Some of y’all probably already know this though. We have been feeding for a couple years. We feed about 8 months out of the year, mostly to keep the doe population on the property and well fed. With the change in regs we put broadcast feeders on every plot and I’ve been jumping around sitting in different spots as the wind dictates. I’ve seen deer on 8 different hunts and I’ve yet to see a deer stay at a feeder longer than 5-7 minutes. I have however watched deer spend hours browsing food plots and natural edges.

I figured this all along so I wasn’t surprised at all but I thought I would share.

5-7 minutes at a feeder is all I need.

Therefore, corn IS the answer.

Looks like your master baiting skills are weak.

It’s all about where you put it and how. No feeders. Not in food plots. Not in high traffic areas. Keep scent down and let them eat it without interruption. Other factors. I can get mature bucks on camera with well placed locations and they will use it in the daytime and stay a long time if you just leave it alone.

Scatter a couple bags in the woods where deer live. See what happens when it gets cold and the acorns disappear

You just need to put some additives along side the corn. Ie peanut butter rice bran and PBJ granules
https://i.imgur.com/vHBKGx5. https://i.imgur.com/xzU3HnC.png
https://i.imgur.com/oHWTwVj.png

Being able to hunt over corn this year is what is finally going to transform me from an average, kill a nice deer every couple of years guy to the world class hunter that I have always known I could be. Or it could just make me a couple of hundred $ lighter by the end of the season.

I didn’t say I don’t have mature bucks on cameras at different feeders. I rarely post deer pics on social media anymore. My comment and experience is that feeders will NEVER replace a well planted and fertilized food plot. As a matter of fact I think food plots are even more important now vs before being able to hunt over feeders. Lazy hunters, there’s a bunch, will half a$$ plots thinking corn is better.

I’ve watched WAY more deer in day light hours feed all around it without ever coming to it this year than deer that fed on it. I’ve had several hunts where I saw 15+ deer and less than a third came to corn. Had nothing to do with me not hunting smart, being in a feeder or any of that other stuff mentioned. It had everything to do with there’s tons of natural vegetation and acorns out there that are just as preferred and palatable as corn. I’ve also got tons of day light pics of big bucks on it. To think they somehow are addicted to it like it’s an uncontrollable urge is just false.

Josh, our food plots are filling up with deer in the afternoons, and although they will come to the corn, they really don’t care if it’s there or not. A well fertilized food plot is highly desirable.

Is it a throw and mow plot Matt?

Heck no!

I agree with that statement. I still think there’s ways to use corn where older bucks use it more frequently and more often. And a lot of factors play into it.

It’s like anything thing else with hunting, some are going to do it well, and a lot of hunters are going to struggle with it, if that is how they try to kill deer.

I honestly don’t like it being legal, especially in a club setting, seeing how medium to large hunting clubs are about to get some more drama - over things clubs haven’t thought all the way thru yet. Going to be an interesting year IMO. And some of the stories from the clubs should be entertaining.

Everyone is STILL missing the point of the original post lol. I’m getting PLENTY of daylight pictures, of mature deer, at feeders. My point is they utilize our really good food plots MORE than they do the corn and that corn is not the “secret weapon”. Pressure is the ultimate weapon for killing big bucks (lack of pressure).

This is for dang sure!

I guess this is what I think of first and foremost when this comes up - in regards to hunting pressure. A lot of hunters will hit the easy button with corn, and will be clumsy with it and have bad experiences. Spook a lot of deer in the process also.

My Texas experiences indicate that feeding year round may be the difference.

I'm one year in at the farm, and will continue to feed year round as an experiment. Feeder is in a food plot, also.

Give it 4 years. Deer in AL will be imprinted to feeders and corn. And that’s fine. In a lot of areas they already are

X2. That's my hypothesis. The mature deer in Texas sure dont seem to mind feeders

Y’all are comparing apples to oranges when it comes to TX and deer and anywhere else.

You’re right. TX folks for most part all respect the resource. Here in bama it’s a totally different mentality