Deer feeder problems

[EddieWalker]

Scott,

I'm undecided which I've seen more deer and hogs off of, my CUT while mowing, or while on the dozer moving dirt. I've honestly thought of using the dozer as a hunting blind!!!!!

Great story,
Eddie

 

[RedRocker]

These were under my feeder, don't think human scent is an issue either.

 

[YanmarFever]

Rocker ,

ouch please stop , I put my camera in front of our feeder today & all I captured was 54 pics of blue jays & other birds.
Im sooo jealous I could eat the corn on the ground!!

 

[RedRocker]

I have a lot of pix with a squirrel or nothing on them. I've seen a lot of does up there but never a buck. I bout dropped my jaw when I caught these two guys. We're headed up in the morning, I should have two weeks worth of stuff on there.

 

[Pilot]

Ernie,

I know nothing about deer feeders, but I do know that deer in our part of Oregon browse on stuff within 2-3 feet of the ground, only reaching higher when they are desperate or for stuff they really like, such as cedar foliage. So your feeders may be too high. Our deer are smaller than some of those whitetails in the east, so what works there may not work here.

And as far as human scent goes, we used to see them browsing on freshly planted Doug firs at the bottom of the units while we planted the upper portions. Those DF's had scent on them from planting by human hands just a few hours before, so I would guess if they really like it, scent won't matter. And we had some pansies beside our driveway, 5 feet beyond the garage door and they took them down to the ground--I saw them doing it. They really like roses and blueberries, too, so if you have some, put your feeders among them.

Do you see them in your yard? Do your dogs scare them off, either by their presence or by their scent? Also, how much open space do they have to cross to get to the area where the feeders are? They like to be near cover. I would guess a good spot would be a little ways from cover but where you could still see them from your own hideaway.

Just some ideas.

 

[YanmarFever]

Pilot,
The feeder throws the food 2x a day in a 20' circle, its battery operated.
Its located out back about 1100 feet from the house with cover all around it.
I think its just a matter of time until they find it. specially when its cold out & food is harder to come by.
Thanks Ernie

 

[JRobyn]

We discovered last week that we have a different kind of deer feeder problem. Something (racoons is my bet) has figured out how to pry the lids off the feeder buckets! They carried one of them about 30 ft away and gnawed the rubber seal into several pieces. After they got the lids off, they got inside and threw out all of the whole-kernel corn and ate all the sunflower seed (we mix all sorts of stuff in the feeders for turkey, songbirds, etc.). I made up some heavy wire bails to hold the lids down, but they can probably figure out some way to defeat that too! Hopefully they're cussing me now!

- Jay

 

[RobJ]

Well I'm a little late but reading through I had some thoughts. Sweep up all the acorns in the surrounding 500 acres and deer will eat your corn. They'll eat when hungry and when hungry will eat the better food. Humans will ruin their dinner on a giant bag of MMs (the corn) where deer will go for the steak (acorns). Corn with the starches in it turn into sugar. Not the best if there isn't much food around. But when the acrons and browse play out they will eat the corn. Also depending on the rut, I've seen bucks and does walk right through the corn.

Game cams are cool to. And if you have coons and tough squirrels around, you have to use all metal. Man those suckers can use their little hands!!

 

[sandman2234]

I also don't think our deer are scared of human smell. Last year I put corn out every night behind my garage. Just walked out there with a bucket full and spread it by hand. As many as 6 at a time were photographed within 30 feet of my dogs who really hate my chain link fence!
David from jax