deer feeders

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

saddlebum

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
7,860
Reaction score
3,428
Location
Tulsa
when do you guys start filling your feeders and get them going. i know a guy that runs them year round and another that say's you're just wastin corn if you start them before sep.15
 

dennishoddy

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
84,556
Reaction score
61,840
Location
Ponca City Ok
I know I'm open for suggestion, but why would one be wasting their time by Sept 15?
Truth be known, feeders are great doe attactors, and some bucks that come by to check on does during rut, but if one wants to really produce big bucks, one needs to have feeders out during antler growth in the early summer, when the size of the antlers depends on the amount of protein and minerals to determine the size of the antlers.

Places that really manage their deer herd put out the proper food at the correct time, depending on the requirments of the deer, not the convience of the deer hunter.
 

saddlebum

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
7,860
Reaction score
3,428
Location
Tulsa
his reasoning is there is so much other food available. and we're talking corn which is a good attractant but has little nutritional value.im going start mine tomorrow just feeding once a day, and switch to twice a day mid sept.
 

Tampabucs

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
298
Reaction score
1
Location
In a chair
If you build it, they will come. ;) We feed pretty much year round and have noticed a huge increase in the amount of deer traffic and antler size. Yes, they have other food sources, but they prefer corn.

The only exception we have found is when the acorns drop. However, after a month or so they will come back to the corn heavy. All of this means they will be coming to your area more and more.
 

dennishoddy

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
84,556
Reaction score
61,840
Location
Ponca City Ok
If you build it, they will come. ;) We feed pretty much year round and have noticed a huge increase in the amount of deer traffic and antler size. Yes, they have other food sources, but they prefer corn.

The only exception we have found is when the acorns drop. However, after a month or so they will come back to the corn heavy. All of this means they will be coming to your area more and more.

Yes, you will see more deer, but corn is only like 12% protein or something like that. Its a good food for them, but not condusive to antler growth that happens in the spring and early summer.
They need food with protein and minerals. Ag crops don't produce enough of these to make trophy antlers. They do make dandy, fat, tasty, does though.

Exception being in some of our SE counties where more B&C trophy's have been taken.
Minerals are the answer as there is minimul ag in the area.
NW Ok has the heaviest deer because of the amount of ag food. Antler growth needs both.
 

Tampabucs

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Nov 9, 2009
Messages
298
Reaction score
1
Location
In a chair
Yes, you will see more deer, but corn is only like 12% protein or something like that. Its a good food for them, but not condusive to antler growth that happens in the spring and early summer.
They need food with protein and minerals. Ag crops don't produce enough of these to make trophy antlers. They do make dandy, fat, tasty, does though.

Exception being in some of our SE counties where more B&C trophy's have been taken.
Minerals are the answer as there is minimul ag in the area.
NW Ok has the heaviest deer because of the amount of ag food. Antler growth needs both.

I hunt in a heavily forested area in the S.E. part of the state. I can honestly tell you deer eat acorns, corn and some plants. There have been some real monsters taken by our land. I've heard the argument that corn doesn't have enough protein to build big racks. However, I just don't buy it. I've seen too many guys who exclusively use corn and have giants. Trust me, these guys aren't hunting prime agricultural land. Big racks are also a product of genetics. Just like how tall people aren't just tall based on nutrition alone.

Either way, I highly suggest running corn for most of the year. If deer know they can get a resource like corn on a consistent basis they will come back for more. It's one piece of the puzzle, but it's an important piece. Just my .02 cents.
 

dennishoddy

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
84,556
Reaction score
61,840
Location
Ponca City Ok
I hunt in a heavily forested area in the S.E. part of the state. I can honestly tell you deer eat acorns, corn and some plants. There have been some real monsters taken by our land. I've heard the argument that corn doesn't have enough protein to build big racks. However, I just don't buy it. I've seen too many guys who exclusively use corn and have giants. Trust me, these guys aren't hunting prime agricultural land. Big racks are also a product of genetics. Just like how tall people aren't just tall based on nutrition alone.

Either way, I highly suggest running corn for most of the year. If deer know they can get a resource like corn on a consistent basis they will come back for more. It's one piece of the puzzle, but it's an important piece. Just my .02 cents.

We are on the same page, but in my post i said that corn is not the answer.
Its the minerals in the SE that make for the big racks. The deer are tiny in body size compared to the bucks in the Nw. Our does outweigh the B&C bucks in the SE.
I hunted Big Mac last year, and will be there this year.
I looked at all of their data for bucks, antler points, vs weight.
The largest by weight pope and young buck was 138lbs.
By comparison, I hunt a DMAP in the NW and our does have gone up to 147lbs.
A two year old buck will go 150 or so.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom