera batteries don't last as long in the cold either 2 to 3 weeks may be pushing it. Getting lots of pictures uses the batteries alot quicker as well. We check our stuff at least every 3 days. We also try to put the bait on a major trail intersection that way we still get some pictures even if the bait runs out.
Mike


I don't know what camera you use, but I didn't have to change my batteries in 8 months and I cant count how many pics I took 50,000 maybe, and I found staying away even if the food was all eaten fast, every week to two weeks would be good to visit the cam

[moose2]

I don't know what camera you use, but I didn't have to change my batteries in 8 months and I cant count how many pics I took 50,000 maybe, and I found staying away even if the food was all eaten fast, every week to two weeks would be good to visit the cam

Its a bushnell cam with 4 D batteries when its set at -30 I get about 3 days and 500 pictures out of it. We also use moultries with 6 c batteries they seem better but we have not had as many pictures on those ones.
Mike

[Gunner Staal]

I just got back from my bowhunting spot. Last weekend I put out a new mixture. I have been using C.O.B. (Corn, oats and barley) and I switched last week to cracked corn and ground alfalfa. It looks like a green powder its so fine. My results were insane! I had 9000 photo's in one week on two cameras. Yup....9000. I had 200 pounds eaten by mulies alone over about 10 days. I was in my stand last night and had doe and fawns literally running into the bait. I watched them at 15 yards for 30-40 minutes for each group as they completely inhaled it. Only one small buck. Still waiting for some of the bigger guys!

[Nooker77]

I use trace mineral loose salt and beside the salt I use oats ,corn .barley mix the mix comes together as one the elk really like this as the picture tells you this i whent throug 6 bags of the salt as for 6 bags of the grain mix this year each bag coast me $13.00 with tax etc.
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/487.JPG (javascript:;)

Mix is called COB at feed store...I use it on cam sites as well! 40lb bag is 8$ Its mixed with mollasis...deer find it yummy!