Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

I own a small 5 acre tract of land and I am currently using a corn barrel to bait my stand. There is a fairly large heard of deer but they are not traveling through my area. All Im feeding right now is a bunch of sqirels and soom coons. What can I do to draw deer to my area? The woods are deep shadow through out the day being a thich stand of extreamily large poplars and sweetgums. Im thinking about planting a small food plot of Rape or mineral licks. But, Ive got to draw the deer to the for them to eat.....HMMMMMM what to do...Any sugestions? I ampretty much land locked so I cant movemy stand....Thanx

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

the plot of minerals may help or try feeding a allstock mix instead of just plain corn. this is what I have in the feeder in this pic. Corn, Molasses, Oats or just buy some dried molasses and add to your corn. it'll sweeten it up.

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

ditto, i was putting out corn for 3 months had not seen the first deer, fed a friend of mine horses once while he was on vacation, found out that deer love all grain sweet feed, i guess they can smell it better, there were deet showing up within the week;)

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

SSgt, I buy Horse Sweet Feed, it has oats, corn, molasses, and minerals all mixed
together. Deer love it. If I were you, Iwould try to keep it about 50-75yds from
your stand location.

By the way, that seconddeersure is a good one!

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

Reb I agree with you ... sweet feed it a killer ..

DD

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

A small clearing and planting a small foodplot could do wonders for the small property. I would seriously think about what you could do to create an opening. Plus, this opening would create an effective "edge" that would be much better to hunt and give you a few different stand positions. Remember an effective "hunting plot" is only 1/4 to 3/4 of an acres yet it can produce some serious tonage of food depending on what crop you choose to plant.

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

I would also like to add that I beleive this mineral lick recipe should be on every property if you really want to provide your area deer with important vitimans that they need during antler growth and fawning. It has been proven that deer will travel for miles to hit a consistent mineral lick. Try this one and I promise you'll have great results next season.

WHITETAIL DEER HOMEMADE MINERAL MIX RECIPE

Ingredients: Makes 200 lbs. for about $23.00

1 part Di-calcium phosphate, this is a dairy feed additive bought at feed stores.
Comes in 50lb Bags at around $11.00 you need one bag.

2 parts Trace mineral salt, the red and loose kind without the medications.
Comes in 50lb Bags at around $5.00 you need two bags.

1 part Stock salt, ice cream salt.
Comes in 50lb Bags at around $2.00 you need one bag.

Directions:

-Use a 3 pound or similar size coffee can to use as your measure for each part of the mix.

-Mix all together well but not until read to use, keep ingredients separate until ready to put to use.

-Dig or tear up a circle in the soil about 36 inches wide and about 6 inches deep.

-Mix your mineral mixture with the soil.

Maintenance:

-Replenish in 6 months with fresh supply of mineral, and then each year there after.

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RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

I think baiting is poaching. Thats just me, same as caged hunts.

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

That is an excellent recipe Cornfed. Anybody can make a successful mineral lick considering how a bucks antlers are made 100% of calcium and phosphate. Salt, Sodium, and Phosphate = Bigger racks. I just take the earsy route and by blocks....:D

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

its only poaching if it is illegal in the area your hunting, it is not my perferred method of hunting, and the baiting i do is strictly for the enjoyment of seeing deer and other wildlife.

hers a pic from last year of some of our pets

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

This might stip up an argument but I disagree. There are different definitions along with different intentions and regulations. Baiting is putting food or minerals out for deer so you can kill them. Feeding is putting food or minerals out for deer for the benefit of the herd. And it all depends on regulations in your area as well. That is just my opinion. :)

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

if it is done within the guidelines set up by the dec then it comes down to personal choice.

here in ny baiting is illegal but i have no problem finding a game trail leading into a corn field... or hanging a stand near an apple orchard. is this considered baiting?

condem one hunter........you condem us all;)

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

We DO NOT hunt over baited spots such as corn..Once season starts we don't put any corn out until late in the winter..We do however hunt over planted food plots..I mean pour it on the ground or plant it they are both a form of bait...We are not allowed to hunt over a baited spot here in MO. A D D do you hunt over food plots?

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

Here in Fl.it's legal,so I go out dump some corn and pick which 12 pointer I want and then go home.RIGHT!!!Do you hunt near an oak tree droping acorns?Near water???Ok enough of that,nice mix I'll try that.

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

I used to mix livestoke feed for local farms to include molasis sweet feed. I think it will clog my caster.Now i could go with a sweet pellet feed, I didnt think of that....hmmmm

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

I hunt over my feeder and plot to quickly fill my freezer and thin out does, now if a nice buck shows up shame on em. Once I got my meat supply up for the year, then I start hunting for fun and do a lot of spot and stalk, settin ground blinds and working for a nice one. I do agree with you sometimes hunting bait is like shooting cattle, but my families yearly red meat consumption is 98% Bambi. Bambi burger, Bambi-Q, Bambi Parmesan, Spicy Bambi Chili, Roast Bambi, Country Style Bambi, and any other kind of cooked Bambi fare crosses my table to the lip smackin enjoyment of all. Hell I'm married to an Italian import who can cook,if we ate beef Id be ashuge as a house. I applaud your position and can truly appreciate the thrill of the hunt, but until that freezer is stocked I'm harvesting a crop.

RE: Food Plots and Bait Stations
 

I thought owning a gun was illeagel in the Peoples Republic of Ney York...HAHAHA