And don't worry about the coyotes killing the deer....They are gonna get their share whether or not you feed the deer. I have been feeding for years, and only have lost one deer to the devil dogs so far.

all i will say is i hope u like seeing deer get ate from the a$$ up. u do know that yotes don't make good clean kills like hunters do![:-]

Veg,

Do as I do...plant flowers! [:@] [:@] [:@] The deer here just eat right through them! [:@] [:@] [:@]

Plow up a portion of your yard and plant a food plot for the deer. .Imperial whitetail has alot of different seeds you can plant. Cost me only about 1000.00 to plant a plot . Will last 5 years and yields about 3 deer a year in my freezer.None suffered ,except maybe a little over weight and fat.

Veg:

You have a lot of guts coming to a hunting site, given your lifestyle choice. I like gutsy people.

Anyway, if you obtained some of the coyote calling equipment and a training tape, you could issue a coyote greeting or summoning call (not sure what the accepted term or art for this call is, but the training tape would surely describe this for you) and expect coyotes in the near vicinity -- perhaps within a mile -- to answer this call. Ask on this site ("Varmint Hunting", if there is such a category on this site) about coyote calling equipment -- not too expensive for a lung-activated calling system versus an expensive electronic system -- or review the products available on-line from Bass ProShops and/or Cabelas.

Be advised that coyotes are enemies of deer, that is, coyotes have not chosen a vegetarian lifestyle but adhere to their predatory nature and prey on deer. Thus, if you have more coyotes around, you can expect fewer deer -- either because the coyotes kill the deer or the deer have not chose to be a meal for the coyotes and have high tailed it, literally, out of those parts.

A significant element of the love hunters have of hunting is enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors. Paradoxical though it is, hunters too love deer. I happen to like to eat meat and I eat the meat of the deer that I kill when hunting. It is very healthy food and also very tasty when well prepared. I try to minimize the waste of the meat. In the past I have reserved the bones for boiling to make rich venison stock. Most hunters, I feel, do try to make a quick killing shot, but admittedly sometimes the deer or other big game animal does not die quickly. While this is regrettable -- and responsible hunters try to improve their odds of a quick kill by practicing marksmanship and taking appropriate shots -- it does happen. Remember, however, that like people, deer all must die sometime. The natural death of a deer is generally not pleasant. They may be run down and attacked by a pack of coyotes. Imagine, if you will, that death. They may suffer a traumatic injury, such as a broken leg, and suffer for weeks before dieing from a festering wound. They may slowly starve to death over a particularly difficult winter. Few deer, I feel confident in saying, experience a pleasant natural death. In almost all instances, even a bad shoot, the death dealt to a deer by a hunter is much quicker and more merciful than any natural death a deer may meet with.

First of all, every hunter I personally know and anyone I've talked to on hear wants to make a clean kill. It is the most important part of the hunt, getting a good humane kill. Secondly, one reason you havent seen that buck in a few months could be that his antlers have been shed, but they should be starting to grow back now. Corn is cheap and should attract the deer and turkeys. Hope this helps some.

Sir,
Thanks for posting. I'm a member of Audubon. When they found out I hunted they gave me the cold shoulder. I can't see why I can't do both. I love nature. I also love the challenge that the whit-tailed deer gives me. Believe me, in my area the deer are pretty safe. Over 500 hunters ,2 months and only 17 bucks checked in. Many are in the swamp laughing their heads off at us. I happen to get one and it was a clean kill.
Have a great day,
Chuck

Veg, IMHO I think this thread should have been on Wildlife Management section,
you will get more answers to your questions.
As for coyotes, I would'nt attract them if possiable, they will attack children and
pets.
As for feeding Deer in your yard? Are you with an Animal Protection Group?
About not eating meat, that's your prerogative,but you should be on a Home&Garden
Forum not on a Hunting Forum. Just about all of these guys are meat eaters, if
not all.
Every person has the right to do want he thinks is right, but I think you are in the
wrong Forum! This is an animal clean and humane Forum.
If you have taken the time to read all the Posts on HuntingNet.com forum, you
will read that all these hunters always are talking about the proper gun for a
humane kill. Most of these guy's are seasoned hunters not just out of High School!

I believe the animals you have in mind are ferel and should not be domesticated.
I am just expressing my opinions,but you do what you want.....Have a good one!

Welcome Veg!

First I'll start by say it's fine to be a veg. I'm a steak and potatos guy but like vegitables too. As far as clean kills, That's what I strive for and I'm certain you'll be hard pressed to find a hunter who goes looking to wound game.

I agree with the others who say "Don't feed the deer". Feeding deer, espically with corn is not all that good for deer and can have negative impacts on thei digestive system.

If you want to increase deer sightings a good place to start is to develope a wildlife management plan. Figure out what you want to accomplish and how you'll set about doing it. Since you don't hunt and it sounds like you just want to see more animals the first thing you'll want to accomplish is to make your property more appealing to the animals you want to frequent it. If you like to watch deer and Turkey, a clover plot would be a good place to start. Both deer and turkey prefer clover as a food source. It's also high in protein, very nutritious and will be avaiable when other food sources are not.

A good summer annual plot would be a product like Imperial Powerplant. The deer will feed in it all time of day durring the summer months up until mid September when the frost kills it. Don't fool yourself though, Food plots take a lot of work but if you have access to farm equiptment it will greatly facilitate the creation of food plots.

Another way to imporove habitat is to fertalize natural browse that already exist on your property. Also thinning out mature trees to open the canopy and promote fresh growth. If you have some acerage where you can clear a an area of forrest (1/2 acre would be plenty) and plant a variety of browse such as raspberry and honey suckle and just let it go. It will grow into a nasty tangled all but inpenertable mess and the deer will absolutely love it.

If you visit the Wildlife Management forum you'll find post from lots of people doing their part to create additional and more appealing habitats for whitetails and turkey. I'd certainly be glad to give and tips or pointer that I have learned along the way.

Good luck with your project.
Adams

Veg

Purchase a big Rubbermaid garbage can (with a lid), and fill it with horse corn from a local feed store. Just plain old hard kernel corn. Keep putting 1-gallon piles of it out. Once they eat it, replenish the pile. Keep the lid on, and leave it out in your garage. If you don't keep the lid tight, mice will get in it, and you don't want that. Also, be sure to get corn, b/c some of the processed organic stuff gets soggy w/rain and they won't eat it.

Also, buy yourself a salt block and couple apple trees and pear trees. They really like to eat apples and pears in the early fall/late summer.

Set your salt block at the base of a tree or stump, and eventually, they'll start digging at it and licking there.

Don't buy into all this hogwash about the coyotes. They'll get their fill anyway, it's natural selection at work. They won't eat up all your deer, trust me.

Cost of Rubbermaid can - $15-$20
Cost of 100# of corn - $10-$20
50# Salt Block - $6
Cost of trees will vary - I usually get them at the end of the season for $5-$25 each at Tractor Supply.

One trip to a farm center, $50 bucks, and you'll be in like Flynn.

Good luck in all your travels.

Quik