ORIGINAL: Dampland
You are better off putting in a food plot.
I'm convinced mature deer stay away from bait stations during the daylight hours in most hunting lands.
But a food plot is much more natural, and I feel increases your chances of drawing a buck in.
You are correct here. The only problem though, with me any way, is the soil on my property will not grow a decent food plot. I don't have the equipment to prepare even a decent plot. It would cost me a small fortune to make food plots that would even benefit the wildlife. Also, I don't really hunt my feeders a whole lot. When I do, I'm hunting for a doe with my bow. I invite a few people from time to time and let them hunt a feeder. If I am hunting for a buck, I will not be hunting a feeder.I filled two feeders this past weekend. I'll keep them both going til the end of Oct. After that, I'll keep one going til a couple of weeks before turkey season opens. That would be mid March. With the price of corn so high, I'll be cutting down on throwing times. I always get my feeders going the first of August.