Stonewall308

I have an automated feeder set up on my hunt club in a secluded spot, with a trail camera pointed at the feeder. This spot is an old logging trail that I have cleared and sprayed, and that I am trying to establish a foot plot on. The idea was to get the deer used to coming to that area for food simply so that they would know where the food plot is when the season starts. I am planning on taking the feeder out before the season starts. This spot is secluded enough were no one else in my club will find it, but within two hundred yards of deer trails.

This feeder has been throwing about 4 lbs of corn a day for five weeks, and I have thousands of pictures of racoons and crows, but only a few pictures of does and no bucks. I know for a fact that this property is covered up with deer, I saw deer every time I hunted last year, and I even saw a buck in velvet last weekend about five hundred yards from the feeder.

Last year I dumped a single bag of corn on the ground in February, and I got tons of pictures of deer including several bucks. This year I have corn dispensed daily, with hardly any pictures of deer.

What in the world is going on?

Are deer not as interested in corn this time of year?

Will deer not travel a few hundred yards for a guaranteed easy meal?

I just don't understand it. And I've got so much time invested in clearing and spraying this area that I'm going to go through with finishing the food plot, but I am very discouraged by the nearly complete absence of deer on my camera. And adding insult to injury, I saw a buck just a few hundred yards from the feeder, in broad day light.

StealthHtr22

Deer always are interested in corn but this time of year, if you live around crop land, there is a major abundance of food. I would try a different attractant first. Maybe a powder attractant with a liquid mineral. It has a stronger odor than corn for easier detection, it can also help eliminate other corn eaters like racoons, squirrels or other critters that may set off the camera.

But also, are you visiting the bait too much? Maybe there is too much human activity around the area?

mortalcare

in summer their is pleanty of food out...your feeder is as appealing as the berry patch,budding crop fields,new foliage,and such

nchawkeye

Seems you ran them off clearing and spraying...They'll be back later and as long as you have does the bucks will come visiting when the time is right...

country1

Unless you are in an area experiencing a drought, there should be plenty of food around. How close is this area to a water source?

I would not count on others not finding the food plot. Have a plan B if they do find your spot.

Does your club allow the use of chemicals and planting food plots in the manner you have done? If not, you will likely be looking for a new club.

Stonewall308

Seems like you are stretching mightily to be the bearer of bad news.

Yes, my club allows planting of food plots and does not prohibit the use of round-up. The only prohibition of that kind is that you can't harm the pine trees, which I haven't.

Moreover, I'm not sure how you could say what is "likely," seeing as you don't know the hunt club or how hidden this spot is. Most people in this club only hunt the first week or two of rifle season, and even then they hardly venture off the power line. Even if they did find the spot (which is very unlikely), and even if round-up was prohibited (which it isn't), I'm not sure how there would be any evidence of round-up that was sprayed many months before deer season. Quit a stretch indeed.

Stonewall308

Yeah, I think the problem is abundance of food. I didn't visit the spot for three weeks, so I don't think it is human activity.

I'll try some mineral attractants.

Thanks for the advice.

Do you think food will be scarce enough in mid to late October for deer to be hitting a food plot regularly?

StealthHtr22

Depends on your geographical location & surrounding habitat, but I would say that there is a good chance that they will be using it even more.

Valentine

It seems that some experimenters are becoming first class in the gathering of wildlife information. And a lot of hunters have spent some time, money and effort in getting deer in one particular area.
Once that is done it gets a little tough to switch gears, if the signs say so.
I watched a lot of hunters go to feeder sites guarded by expensive trail cams. In some states, some will have tower or box blinds overlooking the feeder and trail cam. I'm an old doubting thomas, and I never trusted my selection as the one and great deer stand.

I always tried to learn where the deer went, and not try to assume that deer will come to me, fairly automatically. Years ago I use to hunt on a dairy farm. I watched for deer and saw the dairy cows do things expected. And I never mixed up my thinking on deer with dairy cows.

And I'm probably too old to change.

minnesotadeer

I would dig in a mineral site (if legal) and/or a cattle trough with some mosquito dunks if there are no real watering holes around. It's a little work on the front end but cheaper and easier in the long run and ideally you're providing them with something they don't already have versus abundant food sources. Granted, I'd do this mainly for scouting purposes so I could get them to stop and say cheese for the camera, not count on it as my sweet spot for hunting. Thought hunting there would be worth a trip or two out each season as well. Good luck!