# Anybody use deer feeders?



## Guest (Oct 25, 2006)

This last weekend we had a big family reunion at a nearby state park. So we spent the weekend there. On Saturday morning after breakfast my wife, kids, and I went walking on a small hiking trail which led us to a Nature Center which had captured animals, amphibians, and such in cages for us to view. Well when we first come upon the center we noticed on the other side of the road a deer running to this clearing where there was a big tripod deer feeder. Then we notice there were several deer running to it. They all stopped nearby the feeder and started eating feed off the ground. 

Apparently this feeder is on a timer and everytime it activates and sends feed whirling out to the sides, the deer come running to it. I've read before that when these timed feeders are hanging in the forrest that deer do not venture far from them and will come running to them whenever they are activated. 

Just wondering if anyone has had any luck with them?


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

does 4 rows of corn and 6 of milo count???


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

When our feeders go off, it is the dinner bell. Although here in New Jersey, it is legal to hunt over bait, we put our treestands out in the swamp where the bucks hang until last light. When a feeder goes off you can see and hear deer moving in that direction. NJ Fish and Game recommends spin feeders over trough type feeders because the feed is scattered reducing mucus interchange and the chance of diseases like CWD. I also prefer a couple of smaller feeders over one big one, because if moisture gets in and rots takes hold less feed is lost, and rotten corn can kill deer.We will move the feeders into thicker cover as the colder weather comes in. Just keep the feeders out of reach of deer. I had one 6 gallon feeder that was using feed much faster than it should have via the timer. I finally saw two bucks smacking the heck out of and a stream of feed dribling out of the funnel and off the spinner plate. Take my word for it, you can never put out more than they can eat for they will consume every last kernel. The trick is feeding enough to keep the does around long enough bring the bucks close. Of course, the best laid plans.... You can even buy an electronic device that mimics the sound of a feeder.


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## Guest (Oct 26, 2006)

Thanks jross, that was very informational. I've done the feed trough system and I have gone through 50 pounds of feed in as little as 2 days. Way to fast once they discover it and start using it. Although the trough has helped me in the past to harvest deer, I would like to start using a automatic feeder to save on feed and money. 

Another question I have is do they only work with whole corn or can different types of feed be used in them. I would think sweet feed would clog up too much in them. Sweet feed is what I have used in the past in the troughs.


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

As far as I know any dry feed will work since most feeders are adjustable in that you can change the space between the funnel and the spinner plate. I have read in magazines that some molasses mixed with the corn doesn't clog the feeders, but any feed that sticks inside the container for any length of time could begin to rot in my opinion. We use corn because it is the cheapest around here at $8.00 per 124 lbs. We also break up alfalfa cubes and scatter it by hand. I can attest that the larger the area one scatters the feed, the more the deer seem to like it. This time of year, in addition the feeders, I take the time to scatter more corn and alfalfa cubes over a 4 acre area. Every other week, I would mow down thirty foot strips and that is where I scatter the feed, whether by hand or by an atv spreader. This creates fresh areas with minimum feces, because they poop as much as they eat. It takes time, but we think itis worth it because of the quality deer hunting we have.


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## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

I just saw this post and had to laugh. My SIL hunts but not as avidly anymore, only for meat. So he set up a deer feeder about 200 or so yards behind his yard near the blue ridge mtns. He video tapes them. Well, he got deer waiting waiting waiting for 1 kernal of corn ! And then he got video of 2 diff. bears interested in the feeder ! 2 fellas next door to me got video recently of our neighborhood bully kitty cat, surrounded by deer, and they would not let the cat go. Stomped in their circle everytime the cat tried to escape. Lasted for awhile. They put theri stands way high and tape anything of interest but drew a curious young bear one day. Bear started hiting the tree with paw. This fella has a big mouth - literally and stood up and waved his arms and made a lot of noise and the bear ran for dear life !!!! S.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Instead of a trough you can attach a piece of 6" or 8" PVC pipe to a tree vertically. Slip a cap on the top, and hang it so the botom is about 2" off the ground. This way it will only spill a little corn at a time, and the birds and squirrels hopefully wont get as much. A five foot piece of 6" pipe will hold about 50 lbs of corn


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

sapphira said:


> I just saw this post and had to laugh. My SIL hunts but not as avidly anymore, only for meat. So he set up a deer feeder about 200 or so yards behind his yard near the blue ridge mtns. He video tapes them. Well, he got deer waiting waiting waiting for 1 kernal of corn ! And then he got video of 2 diff. bears interested in the feeder ! 2 fellas next door to me got video recently of our neighborhood bully kitty cat, surrounded by deer, and they would not let the cat go. Stomped in their circle everytime the cat tried to escape. Lasted for awhile. They put theri stands way high and tape anything of interest but drew a curious young bear one day. Bear started hiting the tree with paw. This fella has a big mouth - literally and stood up and waved his arms and made a lot of noise and the bear ran for dear life !!!! S.



Rule number one is if you hunt over or near a feeder, deer will associate danger with feeders and avoid them until after dark. Unless they are very hungry. We found that keeping our deer stands at least two hundred yards away, preferably downwind, allows us to see and kill bucks which are usually trying to catch the scent of estrous does upwind of them. They don't get a whiff of hot doe, they go on and you never see them. If we really need meat, to hunt over bait, we would scatter corn upwind near the stand, preferably keeping a cedar or holly between the bait and the stand. It is pretty hard to raise a weapon with maybe 10 pairs of eyeballs justing waiting for something to move if they can see you from the bait.


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## rwinsouthla (Oct 24, 2005)

We plant food plots and scatter corn. Feeders are legal but the food plots do a better job of attracting the deer. They come in to feed in an area that seems natural to them, without the dinner bell response. We hunt the plots during the rut because the does need the extra minerals and the fawns and yearlings need it for growth. The bucks follow and normally take ownership of it, leading to some intense sparring during the rut. As long as it is legal, we'll plant food plots over setting up a feeder that could fail and limit the affect.


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

rwinsouthla said:


> We plant food plots and scatter corn. Feeders are legal but the food plots do a better job of attracting the deer. They come in to feed in an area that seems natural to them, without the dinner bell response. We hunt the plots during the rut because the does need the extra minerals and the fawns and yearlings need it for growth. The bucks follow and normally take ownership of it, leading to some intense sparring during the rut. As long as it is legal, we'll plant food plots over setting up a feeder that could fail and limit the affect.


Feeders to fail frequently because of cob jamming the spinner, and in winter a sticky top motor bearing. This morning I unstuck one that a stone jamming the spinner plate. I didn't hear it go off last evening so I figured since it has a new battery, it was jammed. I also tried Garcia Reel Lube instead of oil on the top bearing and so far, it is working.


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## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

jross I could never shoot at 10 pairs of eyeballs staring at me. I would die laughing first. (or from starvation!)


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