[Muzzyman]

Has anyone tried deer feeders? What gives you the best results in having deer come back for more? Is there a mix of things or just one thing Ex. Cracked corn, deer pellets, oats, cattle mash (which is a mix of oats (I think), molasses, corn.

I know about the salt licks / and additives, apples, some say pumpkins, carrots and so on.....

I just want to try something new (or old) that works.

Thanks,

Muzzyman

 

[Winchester]

I have had amazing luck with pumpkins, doesn't cost anything eather if you grow your own

 

[SlickTrick]

I am using horse feed. They are going through about 7 pounds a day.

I have a 4" ID PVC pipe that is 5' long. At the top is a cap that is just sitting there, on the bottom is a Y and under that is a cap with a drain hole 1/8".

Works fantastically!

 

[frosty mornin']

I also use the 4" pvc feeder.I use shelled corn[kernels] and they seem to love it.The thing i like about the corn is it stays dry and solid.I have used the deer mix pellets but with rain they soggy like cereal.

 

[4evrhntn]

Hey bowman is the feed you using hae molasas in it? If yes do you have any probs with it going through the feeder.?

 

[Captain Caveman]

I tried the deer pellets last year in a plastic barrel with an opening cut out of one side... basically the raccoons loved it!!! But, when the pellets got wet it just turned to mush. I didn't have much luck with any deer bothering with it. The previous year I had a "dairy mix" and had a few deer and a bear coming around... but they were certainly happier when I had apples available and totally ignored the feeder. This year I built one of the pvc feeders that everyone one on here seems to be trying this year. I have been doing a bit of reading online at various hunting sites and have heard good things about "Wildgrain feed" by Blue Seal. It is a good mixture and can actually be put right on the ground if needed and will not turn to mush when it gets wet. I picked some up over the weekend at J's Pet Feed & Needs on Collishaw Street in Moncton(something like $18 for a 40 lbs. bag) and loaded up the feeder. We'll see what happens as I have a trailcam that has been up there for about a month. The best part is that even before I put the feeder out I was getting pictures of a good size doe that seems to like that particular area of the woods... now hopefully I will start to see a buck or two that is trying to line up a future "date" with that doe.

 

[abuckisabuck]

I love to use cracked corn or whole corn and oats, for the same reasons stated by the other posters. I stays solid when wet and they keep returning for more. I just dump it on the ground. I've tried beef finisher and other stuff with molases or syrups in it but have had issues with it growing moss almost over night. Though the deer ate some, it cost me a fortune to keep the bait going fresh and I ended up with a giant pile of rotting bait.

 

[Captain Caveman]

I tried the deer pellets last year in a plastic barrel with an opening cut out of one side... basically the raccoons loved it!!! But, when the pellets got wet it just turned to mush. I didn't have much luck with any deer bothering with it. The previous year I had a "dairy mix" and had a few deer and a bear coming around... but they were certainly happier when I had apples available and totally ignored the feeder. This year I built one of the pvc feeders that everyone one on here seems to be trying this year. I have been doing a bit of reading online at various hunting sites and have heard good things about "Wildgrain feed" by Blue Seal. It is a good mixture and can actually be put right on the ground if needed and will not turn to mush when it gets wet. I picked some up over the weekend at J's Pet Feed & Needs on Collishaw Street in Moncton(something like $18 for a 40 lbs. bag) and loaded up the feeder. We'll see what happens as I have a trailcam that has been up there for about a month. The best part is that even before I put the feeder out I was getting pictures of a good size doe that seems to like that particular area of the woods... now hopefully I will start to see a buck or two that is trying to line up a future "date" with that doe.

Update/// I went back a week later and there was no feed at all left in the feeder. However, I'm not completely sure what cleaned out the feed as it seems it is just out of the limits of my trail cam! I did get a few more pics though of deer that were closer. I have 27 pictures so far (one was a raccoon) of various deer... one 6 pointer that still had the velvet on about a week ago. Lots of does and fawns and activity in a nearby mock scrape that I started. I refilled the feeder on Thursday and moved my trail camera closer so hopefully I can see what I'm feeding!!! I'm gonna hold off on the apples until deer season starts and even then it will only be a few as there are a few bears around that area.