Corn Feeders

[lameduck]

We feed corn and protein all year but do not hunt over the feeders. We just use them to keep the deer on our ranch because we have ranches on the North and NE sides of us that lease their land out and they shoot anything that walks under the feeder.

So do we have more opportunity to see deer because of feeders, yes. We feed a mix of corn and protein at 7 locations on 1,500 acres, and our closest tree stand to a feeder is about 600 yards. So we are not hunting the deer at our feeders, but we are also trying to protect our herd from the lease hunters from Dallas.

Hunting mature bucks at a feeder during hunting hours is not your best bet anyway. While they come in during the night most big mature bucks will not come close to a feeder during the day. The exception is during the rut if you have a hot doe under your feeder, but sometimes they will still just lurk in staging areas and wait for the doe to leave.

 

[30BulletHoles]

We feed corn and protein all year but do not hunt over the feeders. We just use them to keep the deer on our ranch because we have ranches on the North and NE sides of us that lease their land out and they shoot anything that walks under the feeder.

So do we have more opportunity to see deer because of feeders, yes. We feed a mix of corn and protein at 7 locations on 1,500 acres, and our closest tree stand to a feeder is about 600 yards. So we are not hunting the deer at our feeders, but we are also trying to protect our herd from the lease hunters from Dallas.

Hunting mature bucks at a feeder during hunting hours is not your best bet anyway. While they come in during the night most big mature bucks will not come close to a feeder during the day. The exception is during the rut if you have a hot doe under your feeder, but sometimes they will still just lurk in staging areas and wait for the doe to leave.

Bingo

 

[okhunter]

We feed corn and protein all year but do not hunt over the feeders. We just use them to keep the deer on our ranch because we have ranches on the North and NE sides of us that lease their land out and they shoot anything that walks under the feeder.

So do we have more opportunity to see deer because of feeders, yes. We feed a mix of corn and protein at 7 locations on 1,500 acres, and our closest tree stand to a feeder is about 600 yards. So we are not hunting the deer at our feeders, but we are also trying to protect our herd from the lease hunters from Dallas.

Hunting mature bucks at a feeder during hunting hours is not your best bet anyway. While they come in during the night most big mature bucks will not come close to a feeder during the day. The exception is during the rut if you have a hot doe under your feeder, but sometimes they will still just lurk in staging areas and wait for the doe to leave.

I agree. I don't use a feeder and don't see the benefit of trying to hunt over one. At the same time I won't condemn someone for doing it until the ODWC says it's illegal. There is a difference in feeding deer and hunting over a feeder. If it's legal and someone wants to do it, go for it.

Scott

 

[1shott]

Probably road hunting my area

So you saying I shoot deer form the road?

I dont shoot deer from the road, my post was in jest, humor, I would wager just about anyone who has driven on a oklahoma road at night during deer season or any other time of the year has had at least one deer run in front of them.

Lighten up, no where in any of my posts I have ever posted that you do anything illegal, dont start that **** with me.

I have been waiting for a response, either provide proof to your claim, or retract that statement and apologize.

 

[1shott]

I have a corn feeder up. But,..the place I hunt is only 10 acres. I use it to keep the does interested and hanging around. If I can keep does around, the bucks will be show up sooner or later. Just because a person has a feeder up doesn't mean they have to hunt off it.

I allways shoot does first, to tempting to turn down all that meaty goodness just parading itself out in front of you....

The place I hunted for the last 4 years had does out the ass, I swear you could not swing a cat without hitting one...almost got to be boring, Ya I know, boring but seeing 18 or so does on any given day just got old...

We had some nice bucks in there, 3 got taken in 2006, and we know there was 1 monster lurking, we just could not pattern him.

Lost that place last year, owners got divorced and place got sold....

 

[sesh]

I really don't see a difference in using a corn feeder or hunting a wheat, soybean, or alfalfa field. Its all food source setup hunting and one of many food sources. I've hunted deer in Oklahoma for 15 years and never have I seen deer live on one food source alone. Most of the deer that I've killed have been roaming between shin oak mounds eating acorns.

I also believe people have become too dependent on corn feeders as an ambush point. I know some people that think their hunting area is worthless if they don't have pics of deer coming to their feeder and don't try to even get out and scout for the best hunting area. Its all science. If the deer are there you're likely to see them. If there arent many deer in the area you could put up a corn feeder every 100 feet in a grid formation and it still wouldn't yield an advantage.

That's how I feel about it, if you're planting food plots to target deer how is it any different than putting a feeder out? We lease the land we hunt and the landowner has no interest in putting in food plots so we put out feeders. We don't necessarily hunt over them, unless trying to get a hog, but they help us keep deer in the vicinity.

 

[sesh]

So you saying I shoot deer form the road?

I dont shoot deer from the road, my post was in jest, humor, I would wager just about anyone who has driven on a oklahoma road at night during deer season or any other time of the year has had at least one deer run in front of them.

Lighten up, no where in any of my posts I have ever posted that you do anything illegal, dont start that **** with me.

I have been waiting for a response, either provide proof to your claim, or retract that statement and apologize.

I'm pretty sure he was kidding too...

 

[1shott]

I'm pretty sure he was kidding too...

No, I dont believe he was...

 

[RMA1]

If the guys across the fence feed, you have to feed, self defense. Feeding is of no value when the rut starts anyway. Feeding in early season black powder and archery is of some advantage. I do it.

 

[lameduck]

Feeding during the rut will still bring does, and if one of those does is in heat it will bring the bucks. They may not come all the way into the feeder but they will be in the staging areas waiting for the does to leave.