If It's Legal Where You Are
#1
Just wondering if you all can give me some ideas on feeding deer for bow season. I really don't have a place for plot, so I am wondering should I just stick to the yellow gold? (Corn)
#2
Corn is the best if you want sweet steaks. The farmer will allow the cattle to graze to get big. A few months before slaughter, they will switch them to corn to fatten them up and sweeten the meat. What I have done in the past is dump bags of corn out about 1 to 2 months ahead of time.One bag a week at the start but buy the time hunting comes around you'll be needing 3 bags/week. You can smell the difference even when butchering the deer. It's a great way to harvest good meat and help the rest of the heard survive the winter.
#3
i agree with fieldmouse... i live on a farm and by many other farms.. all the woods i hunt are generally surrounded by corn so the deer are always in the corn instead of the woods till the corn is cut, one thing i did was pick out a little area , set up salt blocks, poor corn in a pile and then i put apple flavored pellets on top, i dunno seemed to work pretty well when i did it
#5
Apple orchards often have deer apples (also known as wind falls, ground apples, etc.) These are the apples that have fallen from the tree and cannot be sold as edible to humans. These work great for sustainingdeer through the winter.
If you go this route, mix with corn and only put out 20-30 apples per week. The deer will LOVE you!
If you go this route, mix with corn and only put out 20-30 apples per week. The deer will LOVE you!
#8
Check your state regs closely. Some states don't allow feeding at all, but others like MA stipulate that you only cannot have feed (mineral licks, etc..) out 2 weeks prior to the season.
If you feed for a month or two prior to the season and make sure it's all gone in time you may still get "shoppers" coming by looking for some corn. (or apples, or squash.)
Be careful though. If someone finds your site, they may assume you'll be hunting over bait (again, in states like NY, IL, MA where it's illegal) you may have some unwanted attention come hunting season. Make sure it's ALL gone.
Make sure to double check your regs often too. With CWD spreading, a lot of states are changing their rules regarding "feeding" deer.
If you feed for a month or two prior to the season and make sure it's all gone in time you may still get "shoppers" coming by looking for some corn. (or apples, or squash.)
Be careful though. If someone finds your site, they may assume you'll be hunting over bait (again, in states like NY, IL, MA where it's illegal) you may have some unwanted attention come hunting season. Make sure it's ALL gone.
Make sure to double check your regs often too. With CWD spreading, a lot of states are changing their rules regarding "feeding" deer.


