Something I think is interesting, and I will admit I have not read through this whole thread, is the difference between a feeder and a pile. I've been experimenting on this with the yard deer behind the house this fall. I've got a hanging feeder with a motor. I had it set to feed roughly an hour before dark and an hour after sunrise. So in other words, the corn is on the ground in daylight. I'd still not very often see deer at the feeder during daylight. And I've got a camera there, so I'm not relying on visual sightings. If I take a bag of corn out there and dump it, within a day or so, I start seeing a lot more consistent daylight deer. It's like there's a bigger draw to them, knowing it's on the ground and they can see that it's there. Maybe I'm giving them more credit than they deserve, but I 100% see a difference between loose corn on the ground and a feeder mechanism delivering it early morning/late afternoon.
Baiting Mature Bucks.
- Thread starter Jackalope
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Stressless
Well-Known Member
What I found with spin [timer] feeders rather than gravity feeders is the spook factor, deer within a certain range go on full afterburner away within 200 or so yards or so of a spin feeder when it goes off.... seen this visual and cameras.
Got pics and vids of bucks and does feeding close to a timer and then it goes off - fur blur - bigger bucks take a long time if ever coming back from that negative experience.
Got rid of spin feeders and no similar issues with gravity feeders. Also much less waste feed going to secondary species like coons and such relative to putting it on the ground.
Just my $.02 and observations.
If OH would just get the stones and outlaw baiting I'd be much happier overall.
Got pics and vids of bucks and does feeding close to a timer and then it goes off - fur blur - bigger bucks take a long time if ever coming back from that negative experience.
Got rid of spin feeders and no similar issues with gravity feeders. Also much less waste feed going to secondary species like coons and such relative to putting it on the ground.
Just my $.02 and observations.
If OH would just get the stones and outlaw baiting I'd be much happier overall.
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You're not wrong. I think a lot of people have had this same observation. Even though a pile of corn is unnatural, it's way more naturally familiar than a spin feeder. But gravity feeders don't seem to have the same spook factor.
Just picked up a custom blended deer feed from our local mill. Similar blends are $18 at TSC, but I got out the door at $13.60 a bag.
300#s of shelled corn
100#s of sweet feed
50#s of black oil sunflower seeds
50#s of roasted soybeans
The sweet feed has oats, cracked corn, and molasses flavored protein pellets. I had this made specifically for the feeder behind our house where the girls will be hunting. There's a regular old corn pile on every property in the square mile (at least 6 guys other than me running bait in a 640 acre block) so a man needs a competitive advantage and I see this a chess, not checkers
300#s of shelled corn
100#s of sweet feed
50#s of black oil sunflower seeds
50#s of roasted soybeans
The sweet feed has oats, cracked corn, and molasses flavored protein pellets. I had this made specifically for the feeder behind our house where the girls will be hunting. There's a regular old corn pile on every property in the square mile (at least 6 guys other than me running bait in a 640 acre block) so a man needs a competitive advantage and I see this a chess, not checkers
Yeah, I've seen that before. But from the reading I've done, they would need to eat large quantities of nothing but sunflower seeds to reach a toxicity level that causes damage. Kind of like selenium in minerals - it's toxic in volume, but it would be hard for them to selectively feed on just that. Probably more on par with us eating sugar in terms of how it impacts our gut biome. If we had 10#s of sugar, we'd die, but we can eat it in small doses without obvious toxicity issues. Certainly willing to change my opinion though.
I've done it before I knew. But if we are truly trying to help the deer...I'd rather stick my money on the grape drank mafia mix. Also, it attracts squirrels and I really dislike those things.
I put a custom mix together last year with some sunflower seed. In the wide open, it attracts too many birds to make it worthwhile IMO. But in a timber stand, I could see SF seed being a great addition.
I bought some of this on clearance at RK last year and the deer absolutely pounded it during January. I basically made my own version minus peanuts, and will add grape drank when I fill the feeder.
Redneckfucker
Junior Member
This is all I put in my feeder and they are there constantly.
I have put that sweet feed out for the deer before, usually bucket scoop at a time behind the house. They love it, but you'd have to be careful with it in any kind of feeder. If it gets wet, it will swell up quite a bit. I tried it in a gravity feeder once, and it swelled up near the end of the feeder and clogged itself up.
I am going to bump this and add a category. (I know our idea of mature isnt the same as everyone's, but this fits here)
Execution/shot:
We put 4 bucks on the tailgate this year between my little group. Myself, levi, @Redneckfucker and his son. I can confidently say it was because of our setups. Both of our setups are 18 yards to the pile. We all hear the stories about deer getting killed at extended ranges but I just dont like it. I dont feel it is necessary. I know the equipment and the shooter are normally capable at greater distances, but alot can happen with a live animal. Just isnt worth it to us. So we set up close and we went 4 for 4 this year.
I've seen a bunch of setups over the last few years and I would say 30-50 yards is what most people have. That leaves an incredible amount of room for error. I have seen it happen at the animals expense.
This part might ruffle some feathers but I feel like I need to say it. Bring your pile closer fellas. You owe it to the animal to not draw blood and make a quick death. Yes, "if you bow hun along enough you are going to lose one". BUT if we are out here sending arrows/bolts at live animals at these extended ranges...we need to hold some of that accountability that we took an unnecessary risk. I have been guilty at killing deer at some pretty wild ranges and I understand that some circumstances will allow the range to be extended. Any deer over 3 is sketchy at a bait pile. If they hear the shot, they will jump the string 98% of the time.
That draws me into the conversation had on @xbowguy thread with the asshole dog. Deer manors and head position is also huge in the closing moments of the shot. Head up on a relaxed deer is your best shot opportunity. Rushing the shot is also another. Rick and I had a good conversation about this part not long ago. I think he plans to expand on this part at some point when he gets a chance. So I will leave it at that for now. Dont want to take his Thunder(
).
Closing thoughts and cliff notes:
That mature deer @35 yards with its head extended while it takes a bite of corn is not a shot opportunity. I dont care how fast your bow is, that deer isnt going to be there. This is coming from the guy that probably has the faster bow here. I would not take that shot. I hope some of our beginners learn something from this thread. Amazing amount of good information here and I encourage Rick to start a thread on what he has learned and seen.
Execution/shot:
We put 4 bucks on the tailgate this year between my little group. Myself, levi, @Redneckfucker and his son. I can confidently say it was because of our setups. Both of our setups are 18 yards to the pile. We all hear the stories about deer getting killed at extended ranges but I just dont like it. I dont feel it is necessary. I know the equipment and the shooter are normally capable at greater distances, but alot can happen with a live animal. Just isnt worth it to us. So we set up close and we went 4 for 4 this year.
I've seen a bunch of setups over the last few years and I would say 30-50 yards is what most people have. That leaves an incredible amount of room for error. I have seen it happen at the animals expense.
This part might ruffle some feathers but I feel like I need to say it. Bring your pile closer fellas. You owe it to the animal to not draw blood and make a quick death. Yes, "if you bow hun along enough you are going to lose one". BUT if we are out here sending arrows/bolts at live animals at these extended ranges...we need to hold some of that accountability that we took an unnecessary risk. I have been guilty at killing deer at some pretty wild ranges and I understand that some circumstances will allow the range to be extended. Any deer over 3 is sketchy at a bait pile. If they hear the shot, they will jump the string 98% of the time.
That draws me into the conversation had on @xbowguy thread with the asshole dog. Deer manors and head position is also huge in the closing moments of the shot. Head up on a relaxed deer is your best shot opportunity. Rushing the shot is also another. Rick and I had a good conversation about this part not long ago. I think he plans to expand on this part at some point when he gets a chance. So I will leave it at that for now. Dont want to take his Thunder(
). Closing thoughts and cliff notes:
That mature deer @35 yards with its head extended while it takes a bite of corn is not a shot opportunity. I dont care how fast your bow is, that deer isnt going to be there. This is coming from the guy that probably has the faster bow here. I would not take that shot. I hope some of our beginners learn something from this thread. Amazing amount of good information here and I encourage Rick to start a thread on what he has learned and seen.
TinyTucky
Active Member
I agree with all points Dave. I’ll attach my gif again from the mature doe I shot a week or so ago. Should I have waited for her to raise her head? Probably. Did I compensate and anticipate the drop? Yes. Did I get lucky? Absolutely, I’m only lucky- not good at anything The particular deer I was/am hunting are arguably more pressured than a vast majority of deer in the state, and my bait pile was strategically placed at 24 yds along a pair of fallen maples so I could draw while their heads/ eyes are obscured by the fallen trees. I’m back in here tonight hoping for another doe with my camera in tow. Ideally I get it on video and shoot one with her head up to do a side by side comparison of the drop.
The particular deer I was/am hunting are arguably more pressured than a vast majority of deer in the state, and my bait pile was strategically placed at 24 yds along a pair of fallen maples so I could draw while their heads/ eyes are obscured by the fallen trees. I’m back in here tonight hoping for another doe with my camera in tow. Ideally I get it on video and shoot one with her head up to do a side by side comparison of the drop.
It took 20 years of hunting this property to dial in a baiting strategy that works reliably well. Mainly because no one baited forever, then around 2018, the woods around me got crowded and I had to adjust my strategy since the natural movement I'd known my whole life, was somewhat drastically altered by surrounding corn piles.
One adjustment was going away from a pile and to a gravity feeder. I'm convinced bucks prefer to eat from a "plate" than off the floor. I'm also convinced being elevated to help with morning thermals is key on a morning sit, and having great access is critical for the afternoon. We pulled it all together here and my kids will pile the deer up here over the coming years, with one solid 3 year old under our belt, and plenty of daylight pics of mature bucks since setting this up in 2023.
19 yards with a lightening fast bow, plus the advantage of a low-offside exit makes this one hell of a shot opportunity. Hit them right and watch them fall!
One adjustment was going away from a pile and to a gravity feeder. I'm convinced bucks prefer to eat from a "plate" than off the floor. I'm also convinced being elevated to help with morning thermals is key on a morning sit, and having great access is critical for the afternoon. We pulled it all together here and my kids will pile the deer up here over the coming years, with one solid 3 year old under our belt, and plenty of daylight pics of mature bucks since setting this up in 2023.
19 yards with a lightening fast bow, plus the advantage of a low-offside exit makes this one hell of a shot opportunity. Hit them right and watch them fall!
I also like to block the view of their eyes. Ground blind view and you can't see and corn as its all behind the log.I agree with all points Dave. I’ll attach my gif again from the mature doe I shot a week or so ago. Should I have waited for her to raise her head? Probably. Did I compensate and anticipate the drop? Yes. Did I get lucky? Absolutely, I’m only lucky- not good at anything
You can also make fun of a grown adult shooting from a tripod, I dont care. I carry a shooting stick when I hunt normally. We can play around at paper all day if pride is on the line.