Who has shot a deer off an apple tree

[Charman03]

Just curious if any of you guys who plant apple trees for deer have had hunting success over them?

 

[chummer]

Ones I planted no, but the majority of deer I have shot have been in or near apples. Most of those were in my early days. I think that is what fuels my obsession for apples. If I can get them producing in an area with very few it should be a huge draw.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

The apple trees I planted just started dropping apples, so I've never killed a deer that was feeding there. One of the best stands I have on a neighboring farm is on an old abandoned orchard along a woods edge that someone planted 100 years ago. That apple tree row now has a pile of shrubs and saplings growing around it and it makes a perfect staging area for the deer to visit in the thick stuff prior to hitting the field. I've tried to mirror that setup by leaving dogwoods and hazel shrubs that are growing in my latest apple plot. I'm hoping to replicate the staging area that's was created by the 100 year old apple tree row and the shrubs that crept into that area. Hopefully I don't have to wait 100 years.

 

[Natureboy]

I have passed up many deer that were feeding on apples from my trees. In 2013, I finally weakened and shot a 6 point buck as it fed in one of my orchards. Even though 2014 was a bad year for my apples, I passed on deer and a medium black bear. The bear will not get a pass this year if he returns.

 

[sandbur]

I do not hunt over my apple trees, but view them as an added food source. I especially like those that feed deer during the winter.