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corn vs forbs
#5809045
06/28/15 07:46 PM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 388
foodieguy
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 388 |
Hey all-
Our feeders are empty at the moment. With all the greens available for food do you cut back or stop corn feeding? I have a lease south of Johnson City and it's super green out there. I wasn't sure if it was a waste of money/time/gas to fill the feeders now if there is so much other stuff for them to eat. Will they come for the corn?
If I stop now I'd probably start back again in August to get them back on track for the archery season.
Adult late onset hunter. Why did I wait so long to get started?
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809053
06/28/15 07:52 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 474
Dude Lebowski
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 474 |
Cut back but don't quit feeding corn. We try to keep the "snacks" going even when everything is green.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809089
06/28/15 08:23 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,023
Texas buckeye
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,023 |
Cut back as well. Lease is as green and thick as I have seen it and the surrounding lands are the same. Keep the corn spinning but just not as much right now. Deer are still hitting it, but the if guys are sporadic at best, but they know where it is, that's all that matters. If the water stops and things brown up, you willbe happy you are still spinning corn.
Fill it and keep it going, even if it is just a few seconds worth.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809112
06/28/15 08:48 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
To me it would depend on when you are going back again. I leave my feeders running 1 sec/2 times per day right now for two reason. One is I am still trying to get deer into feed pens that have not ever been in them. Second is, I think it is better on the feeder to be running than sitting idle or empty. 1 second/2 times per day will allow feeder to last 150 days or more if you have a 300# feeder. Also right now most forb growth in the Hill Country is getting mature and not as palatable. It will be getting hotter and drier at sometime in July or August. Does are raising fawns so a little extra could help them out also if you have a lot of deer.
Last edited by stxranchman; 06/28/15 08:55 PM.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809145
06/28/15 09:17 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,396
Pittstate
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,396 |
I put 100lbs of protein to 250lbs of corn in my feeders this time of year and run them for about 3 seconds just after sundown. This keeps the birds from getting most of it and gives the deer a little boost over just corn. On the bottom areas that we hunt hogs, I will run the same ratio, but run for about 6 seconds to make it worth their while to visit the feeder for a little lead therapy!
Running for 3 seconds on mine makes the feed last from April 1st to Sept 1st. I am only using 6 volt and it is throwing less than 2lbs a day (I have virtually zero waste from wind/varmints due to my setup).
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809191
06/28/15 09:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,652
Pitchfork Predator
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,652 |
Keep feeding just cut it back to a couple seconds. You want young bucks to feel like it's always there as they grow up with it. It will keep does living near it year round knowing if times get tough this is their security blanket. Might want to feed 50/50 soybean/corn to give them something more than desert
Last edited by Pitchfork Predator; 06/28/15 10:02 PM.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809255
06/28/15 11:04 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,063
Wilhunt
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,063 |
I keep feeding also but do cut back, the downside to that, is the squirrels, birds and coons tend to clean it up before the deer get to it. Seems like last year some posted that their feeders were set to go off very early and very late....maybe that would help.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: Wilhunt]
#5809271
06/28/15 11:19 PM
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
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Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
I keep feeding also but do cut back, the downside to that, is the squirrels, birds and coons tend to clean it up before the deer get to it. Seems like last year some posted that their feeders were set to go off very early and very late....maybe that would help. I have mine going off right as close to daylight or just after dark as I can right now.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5809309
06/28/15 11:59 PM
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,063
Wilhunt
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 6,063 |
Thanks stx, I will give that a try.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5811326
06/30/15 02:53 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
I have family hunting a place I used to hunt in your area. They have been pounded by rain place is greener than ever, but the deer are still hitting corn/free choice protein HARD.
Our place down south we hunted 3 days in a row at corn feeders two weeks ago and never saw a deer or hog one at the feeders. Quail moped it up pretty fast though.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5812302
07/01/15 12:53 AM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611
MarkE
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611 |
It really doesn't matter. There is very little nutritional value in corn and the deer aren't going to leave due to lack of corn; they will just eat other foods besides corn which is probably better for them anyway. They will be right back at the feeder when you start feeding again.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: MarkE]
#5812742
07/01/15 05:30 AM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,383
nsmike
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,383 |
It really doesn't matter. There is very little nutritional value in corn and the deer aren't going to leave due to lack of corn; they will just eat other foods besides corn which is probably better for them anyway. They will be right back at the feeder when you start feeding again. You might want to rethink that statement, corn is lacking in protein and calcium, but has phosphorus, potassium, and energy. With a majority of the state phosphorus poor, some corn can help balance out minerals, if there is sufficient protein and calcium from other sources.
for every stereotype there's a prototype don't be the prototype
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: nsmike]
#5813295
07/01/15 05:16 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611
MarkE
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611 |
It really doesn't matter. There is very little nutritional value in corn and the deer aren't going to leave due to lack of corn; they will just eat other foods besides corn which is probably better for them anyway. They will be right back at the feeder when you start feeding again. You might want to rethink that statement, corn is lacking in protein and calcium, but has phosphorus, potassium, and energy. With a majority of the state phosphorus poor, some corn can help balance out minerals, if there is sufficient protein and calcium from other sources. I agree with that fact, however, the original post states that everything has greened up and he is asking whether its worth the money/time/gas to fill feeds with corn. He wants to have the deer "back on track" for archery season. I just don't think the nutritional value in corn alone is worth it at all and the deer will be there whether you feed corn all Summer or if you start back in August.
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: MarkE]
#5813305
07/01/15 05:22 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,549 |
It really doesn't matter. There is very little nutritional value in corn and the deer aren't going to leave due to lack of corn; they will just eat other foods besides corn which is probably better for them anyway. They will be right back at the feeder when you start feeding again. You might want to rethink that statement, corn is lacking in protein and calcium, but has phosphorus, potassium, and energy. With a majority of the state phosphorus poor, some corn can help balance out minerals, if there is sufficient protein and calcium from other sources. I agree with that fact, however, the original post states that everything has greened up and he is asking whether its worth the money/time/gas to fill feeds with corn. He wants to have the deer "back on track" for archery season. I just don't think the nutritional value in corn alone is worth it at all and the deer will be there whether you feed corn all Summer or if you start back in August. I hunted 780 acres near to the OP for 20 years. 1/2 of the hunters fed year round and 1/2 started a month or so before the season. The people who fed year round saw staggeringly more and bigger deer(no none of them were booners, but undoubtedly they were the bigger bucks).
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: foodieguy]
#5813349
07/01/15 05:50 PM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,383
nsmike
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 8,383 |
The OP hunts an area known to be phosphorus poor, if it's not in the ground, it's not going to be in the feed. It's highly likely that this year his deer are getting plenty of protein and calcium but without phosphorus they will not show it. I looked at the supplement used at the Kerr research station which had approximately a 1/1 ratio of calcium to phosphorus. Why to you ask when deer ideally need 2/1? It's because it's a supplement for use on phosphorus poor ground. Ideally a deer should get all it's nutrition from natural feed but we all aren't blessed with ideal ground so it's wrong to assume it is. I'll get off my soapbox now.
for every stereotype there's a prototype don't be the prototype
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Re: corn vs forbs
[Re: nsmike]
#5813363
07/01/15 05:56 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611
MarkE
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,611 |
Good info nsmike, thanks.
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