I have several nice bucks that are coming to the feeder, but the nicer ones are coming after dark. Any recommendations for setting feeder times to get them to come when it is more convenient for ME? I realize that wild animals work on their own schedule, I am just trying to increase my chances. Thanks.

get night vision and poach....

no seriously its hard to make them do anything other than what they want but you need to realize they will shift once it gets cold and they get into their winter habits...still in summer cycle.

Chances are that they won't be coming to the feeder by then, anyway.

I catch hell from my dad for doing this, but I always set my morning feed time to go off just before or right when shooting light hits (25-30 min before sun rise). I have to adjust the feed time more often because of the shortening days when the season starts obviously, but I always change the timer at the end of the hunt to accommodate for the sunrise the next time I think I am going to be out.

My thought behind it is if I am going to get one of those weary bucks to come in during light, that would be the time.

You may also be spooking the big weary deer off by putting your scent into the feed pen area and all over the timer and box....

I would suggest doing this on a bimonthly basis. The time doesn't change all that fast and having it go off 5 minutes before up to 10 minutes after the time you want with only one change is better than doing it every time you are out there!

IMO, the older and more mature deer react to pressure not just on your tract but within the area as a whole. As prey animals, they learn the sights, sounds, and smells that alert them of predator activity. The sounds of distant shots, ATV's, and traffic in general tell them that folks are after them once again. And in the quiet of the early morning, they can hear distant sounds quite well, much less those closer to them. It's why three weeks into the season you hear guys say, "the deer have disappeared."

So then, IMO your best option is to use these sights and sounds to your favor. And it's a very simple approach but one that most hunters won't take because it takes, at least to them, too much time and effort.

1. Walk more and ride less. The farther you walk to you stand, the more likely you are to see deer.

2. Arrive early and let the hunters who slam truck doors or drive and park their ATV's next to the stands drive deer to you. And this is true for those who may be a half-mile or more away.

3. Stay late. Deer quickly learn when most hunters are back at camp taking a nap or shooting that rifle they never practice with after missing that buck they'll never see again.

4. Hunt during the middle of the week whenever you can, still following steps 1-3.

Otherwise, just focus on the doe and lesser bucks that ignore predator activity and quickly find an ice chest.

An old hunter friend of mine found one of the biggest deer he ever shot at noon time. I think old deer are like old people.....they don't sleep well.

I've always wanted to believe "the big bucks come around in the middle of the day", but I just can't make that true with the evolution of game cameras.

Never and I mean NEVER have I seen a decent buck on camera around a feeder during mid day (keep in mind this is Terrell County and mostly off season when the cameras were in use)



May be true during the rut, but I haven't seen any

I think we all see deer react differently, you just have to study them and learn their habits. Our experience with deer in our area is much different than what some of you have noted above.

Around us the biggest deer are also the boldest deer. They tend to walk out like they are king of the corn pile.

But we have had some of them wily bucks that are only seen on camera at night, so we train them. We will feed light and really early in the afternoon so there is little to no corn left there at night. Then feed about 35 minutes before sunrise so they will come in under the cover of darkness. Then hope they hang out just long enough to get them. Some years my daughters both have shot the best deer on camera 29 minutes before sunrise, them younger eyes in the blind sure help. A good 50mm scope, know your deer, and a clearer morning and it is doable. Some help from moon light really helps (we even shoot pigs hours after dark with just a scope on a good clear night). We have also stayed till the edge of dark and shot a buck coming to the feeder with only minutes of hunting time left. I know plenty of hunters that show up at camp with enough time left to hunt, and say they didn't see anything. I always say it is because they didn't hunt long enough.
The old saying of "go early, stay late" holds true.

I love this stuff....it seems there are many different answers..I agree about all of them. When you love deer hunting and all that goes with it ..you see for yourself have answers to questions and while doing different efforts. Most will be proven wrong as different deer will do something different during different hunts. However, there are practices I do that are consistent over all form year to year. I drive to my blind when I hunt...but also all during the year.. I put out corn every time I drive to the blind. The deer get acclimated to me and what and who I am. I become part of the natural actions in the area. I have had mature bucks jump into the pen with me when throwing out corm. I have many mature bucks come to my blind first when traveling the lease. The deer come to my pickup ...not run from it. The deer know who I am. When I throw out corn in the mornings when I hunt ...the deer are out eating the corn during the time I throw the corn and some are out in the pen before I get to my blind...young and old. All of your answers are correct and incorrect. Just keep on hunting and enjoying the process.
Have fun

It seems for most of the places I have hunted over the years, more mature bucks only skirt a feeder and usually from down wind (during rut), this could be any hr of the day. Food plots seem to get them out more IMO, but better bucks I have seen check the feeder from a distance, then move on looking for wimmins. Prior to rut, I will get a photo of a few in twilight times and occasionally an odd time of day, but no consistency as they gear up for rut. I think hunting the fringe around a feeder, or concentrating on where the does are is a better draw than corn.

Probably has more to do with the ranch, timing, as much as anything though.

Agree with Western. Last season I was so focused on the feeder and the immediate area - that I almost missed seeing a monster buck at the edge of the field, just looking toward the feeder. Never saw him on camera either. I was too late to get my rifle up, but he definitely got my heart pumping. Maybe I'll see him this year.

I do the same

Good point