I will be setting up a corn feeder for fall hunting. Intent is to attract pigs and deer.
It is currently early August, and I was wondering how long to wait, before I have the feeder begin sprinkling the corn.

August is always a good time to start. Most bachelor groups of bucks break up around this time of year and start staking out their territory.

We usually start one or two feeders early in September. No need to put out a lot each day -- perhaps only a half-pound twice a day is plenty to bring them in. We'll start the other feeders about the first or second week in October. It takes them no time to find an operating feeder.

REMEMBER: If you set a feeder to put out too much volume then there will still be corn on the ground at nightfall. If the deer (or pigs) can come to it under cover of darkness then they have no reason to come during shooting light. There's nothing quite as frustrating as having a neighbor who lets corn pile up under his feeder. He doesn't see anything and neither do you since everything has 12 hours of darkness to feed at will at the cafeteria.

ALSO: By all means put a cage around your feeder mechanism so the coons and squirrels can't get to it. Not only will they rob your corn, but the coons' nighttime forays will attract deer which will wait under the feeder for the corn that the coon causes to fall.

ONCE THE SEASON BEGINS: I like to set the feeder to go off as close to 30 minutes prior to sunrise as practical and only drop a handful of kernals. Then I set it to go off 15 minutes later (after the first brazen does and yearlings have cleaned that up) for a second feeding which is more likely to bring that wary buck out of the brush. Similarly, I like the same pattern starting about an hour before sunset.

Stonecreek,
That was the guidance I need.
I had not thought about the leftovers causing the deer to wait till dark. Good point.
Also had not thought to plan for a second drop after initial morning drop. I like that idea.

We run a few feeders year round. Don't start running all feeders until late July, 16 total. Some of our set-ups we have twpo feeders about 75 to 80 yards apart with feed times set to go off 5 to 10 minutes apart, one goes off a 5 pm. the other goes off at 5:10 pm.

We have 3 feed times daily during season once right before or at daylight, once at Noon for 3 or 4 seconds because a lot of deer do travel during the middle of the day, and the last feeding an hour before sundown. On a normal day we are in the stands one and a half to two hours before the feeder goes off.

The thing we work at is keeping the deer near the feeders all day, not just when it is convenient for us to be there. We also use game cams at all or most of our set ups so we can pattern the levels of activity and the preferred locations.

Our system works for us. One thing I have noticed over the years the level of surrounding hunting activity and the frequency of feedings on surrounding properties has a lot to do with deer movement in any area.

I run my feeders year 'round, I think it keeps the deer fairly close (although they don't use the feeders a lot in July and September) starting about now, I mix in some Record Rack Golden Deer Nuggets, 1 bag of nuggets to 3 bags of corn-mixed well. If there are deer nearby they will come to the deer nuggets, but so will any pig. The nuggets have a berry smell that seems to really attract deer. Unscientific, but since I also run cameras on the feeders all year and the deer using the feeders greatly increase in number after the nuggets are added, I have to think they help. I have my feeders set to go off at 7:00 am and 6:00 pm but will change the feed times as the season gets closer.

What you are doing is not all that different than our system. One thing that I don't believe has been mentioned, and maybe others do not have this problem, but we have a tremendous population of wild turkeys up here, and there is nothing that can be done to keep the turkeys from eating up all the corn or nuggets.

Another problem with nuggets over corn, is if there are cattle on the property and they figure out what those nuggets are.

I feed all year round, just turn down the time for the off season. Twice a day 0630 and 4:30. I have hog panel around my feeders.

I also feed protein- generally starting in January to help the pregnant does more than anything else (and previously due to drought) and stop just before the season. At first I used gravity feeders. When they rusted out I bought Lamco timed - morning, noon and evening feeding times.

Both feeders are in the same pen(s). I place the corn feeder close to one panel to allow some corn to get thrown outside the pen.

As far as coons is concerned- we used to use a cage. Then I bought "the eliminator" which uses a spring to push the spinner up to the funnel closing it off. It opens with centrifugal force negating the need for a coon cage.

PS If you live far away from camp - I know some guys who have 2 feeders per stand just in case one goes tits up.

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
we have a tremendous population of wild turkeys up here, and there is nothing that can be done to keep the turkeys from eating up all the corn or nuggets.

Ummmm . . . have you tried shooting the turkeys? That seems to discourage them. Yes, but shooting at turkeys when deer are trying to get to the corn is REALLY counter productive.


Another problem with nuggets over corn, is if there are cattle on the property and they figure out what those nuggets are.

We do have pens around some of our set ups, we don't around others.

There is NO, "One Size Fits All', when it comes to setting up deer feeders. The land we deal with is all, Low Fenced. Then the amount of hunting pressure on neighboring properties and how much and how often those hunters have their feeders set up to run comes into play.

Deer population numbers in any given area also have an effect, as does range conditions, weather and lunar phases.

How a person hunts a property makes a difference. Our morning feeding on practically all of our feeders is either 6:45 AM. or 7:00 AM., we are in the stands no later than 5:00 AM. That gives things plenty of time to calm down. Same thing of an afternoon, feeders go off between 4:45 PM. and 5:30 PM and we are set up and ready between 3:00 and 3:30 PM.

As for the cattle and horse issue, we move the horses out of the hunting pastures and lots of cows won't go to the trouble of picking up individual kernels of corn.

From my experience, each hunter has to work at finding out what works best for their particular hunting area.

we run ours year around since we hunt year around (not whitetail of course).

We gauge how much to feed by how much is left under the feeder midday.

We feed twice in the morning, first shooting light and 30 minutes later, and once in the evening.

Don't put to much out in the evening or like folks said, the animals come in later. But you also want enough to get them there.

quote:

As far as coons is concerned- we used to use a cage. Then I bought "the eliminator" which uses a spring to push the spinner up to the funnel closing it off. It opens with centrifugal force negating the need for a coon cage

FMC: I have a big problem with coons, I've fabricated several different cages to keep them away from the feed but those bastards are smart enough to figure a way around or into nearly every thing I build. Do the spring loaded spinner plates work as advertised? I've looked at them but have been a bit skeptical.

I wrapped my feeder with bailing wire, then attached a small solar fence charger to the wire. No more issues with coons, lol. I bet they had the shock of their lives when they first touched that wire.

Karl. Yes they work well. I've used them for several years and have been very happy. I've yet to see mud on my feeder legs since I put it on.

I even rigged up my 4 wheeler feeder with one so you don't have to fiddle with opening/closing the slat to the spinner.

FYI Monkey biscuits will kill coons- similar to clay pigeons and hogs. They eat them, get bloated & backed up. Just make you a little feeder you hang up on a tree. You may want to check if your coop can get you some.

Monkey biscuits? Not familiar with them but will be looking to find some, also will try the spinner plate you use. Thanks.

Finding Monkey biscuits was really hard...about 10 places in Dallas carry them, 25 lb bag for $24.99. I'll give them a try.

How long does it take them to find the feeder? Well, this feeder and camera was started on Sunday, August 14. Check the date on the photo. Didn't take them long!

If they are new feeders at a new location, 12 to 48 hours, maybe a little less or a little more, depends on the number of deer in the area and the location.

Set up in a good spot, a feeder set-up and started at Noon, might have deer coming into that evening before dark or right after.

If it is starting up an established feeder that has been setting empty deer will find the corn that evening/the next morning. Established feeders on the properties I work on, all low fenced acreage, fresh deer sign is present daily, even when the feeder has not being throwing corn for a month or more.