Nocturnal deer jerks lol

[foxtrapper]

I put my camera out 24 hours to see what nearly ate all my corn in one night ( 15 pounds or so). This amount usually last 3 days or so. I was expecting to see a pack of raccoons or a mob of a dozen deer at once, that a neighbor's hog maybe got loose, or a bunch of wild turkeys who don't scratch the ground up too much lol. No turkeys, no hog, no coons, but a smaller bunch of deer. They did not eat up the 25 pounds of corn overnight though.

Unfortunately for me, these buggers are totally nocturnal. But there's a nice 7-8 point, 2 dinky bucks, and some does. And a fox lol. Also some rut activity with the young bucks. I can't have a timed feeder here, too many trespassing jerks, though no sign of any in a while. They did steal my chained down tree stand last year. I have a wood raised blind there now, but not the same spot as the stand was. They can't steal the wooden blind.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Should put this in the Christmas Wish thread.

I want to hunt Bambi, legally, in Maryland at night with my crossbow.

If we're going to cull the herd, then let's cull the herd.

 

[CaptChaos]

For what it's worth, I put a timed feeder up about 15 yards from my camera for about two seasons. I went from having 80-100+ pictures in a week, to half of that in a good week. My brother reported the same thing up north. The property I am on was also logged for pine in that time period but I did remove the feeder this year and it seems like I am getting more pictures again. This is anecdotal evidence but it seems to be too great to be at least not having some effect.

The deer where I hunt are almost entirely nocturnal at this time of year and later.

 

[Inigoes]

To slow down the deer eating your corn. Strap a length of black corrugated pipe to a sappling (you can even use a post). Leave 2 to 4 inches of space between the ground and the bottom of the corrugated pipe.

Fill with corn, and top with a coffee can.

You now have a gravity deer feeder that cost under 10 dollars.

The deer will have to paw at the corn to eat it, slowing them down.

 

[Doco Overboard]

To see them in daylight reduce the amount of corn you put out right before you go if you can. Around my way once the corn hits the ground its all nocturnal. It would be easier with a timed feeder except for the theft problem that's a drag.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

To slow down the deer eating your corn. Strap a length of black corrugated pipe to a sappling (you can even use a post). Leave 2 to 4 inches of space between the ground and the bottom of the corrugated pipe.

Fill with corn, and top with a coffee can.

You now have a gravity deer feeder that cost under 10 dollars.

The deer will have to paw at the corn to eat it, slowing them down.

Been meaning to build and camo one of these feeders for years.

This will be the year.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[CrabbyMcNab]

I'll second the pipe. Works great and centralized the corn so it slows down consumption.

 

[Inigoes]

Been meaning to build and camo one of these feeders for years.

This will be the year.

Thanks for the reminder.

Don't bother with painting it camo.

The squirrels will wear the paint off crawling all over it. lol

Out of a 10 foot section that could be bought from Lowe's or home depot for $7. Cut the pipe into 4 foot sections (makes 2 feeders), leaving a 2 foot piece. Keep that section in case you need to patch the feeder. Squirrels will chew on the pipe to get at the corn.

 

[Bisleyfan44]

To see them in daylight reduce the amount of corn you put out right before you go if you can. Around my way once the corn hits the ground its all nocturnal. It would be easier with a timed feeder except for the theft problem that's a drag.

This has generally been my experience with corn as well. They only show up at night. Maybe the knowledge they have a dependable anytime food source encourages them to move only at a safe time (nights)? Unlike deer having to move more in search of a good food source. I don't know. But in my experience, corn=nocturnal.

 

[Mike3888]

I also agree with the corn = nocturnal. I've seen it on multiple property's. Our club in Cambridge has 8 feeders on it, I choose to hunt the other side. The hunters with the feeders get only night time pics and never get a harvest anywhere near the feeders. Just have to put in the time and figure travel corridors depending on what time of year it is. Just my opinion of course.

 

[Inigoes]

Feeders as a hunting strategy is best used in the off season. Keeping the deer accustomed coming around when they are seeking food.

Once the season begins, I use some corn (cutting back). Then switch it up with dried molasses and sugar cane.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

Welcome back Foxtrapper. Good to see you posting, even if you are getting taken to the cleaners by them night time raiders.

 

[davsco]

we have a bird feeder in the backyard. wifey fills it up in the morning (birdseed) and by the time she's back up at the house, deer are already coming out of the adjacent woods to snack on the feeder.

 

[foxtrapper]

Ok, 2 years ago I had corn out and the camera on it, and had many daylight pics, and I killed 3 deer. The habitat is different there. I could not get the theft proof blind built back there, too far and too hard to get the lumber back in there. The old ATV trail has downed trees all over it too, to keep those people out. The habitat there is younger trees and more brush and browse. Deer can bed nearby and nibble on browse at will. The new spot is all mature woods, with acorns, but not much brush or anything for super secure bedding, and little to no browse ( unless like eating mountain laurel, which I think is not a real deer favorite). I assume they have a lot further to go from the bedding areas and only acorns to eat along the way. My plan is to get the area thinned out of trees and get brush to grow in there.

1st 2 pics are the old area, spring/summer and winter, general area in there. 3rd is new area taken in October. 4th is the blind without the coverings.

 

[Inigoes]

Foxtrapper,

Once you thin the trees, look at starting a feed plot. Get a seed mix heavy on radishes and turnips. That will keep the deer around durin the cold months.

 

[outrider58]

Lots of good info here. I run two feeders on my property, mainly to hold deer there. Rarely do I hunt over them because of the nocturnal habits of the deer. Usually I'll hunt them late in the season when the deer are hard up for carbs during a cold weather situation. That will put them on their feet early. Just after storms pass is another good time to hunt over corn. Also, if your feeder has a daily setting, try not running the feeder every day(I'm going to try this myself).

 

[RebelYell]

I realize that everyone hunts on different types of properties, but I stopped baiting deer two years ago. I found it only led to deer (other than yearlings) coming to my bait at night. I now focus on finding travel routes between bedding areas and food sources and have seen way more deer during shooting hours as a result. However, I hunt on a farm in farm country, so there is plenty of food to go around. No need for me to pay to feed the deer too. Good luck Foxtrapper, still plenty of late season hunting to go!

 

[RebelYell]

Lots of good info here. I run two feeders on my property, mainly to hold deer there. Rarely do I hunt over them because of the nocturnal habits of the deer. Usually I'll hunt them late in the season when the deer are hard up for carbs during a cold weather situation. That will put them on their feet early. Just after storms pass is another good time to hunt over corn. Also, if your feeder has a daily setting, try not running the feeder every day(I'm going to try this myself).

 

[BigCountry14]

I realize that everyone hunts on different types of properties, but I stopped baiting deer two years ago. I found it only led to deer (other than yearlings) coming to my bait at night. I now focus on finding travel routes between bedding areas and food sources and have seen way more deer during shooting hours as a result. However, I hunt on a farm in farm country, so there is plenty of food to go around. No need for me to pay to feed the deer too. Good luck Foxtrapper, still plenty of late season hunting to go!

I have two timed feeders on my property, but my focus is given much more to the routes they travel to the feeders and through the property unless it gets really cold.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[wilcam47]

no need to tell me about it...