The invention refers to a bale forming apparatus (1) and a bale forming method. A bale forming device (10, 28.2, 28.2) forms a bale (B) in a provided bale forming chamber. A discharge gate actuator (35) moves a discharge gate (43) from a closed position into an opened position. The formed bale (B) is ejected out of the bale forming chamber and drops onto a ramp (10). A ramp sensor (12) detects the dropping event that the bale (B) drops onto the ramp (10). The detection of a dropping event triggers the step that the discharge gate actuator (35) terminates the movement of the discharge gate (43) away from the closed position.
