When should your deer feeder go off?

Feed Times

“Obviously, in the morning, you want to throw corn a time or two right before, right at, or just after sunrise,” said Lillis. “You don't want the deer coming in too early and vacuuming up what is thrown out before legal shooting light arrives.”

What time should my deer feeders go off?

In a wide field, you may see better results by running the feeder closer to sunrise and sunset. Deer tend to like open areas more at those times. Next to tree cover, you may get deer using it for longer periods, since they are more comfortable next to the woods.

How many times a day should your deer feeder go off?

Critical 3 Daily Deer Feeding Strategy

Sure, deer need to feed 5 times in a 24 hour period in 3 categories of food types, but that doesn't mean that you have to feed them for all 5 periods of time!

How often should you feed deer?

Low fiber foods digest quickly and deer may feed every four hours. During late fall, deer typically feed on higher fiber plants like tips of trees and nuts. High fiber foods take longer to digest, so in this case deer will typically need to feed every seven hours.

How long before deer get used to feeder?

It normally takes around three weeks for deer to get used to a feeder. During this transition phase, you should avoid doing any maintenance work on your feeder and let the herd get accustomed to their new food source.

what deer do when a feeder goes off

Why are deer not coming to my feeder?

It's important to know how to attract deer to your feeder. In this case, if you build it, they won't necessarily come. You'll need to strategically place your feeder in an area the deer already frequent. Also, they aren't naturally accustomed to eating pellets from a feeder.

Can you have too many deer feeders?

Registered. First in some respects your buddy is correct, there is no such thing as too many feeders. The deer will only eat what they want or need.

When should you bait deer?

“I start baiting a stand seven to 10 days before I plan to hunt it,” he said. “I learned a long time ago that if you start baiting for a longer period of time, the deer go nocturnal, especially the mature bucks.

Is it OK to feed deer corn in the winter?

Although corn has poor protein, it has high carbohydrates. Whether it's planted in a food plot, or fed at a feeding site, corn can be a great benefit to whitetails during winter. Most deer managers are more than willing to plant their plots in the spring and summer.

Is it OK to feed deer corn all year?

If deer are already used to eating corn throughout the winter in your area, you can start feeding corn to deer slowly and see how they take it, but you will likely have no problem feeding deer corn year round in these areas.

Do deer feeders scare big bucks?

Because not all spin feeders blend in with the natural surroundings, you may wonder if even their existence will scare deer away. Although these feeders seem like they have the potential to scare deer, they actually attract them.

Do mature bucks avoid feeders?

Adult bucks are moving more during the rut peak than any other time of year, but they are not focused on food. They're focused on breeding. Meanwhile, does that are not in estrus may be trying to make themselves scarce to avoid bucks during this time, so avoiding sites like feeders might also be advantageous.

Are deer feeders worth it?

Deer feeders have positive benefits if well managed, but making sure that wildlife has access to food plots is a better strategy.

Does feeding deer make them nocturnal?

Not only have deer been documented becoming more nocturnal after exposure to supplemental feed, they also become less dependent on daytime foraging and tend to decrease daytime activity overall as the hunting season progresses (Ozega and Verme, 1982).

How often do deer eat corn?

-‐ Once you start, feed the corn or pelleted feed consistently. Feeding once every 1 or 2 weeks may not give deer the opportunity to adapt to eating these foods.

What is the best food for deer in the winter?

Deer eat woody browse in the winter. This can be leaves, berries, saplings, bulbs, or buds. In wintertime, they will take their pickings from the ground. They can also have some lush forage such as kale, radish, turnips, apples, or cabbage if it is available.

Is it OK to feed deer apples in the winter?

You should try to load up deer feeders with apples near the end of winter. They'll benefit more from easily digestible foods during the winter months. Deer naturally eat apples, and apples are perfectly safe for use in a deer feeder. Apples provide deer with a sweet treat that gives them a large nutritional boost.

Are salt licks good for deer?

All hooved mammals love salt, so licks made only of salt do a fine job of attracting deer. Licks with added flavors, minerals and nutrients can be even better, especially if you find one the deer in your area really love.

When should I start putting out corn for deer?

Early spring to mid spring is a good rule of thumb to start your spring deer feeding program. This roughly coincides as food plots will start being planted.

How do you attract big bucks?

What food attracts deer the most?

Food Plots

Plants that typically attract deer include red clover, chicory, and orchard grass. Certain high-protein crops, such as peas, soybeans, turnips, alfalfa, sorghum, kale, or corn, are also attractants that the animals enjoy feeding on. Deer like the nutritious nuts that come from chestnuts and acorns as well.

How high should a deer feeder be off the ground?

The sides of the roof should be 72 inches or more off the ground to keep any bucks in velvet from hitting their antlers. The sides of the trough should be around 24 inches off the ground to allow fawns to access the feeder.

Is peanut butter good for deer?

Deer love peanut butter, so it is an excellent bait. You can use peanut butter alone or in a mixture to lure deer into an area for hunting or just to enjoy watching them. Peanut butter is much cheaper than most commercial deer attractants and works as well or better.

Should you feed deer in the winter?

It is important to resist the urge to feed deer in the winter. Providing supplemental food for deer is not in their best interest, as their activity, movement, and feeding naturally decrease in the winter. Deer utilize their body fat and browse on natural available vegetation.