Do bait stations affect deer behavior

[peakoftherut]

I am planing on hunting bear on my property this year. I am mainly doing this to improve my deer hunting. A friend of mine says that when he baited the deer changed there travel patterns to avoid the bait sites. he recomends baiting in an area thats easy to get to, and where deer don't normally go. Makes since to me, but I would like other opinions.

[wijim]

your friend is wrong in my experience.  if deer moved their travel....its because of his presence and not using scent killers.....not the bears or bear bait.

at all three of my bait stations i regularly kick deer off them as i go in....they have paths worn to the area.  granted they wont be there same time as the bear(s)...but they share the woods and dont bug each other too much unless an opportunistic blackie is gonna take a fawn or something.

im assuming you are refering to blackies that is.

i have turky tracks and deer tracks going right through spilled bait on occassion and trail cam pics that have bear and deer within hours of each other.

my neighbor thought when i started baiting nearby that all the deer would be scared away...he has more deer sign by his stand than he's ever had.  not cuz im baiting..but because his food plots are better.....and he has bear tracks in his food plots as well.

for placing bait...i look for the darkest spot in the woods i can find...little underbrush because of the density of mature trees.  i choose this area because its a safe travel for bear..(they feel safe)..and its easy and quiet to get into..plus less brushing out to cut shooting lanes for bow hunting.