this time of year I set mine to feed at 7am and 4 pm. the deer usually show up about 30 minutes after it goes off. if you set it right before dark, they won' t show up till your gone. put it in high travel area and you will see results quickly. if you have a good acorn crop, then forget it for now. the deer will choose the acorns over your corn. i usually try to dispense about 1-2 lbs per feeding. this will depend on your gap from your spinner and funnel and also on your length of feed time.