Feeding Deer How Much

[bobcat07]

I feed the deer in the winter months. I was wonder if anyone does and how much do they eat? What do you feed them? How many come to the feed?

[teamster284]

we feed all winter long. feed them corn screenings out of combine. usually dump about half a gator bed full in about 4 spots around the farm and woods we hunt. replenish as needed. usually hit one or 2 piles until its gone and move on to another.

[jeg3455]

I think it depends on where you are and the winter foliage they have available. Where we hunt we have anaverage of 12 inches of rain a year. Deer have the instincts to survive and they know what they can eat to survive even if it is not necessarily nutritious, however we use supplimental feed that way it is beneficial not only to grow bigger horns but also to improve nutrition for the over all herd, as well as doe's that will give birth in the spring. If you are going to feed I would suggest some sort of supplement high in protein. As I said earlier we average 12 inches of rain in a good year, with an average of about 20-25 deer that come to my feeder some everyday some every other day I usually feed 3 to 4 hundred pounds offeed a week. This is just an example of where I hunt I am sure it is very different everywhere.

[djschuett]

ORIGINAL: jeg3455
I usually feed 3 to 4 hundred pounds offeed a week.

How much does this cost?

That is if you don't mind me asking.

[jeg3455]

I didn't clearify, I could not afford to keep this feeder full every time it is emptied. It holds a 1000 pounds and I it usually cost about 160 to 200 dollars every time I fill it, which is about once every month and a half. Through the winter and summer it is usually any where from 1200 to 1500 a year. Granted I could probably fill it every 3 weeks I really can't afford it, but I figure what I can afford will only help. Not to mention it is a tax write off at the end of the year. If I had the adequate rain fall it might be cheaper to invest in food plots, especially in the long run.

[thunter4558]

In nj we use the 5 gallon automatic feeder it lasts about two weeks with 50lb of whole corn.