big bucks and corn piles?
 

Does anyone kill nice bucks on corn piles? I have hunted corn for years and had never killed nice bucks, well last year I got tired of watching does and spikes so i ventured into the woods on trails and killed two nice bucks before season ended. The heck with corn from now on. Anyone else had this experience? And can anyone tell me why the bucks never come to my corn? thanks

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

must be you can bait. but im sure its not that they aren't hitting the corn. probably just that they are waiting till dark to come to it. here in ny i hunt farm land. [corn] in the early season i set up 50-100 yards back off the fields. the bigger bucks will hang up till damn near dark. once the rut gets closer move up to the field egdes where the does are.

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

We usually have 5 or so cameras out on corn from about now till the season starts and it is unusual to catch a trophy buck in the daytime. We get a lot of good ones after dark though.

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

Corn isn't magic. It has very low nutritional value for a deer and from what I have seen here in SC, they will step over a corn pile to get to natural forage.

When someone mentions hunting over corn, its like they think that the corn has some magical spell to draw out all the deer in the woods.[:'(]

They are more than likely eating it, but at night.

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

No illegal in PA

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

strut, its not the nutrision there after up here during hunting season. they eat it to pack on the weight for the hard winter. its plentiful and easy for them to get too.

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

AMEN! Despite the beliefs of some of the posters here (hunting bait is the same as poaching), corn, soybeans, peas, etc are merely another tool you can use. If you hunt a feeder or pile of corn, you are typicaly going to see does and immature bucks. You might get some activity from mature animals late in the rut when they are worn down, but for the most part they will hang back in the brush and watch the does. IF you are going to hunt bait or feeders, you will see fewer but better animals by moving AWAY from the feeder and watching the trails leading to them. Besides, the mature bucks didn't get that way by being stupid. If you have a permanant stand near a feeder or baited area, they KNOW exactly where those spots are. Unless they are chasing a doe, you aren't going to have them walk right out in front of you, as a general rule!

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

It doesn't matter if it's a pile of corn, mineral lick, etc.... IF it is hunted, you are NOT going to get wise mature bucks to prance right in during legal shooting times! They've lived to long for that, they know that predators lurk close by. I still find that MANY folks underestimate the survival abilities of mature deer!

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

I have been hunting for years but recently began using feeders. I see a lot of deer and learn a lot from watching them but I have noticed that I do not see many mature bucks. Now I am not one to only hunt for horns, but I must say that I have considered adding another stand further away from my feeded just to mix it up a bit.


Anybody have any ideas on how far away I should go? I know where the deer bed and I know the main travel routes, but I don't want to go too far, or not far enough. Any insight would help. Thanks in advance.

RE: big bucks and corn piles?
 

Good question. I don't think that anyone can answer this w/o actually seeing your hunting terrian and situation.

I would say get close enough to the bedding area where you won't be seen or heard. And remember the wind.