I have recently purchased some hunting land, and I have placed some pvc pipe deer cornfeeders to do some supplemental feeding during the offseason (we can't hunt over bait here in Mississippi so I will remove the feeders several weeks before the season opens). I am thinking about putting out a total of 6 feeders on my 80 acres. Each feeder will hold about 2 to 2.5 gallons of shell corn, and I plan to fill them up about once a week.

My question is since the deer can eat at will from the feeders, will deer eat so much corn that they can become sick or die (i.e. founder, etc.) I want to do this supplemental feeding, but I don't want to make my deer sick.

Any advice you can give me will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ole Miss Rebel

Your plan to have several feeders will prevent overcrowding any one location and decrease liklihood of disease transmission. For unlimited feeding, i used 12% protein cattle pellets in the pvc feeder. They don't like it as much as corn, but they do eat it and it gives them some needed protein.

If given the opportunity to eat at will, the two or three gallons of corn you put out will be gone long before the week is out. If you want to limit the amount of corn, get a couple of electronic feeders. I don't think they'll get sick off unlimited corn, but its too many carbs for them and discourages them from searching natural browse that would provide a more varied diet. Better to feed the corn in smaller amounts so it's more like a treat.

Good luck

Plinker

Feed the corn during the cold weather months into spring green-up. Spring through early fall put your money into good clover and legume feed plots if possible and supplement with minerals.

Deer have free access to corn fields without problems. Your 6-8 gallons of corn a week will be ok.

Corn does not have a lot of oomph to help with horns. I use antler max as well as corn in my feeder. Would like to get a straight protein feeder.

i dont think you will have a problem other than corn will do nothing for them nutritionally. the only problem i have seen with corn is when it was used as a main feed in pen raised deer.

corn provides 6% crude protein. Deer need a minimum of 16% protein in their diets. If it is just supplemental feeding, you might be ok. However it is not the best thing for them. I read somewhere it can cause rumen burn out.

I wish you could! i raise corn for a living, aka farmer. the deer in my area do about $1000 in damage per 20 acres i raise. now we have some of the nations biggest whitetail deer in Iowa, i dont think corn would hurt them if ya force fed it to them. I guess it wouldnt be bad but when you add it up on 750 acres it kinda pisses you off. Yes i like to hunt, and like to see the deer, just not 400 in 1 township! Sorry if i rant just my 2 cents worth.