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How long for deer to find a feeder? #5884367 08/18/15 05:51 PM
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CSA81 Offline OP
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I know questions like this are variable based on location, season, deer number and food but I figured the experts could at least come up something. The only way to really know is to spend more time scouting and hunting…which I plan on doing.

Location: TX Panhandle. All ranch land, no farming.
Condition: Lots of rain, I’ve never seen it this green.(might be my issue)
Species: Mule deer & Whitetail, no pigs…yet

I installed two feeders first week of July and set them to throw 3 seconds a day. One feeder has a massive pile of corn underneath and the other has nothing. I don’t have cameras up but the one feeder is at least attracting something. This is big country, we hunt a lot acreage and I know it will take a little time to be discovered. How long do I give the other feeder before relocating?

What do you guys see that hunt West Texas and the Panhandle?

Thanks,

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884374 08/18/15 05:56 PM
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Cast Offline
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It took a few days for deer to show on camera at the last two sets. Get a cam out there and see what's up.


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Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884381 08/18/15 06:00 PM
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I'd get a camera on both feeders, and if deer are hitting the one feeder and not the other I'd try to figure out why that's the case. Maybe there's a reason for the difference (a hot food source near one but not the other, too much livestock near one, seasonal difference, etc.), but if you can't really find a reason for the deer to be hitting one and not the other I'd consider moving the unproductive one. It may just not be in a good location, deer do not use all of their "home range" the same or with the same frequency. But before I make the decision to move the feeder, I'd want concrete evidence that it is being used significantly less than the other one and for no logical reason other than location.

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884471 08/18/15 06:50 PM
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Had deer waiting in the brush for us to leave after setting feeder up in a new location in the texas hill country.

Our property in south texas was severely over hunted before we got it. I think the first feeders sat for at least a month or more before we got our first regular visitors.


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Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884556 08/18/15 07:42 PM
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I recently moved to a new lease in Comanche county. Plenty of rain in spring and early summer like you. I setup a feeder, built a barb wire feeder pen, started throwing corn and put a couple of mineral "attractant" deer blocks from tractor supply. The deer showed up 5 days later. I scouted the property several times before placing the feeder and felt like I was placing it in a good location.

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884668 08/18/15 08:57 PM
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If the deer are there it should take them no more than a month to find it. Set up cameras and figure out what you have. Try moving the feeder that has nothing coming to it. Once they show up, which they probably have at the one, turn those puppies up to 5+ seconds especially as the season creeps closer and there's less natural food



Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884855 08/18/15 11:05 PM
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"How long before deer find the feeder?"

Oh they find it pretty dang fast. Hours/days, not weeks/months. The question is....when will they start showing up?

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884864 08/18/15 11:13 PM
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Around here about 2 minutes.

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884922 08/18/15 11:42 PM
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Late 90's in Stonewall and Kent counties and it took deer almost 8 months to eat corn at a feeder. Deer never had seen corn I guess. Corn piled up and then started growing when it rained. Hogs and turkey would not eat it at a feeder either till after the deer started.


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Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884970 08/19/15 12:01 AM
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I would move the feeder with no activity in a flash. The deer have not been coming to our feeders consistently but there has been some movement. Should pick up soon.

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5884991 08/19/15 12:13 AM
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We set up a brand new feeder at a place near Mason with the intent of filling it the next day. It came straight from the store and right into the field. It never had corn in it at all, it was brand new.
We had 6 deer looking for corn under it that evening.
I was surprised that not only do the deer know what a feeder sounds like, they also know what they look like.


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Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5885401 08/19/15 05:40 AM
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Without knowing anything other than it's in the panhandle, did you put your feeders down low, such as near a draw? Obviously, if you're not hunting canyon like country, this wouldn't apply. Keep your shots at at least 150-200 yards.


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Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5885705 08/19/15 02:37 PM
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Travel routes should be pretty noticeable because of the prevelance of dirt instead of rock. The deer in this area are not traveling their fall routes currently and have also been rerouted off their regular routes because of thick sunflower and weed growth. They are not comfortable traveling through it because of how easy predators can hide in it. It's also difficult to feed on forbes being choked off from the high weed growth.

Find old ranch roads that are rarely used and set up a feeder on some of those. That's what the deer are using most to travel on at this time because of the conditions.


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Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: Cast] #5885732 08/19/15 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted By: Cast
It took a few days for deer to show on camera at the last two sets. Get a cam out there and see what's up.

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: Simple Searcher] #5885872 08/19/15 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted By: Simple Searcher
We set up a brand new feeder at a place near Mason with the intent of filling it the next day. It came straight from the store and right into the field. It never had corn in it at all, it was brand new.
We had 6 deer looking for corn under it that evening.
I was surprised that not only do the deer know what a feeder sounds like, they also know what they look like.


Haha. Every time I go to lease and fill the feeders I later see on camera that the deer are at the feeder within 10 minutes. They must be tucked in the woods stalking me. They also come soon after I finish using the weed eater.

Re: How long for deer to find a feeder? [Re: CSA81] #5885987 08/19/15 05:49 PM
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Thanks for all the help! There have never been feeders on the ranch before and there aren't any on the surrounding 20-30 sections. I might be starting from scratch trying to condition this guys. I placed both feeders in/near draws where I normally see activity. Pitchfork you may be on to something with summer/fall patterns.
I think I will be patient, put up cameras and see what happens. My next trip up is in Oct. for Pronghorn season so i have a few weeks to see what happens.

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