Trying to get my son his first deer during youth only in a couple of weeks. Question is, how long before the hunt should I throw out some corn? It's a high traffic area about 100-150 yards away from our box blind. I've only hunted feeders before so any input would be helpful.

You can start at any time. Just keep in mind that once they find it, it won't last more than a day or two at most, especially if there are hogs in the area.

Once you have them coming into the area to look for it, I would corn it the afternoon before.

I have added corn to sweeten a food plot late in the season and not a kernel was left the following morning.

Corn every chance you get. Corn a couple of spots if you can for changes in wind direction also. I corn every day I can starting in late August and now everyday I can even if I do not hunt. I use a road feeder and still put out corn by hand when hunting one of my bow blinds that does not have a feeder.

My favorite way to hunt bait

Get there early and corn it before the hunt. Won't hurt anything and you can get them where you want them for a good shot. Keep it thin in the open areas and I like to go heavy in the cactus and thick stuff to make it last longer. Good luck!

Ok cool, one other question. How much corn we talking? 50lb bag?

Depends on how many deer you are seeing in one set. I put out a lot more when I am hunting than when I am just corning blinds. I want the deer staying around longer when I am hunting.

I throw one 50 pound bag a week on my East Texas place and it normally last 5-7 days. That's only 7-8 different deer eating it though.

They're used to this spot being corned so they are on it the first day it's spread.

I would spread 10-15lbs until you get the consumption rate figured out. Then spread almost the whole bag around an area the morning before you hunt then throw the remaining 5-10 lbs out a couple hours before you hunt

I put corn out in one spot next to a small pond on the back of our place. Been doing it for a few years, but only just before and during the season. The deer have a good memory. I put corn out a few days ago, in the evening, and the next morning I watched them eat it. Days that I forget to put out corn, the deer still gather there and stand around like a great wrong has been done.

Now...here's the question...why do I have the Bucks eating that corn and not the corn at my feeders? I can't figure it out.

The deer would hit my feeder, but only at night. The feeders aren't natural and they never got used to them to visit during the daytime in 5 years of trying.

Depends on how often you can corn it and where you're at. But, it's what I do. One reason, I can't get there but once a week. Another reason, by not going out there all the time, I'm not leaving my scent all over the place. And since this is in E Tx, I compete with the acorns, so a 50lb bag will last 3 to 5 days. And I spread it out pretty good. Our deer don't like it piled up.

I'll 2nd that

I use a road feeder, and spread out 50 lbs before hunt. There no traces of corn the next day. At my place I see more deer eating the corn I threw out than at my feeder all year. I've been doing it for 3+ years now and the results are amazing. I included this step into my regular hunting prep. I need it before I hunt. Now when I first get my stand I don't have to wait form the feeder to go off to see deer. Its fun to watch. Last year (east texas) I had 23 deer at one time eating the corn I threw out. Never had I seen that many deer at my feeder. Man hunting season gets me going. Sorry for the long write up.
Forgot, the first time I threw out corn was when I wasn't seeing deer at my feeder, one day a saw a little doe come out on the opposite side off feeder. Well the next hunt I hand tossed half a bag where that doe came out and in a couple of days I had like 9 deer come out just to the spot where I threw out the corn. Half were bucks, none shooters, but better than what had been seeing at the feeder.
Its works. Try it. But be patient.

I have bucks that eat corn I spread on the ground and some of them run to the feeder when it goes off. Figure that out.

Down in South Texas if you want the dominant buck to eat corn in front of you, put one large pile out at your comfortable bow shot range. He will move all the deer off and out of the area then settle in to eat. Works every time on places I have hunted. You just have to make sure the dominant buck is the one you want to shoot, if not then put out more corn spots. I usually put them in some low brush or mesquites or grass clumps to the buck has his head down with his eyes shut so I can draw.

If there is no permanent feeder, is a bumper feeder out of the budget?
If deer hear the sound of corn bouncing off of metal, they will come, and faster than to corn scent. Especially if you do it as often as possible in the area you are going to hunt.
We will run a bumper feeder just for kicks in areas miles from a feeders, and have deer every time.

I usually put a 50 puns back 2 weeks before and then a few days before

If your putting it out with your hands your not putting enough out...

I usually dump a few bags the afternoon before I hunt then a bag right before I get in the stand

Just use a crossbow and don't worry about the movements

I hunt far northeast Texas. I have found that corn piled up in one place lasts much longer than corn spread around. One group of pigs will wipe out three bags of corn, spread out, in one night. If I put the same three bags in one pile, they will hit it, but won't eat it all and it would last several days. I never had trouble with deer not eating it from a pile.
I would put a couple of bags out asap, and go back as often as you can to put more out. Just like a feeder, they will get used to coming to the same spot. I ALWAYS had my best luck with this first thing in the morning.
Thanks!!
Matt

I usually carry a coffee can or grocery bag to the stand.. something comfortable to carry on about a half mile hike. Keeping it thin in the open areas and heavier in the thick brush keeps them from eating it too fast.

STX the big corn pile makes a lot of sense in theory.. and I've tried it. But never fails I'll get the dominant doe or pig on that pile first. Soon as it's gone big boy will show up.. or maybe not at all haha

Thanks for the advice everyone. For me it wouldn't be a problem to put it out once a week because I hunt on family property that we actually live on. Trust me it can be a curse at times. This is only my second year to hunt and I finally starting to get what you guys mean about hunting pressure!