I think for me it is about doing what is best for the deer. I am trying to provide for them during their times of need. So even if foods plots arent the best draw during hunting season, I will still be doing food plots regardless. Baiting would be to draw deer to me while hunting, if I am not seeing deer during hunting, then putting down some bait would be acceptable, I think. If I am not seeing any deer, or ones I want to shoot, then I think I would put down a bait pile to attract deer. But at the present time, I still am getting some deer, and I really dont need more, so I dont have to bait. I am not a antler hunter, I am a adult deer hunter, whether that is a nice doe, or a nice 6 point buck, if it is a decent sized deer, I will put it in the freezer and make yummy food from it.
Two years ago I had the neighbor yelling at me because I shot a 6 point buck, he was about 170 pounds dressed, so I was happy with it. I told him to worry about what deer he shoots, and stop worrying about what deer I shoot, he turned around, bitching and jumped on his atv and left bitching the entire time. To this day, I havent talked to him since. Just because he was mad I shot a 6 pointer.
But back to the original question, deer are still browsers, so while baiting it will draw them in, it just gives them another stop for food on their path to a different food source, whether that be another corn pile, or a tree branch, or your food plot. If you arent hunting it at the time the deer walks through to eat, it was just another snack during his day.
