Any ideas on attracting axis?

[WhiplashTX]

Our lease has started having axis show up but harvesting one is proving to be difficult and I am looking for some pointers. Here is what I have been able to gather on them in the last 2 months of trying.

Their bedding area is on the neighbors unhunted ranch.
There are about 25+ of them confirmed via trail cams and sightings.
They are mostly nocturnal, 5pm-8am.
They don't like wheat.
They will eat corn and alfalfa but it won't attract them.
They have a knack for staying just out of bow range.
They can sense when you get frustrated and pull out the gun and will increase their range/movement speed accordingly.

Any ideas?

[Brad75]

We have the same problem here at the ranch and I know they are here. When I have an Axis hunter, I put out Acorn Rage in a little pile right in front of the stand and they love that stuff. Most of the time they will not come out to corn but this stuff brings them in almost every time. Good Luck!!

[TXJon]

I don't know anything, but I'll tell you what I've seen over the past 2 years.

Late January they seem to come in, and keep coming in for 2-3 weeks. The only thing I can think of that's attracting them to my setup is the mineral lick I keep out. Most of the bucks I get on camera are in velvet that time of year, although there are usually a couple that are on a different schedule. The velvet bucks hit that lick pretty hard.

[skeeter]

alfalfa

[Bigdeer33]

second the alfalfa. ours eat that over corn.

[mad34b]

I can put out a bail of alfalfa and it will be gone in a couple of days. It works best for me. Good luck.

[hoytboy]

we buy the huge square bales of alfalfa and we always see axis they dont seem to like corn too much though but they will eat corn i watch em do it all the time. another thing is water find a water hole set up a stand by it and put out some alfalfa.

[Abbott]

I have a buddy that uses peanut hay, and it is high in protein also.

[JTeLarkin08]

my buddy used mineral and they seemed to like that better than anything.

[Sr_Egor]

They hit our protein feeders pretty regular, we also put out alfalfa. We've taken 6 bucks in the last year. They seem to be about 77x more cautious than whitetail.

[holdem]

I killed an Axis and two Fallow on corn. Sika like corn too. Not sure about harvesting them, just kill them, it's easier.

[bowfishin fool]

remember that coons dont eat alfalfa, but they eat your corn...

[Rubeng]

i heard cinnamon mixed with your corn works.
but i have never tried it.

[Bowtechlady]

We have the same problem here at the ranch and I know they are here. When I have an Axis hunter, I put out Acorn Rage in a little pile right in front of the stand and they love that stuff. Most of the time they will not come out to corn but this stuff brings them in almost every time. Good Luck!!

I haven't tried it but I will. Thanks for the info!

[Indianhunter]

fresh alfalfa