Best Feeding Setup For Deer
 

I like getting trail cam shots of the deer while feeding,but the coons are coming in like crazy and eating more of my corn than the Deer here lately. What method could I employ that would cut down on the coons, squirrels and birds getting so much of the feed? Do timed feeders work better or should I use the blocks or screw in feed blocks that fasten to a tree? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Scattered corn or trough feeding will attract every critter in the woods. I figure at least 50% goes to the critters. A simple timed feeder going off an hour before dark should help you a lot.

We've discovered by only throwing corn in the morning with our auto feeders that its cut the coons out completely and allowed us to move our deer movement in the area to 8am-2pm hours with an occasional afternoon snacker.

Once you can adjust the amount of corn down to the amount needed to feed them enough that that get full and eat it all it leaves none for those nocturnal coons. As far as squirrels there arent as many as before when we just thru a bag of corn at a time but a few still come in.

We throw about 3-4 lbs at 7am each morning and its enough to feed our 5-6 doe and 2-3 bucks in the area for a good morning feed. They normally come back and munch on our food plot until the corn throws.

Timed feeder set to go off in the morning cuts down on the amount of those pesty nocturnal rodents. Birds and squirrels don't have as much of an impact on eating feed as raccoons do. And anything a deer likes a raccoon likes.

If you have a lot of raccoons, you may need to set up a fence trap baited with tuna or sardines to funnel them in and work on reducing the population. But make sure you do it within your states trapping laws and season.

P.S.- If you decide to try to trap raccoons and want more details on how to catch alot at once using, what I call a "fence" trap, just let me know.

Daytime feeding attracts the dang turkeys, there is no easy answer.

I don't mind feeding the Turkeys since I hunt them and eat them,It's the coons that I have no desire to feed at all. I think I'm going to use my buddies timed feeder as has been spoken of.

I am really interested in the fence trap you are talking about..

Coons will destroy most spin feeders. They will send one to the spinner and he can empty a feeder in one night. I ended up installing cages around the spinner. I also switched to alfalfa hay as our main feed 4 years ago. Coons don't eat it but deer love it. I supplement this with mineral and 20% protein blocks. Experiment with different feed and find what works. Try sweet feed when it's cold. You have alot of options in Indiana.

You just take some hog fencing, heavy chicken wire, or some type of cheap fencing, make a cage about 2 or 3 feet high, about 4x4 or 5x5 feet wide. Attach it all togeter with alot of wire rings so the raccoons don't tear out. Make sure there is a wire fence bottom so they don't dig out (cover with dirt) and a wire fence top so they don't climb out. You can support the sides with rebar stakes. The entrance is the key. It has to be setup like a minnow trap. Where they can squeeze in, but not get out. Bait with a open can of tuna, sardines, etc. Set it up away from the feeder a little way, cause it kind of spooks the deer when raccoons get trapped in there.

Here is a rough sketch attached:

Hi, just wonder how best to feed deer with a feeder and keep turkeys out. We have cows so have to keep cows away also? Is there a food deer like and turkeys don't?