# Deer Feeders, Feed and Other Attractants



## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

I'm currently looking into a feeder. Automated of course. Looking for a full weather model, that's durable. Instead of buying the whole thing I'm considering just the timer/feeder device and use a 5 gallon bucket. 

Considered this one: 
Remington® 6V Quartz Power Control Timer Unit for Feeders, its about $35.

Any suggestions on a well made but somewhat reasonably priced option?

Feed... man, corn prices are up, and probably going up further. Corn has been my mainstay feed. Any other options?

Salt block is another mainstay for me.

I'm not sure of the exact name but wI'll recognize it when I see it.... something like Black Dust. Put it onto the ground and it seeps in and creates a highly attractive area.

It's almost hunting season... time to get all the stuff together...


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Corn prices*

Corn is a rip off this year. The maket price is around $5.50 a bushel. Farmers around here are selling it for $8.00. However I found some tonight for $6.00 per bushel.

So far I have refused to pay their price. Now I will buy all I need from the farmer I found tonight. Seams like a great guy. He said he is selling it for more than he has in years past but he is covering his cost and making a good profit. His opinion is that others are screwing hunters while they can. 

As far as a feeder. I would not use a 5 gal bucket. It does not hold enough corn. I suggest a 30 gal barrel. I get them from work. 
THey hold around 100lb s of corn.

I also do not suggest the Remington feeder. I have one and it eats batteries. The Moultrie feeders work better and battery life is several months instead of 2 weeks. I bought the feeder from Walmart this past January. It hold 200#s of corn and is on a tripod. It took 1 week for deer to eat around it. I paid less than $100 for it.
I suggest it highly. 

Also there is a new deer pellet out. It is suposed to hold together even if it gets wet. I have not tried a bag yet. I thought I would buy one and mix it in with the corn to see if they will eat it. The feed store has it for $7.50 per 50lbs. I can now get corn cheaper so I may not try it.

Apples work great to. I generally stop and ask people if I can pick up their apples. Most people don't care because they just mow them up each week.

Darin
I have decided to not bowhunt until the weather cools down some. This is the first year that I have not been ready. Season is less than 3 weeks away.


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

I've since found the same battery problem reported by many so I'm steering clear.

Which Moultrie are you speaking of? 

I'm skeptical of pellets, but I may be surprised. I'll wait to see what comes from it.

I'm about ready and they are moving at my place. With gas prices, the Bay Bridge repair, etc. I thinking to hunt a bit more this year.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Moultrie*

I am not sure what model I have. I bought it from from Walmart.com. 

It is on a tripod and holds 200 lbs of corn. I wil look the next time I go to to where I hunt.

Darin


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

I'm seeing the 200 pound model and another one that is quite similar. Per Walmart site, the 200 pounder is model MFH-PHB30B, it says its a 200 lb. but the features and specs look like a plastic hopper is an additional part....not sure.. The there's a 30 lber., MFH-EZF30T, and the product reviews look good. The reviews had a complaint about the 200 lber. not having a varmint guard whereas the 30 lber. said it had a built-in varmint guard. 

I'm thinking 30 lbs. of corn is a few days, a week at most (depends on how often the timer goes off) so the 200 lber. may be a better option. 

But then the possible lack of varmint control with the 200 lber makes me shy away from it since there are way way wayyy too many squirrels were I hunt.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Varmit Guard*

My feeder is the Pro Hunter Tripod Feeder. MFH-PHB30B. 

The spinner does not have a varmit guard but a squirrel does not have anything to hold on to or sit on to eat. 

I have yet to have a problem with them. I did however take a long strip of rat wire and wrap it around the lid of the feeder. It prevents them from chewing thru the lid. It took like 5 minutes to install and works like a charm. 

The timer is easy to set. It has a battery charge indicator. Mine has been set up since the end of January and the battery is still at 75 %. I filled it full of corn and set it on 3 seconds in the AM and 3 on the PM. I have no clue how long the corn lasted but it took a long time to empty. I will turn it up to 10 seconds each feeding closer to gun season. 

I recommend this feeder. People say deer will not eat under a tripod feeder low to the group. I have had no problems. I have not hunted around it but they sure clean the corn up. I need to put a camera around it to make sure they are coming in during daylight hours.

I really doubt that will be a problem.
You will have to visit the feeder much less with the higher capacity. I would not waste my time with anything that held less than 100 lbs. I live 45 minutes from where I hunt and I don't want to drive down 3 times a week just to bait.

Darin


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Big difference is I am hunting my own property, where I live. But I'm busy as all get out so checking the feeder less often is a nice option.

I've heard the same about them not eating underneath a tripod. The hunter on my neighbor's property has an immense set up. It is a 6 inch diameter, 24 foot long PVC pipe that is hoisted into the air with a timer on the end of it. I'm not going to that extreme.

I'm not sure the "under the tripod" issue is even real because the feeding plate dispenses the corn outward and away from the interior area of the tripod.

I agree that squirrels would have difficulty getting at the feeding end and that little problem would be created. Heck, I'd be more concerned about hanging it with a rope or chain and watching them climb down to the feeder.


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

*Feed Under the Tripod*

FM,

The one you have throws feed in a 40 foot diameter circle, so the under the tripod issue is irrelevant. I'm looking closer at that one.

SS


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Under the feeder*

SnS,

Even though it says it flings the corn 40 feet, corn still gets under the tripod. It hits the legs and bounces under the feeder. It hits the plastic things that holds the timer to the barrel and falls under the feeder.

It throws corn all over but the majority of it stays within 20 feet of the feeder. It spreads it pretty good but corn still falls under the feeder.

The area I hunt is lousy with deer. Ask Luvs2fish.
He went with me one time this past season and bagged a buck. I killed 2 the same morning. I was sick and did not even want to go but had promised him I would take him. We had 3 deer on the ground in 2 hours. 

I guess if there were not many deer in the area it would be hard to get them to eat around or under a tripod feeder. I have heard of people having more problems getting deer to eat at a feeder suspended by a cable. The wind blows it and I guess the deer see it moving ad are afraid of it. The tripod does nt move and I guess they are more comfortable.

I am going down next weekend. I will try to remember to take my camera and take a few pics of my varmit guard I made and the set up of my best stand. It is located at a T intersection of 2 mud roads roads about 2 miles off the highway. I have a 4x4 box sitting at the T. I look straight ahead down one road about 100 yards up up in the pine thicket. I look to the right about 150 yards down the other road. The deer slip out of the pines and cross the road to the right to eat in the grass field that is located behind me. I placed the feeder down the road to the right at 125 yards away from my box. I will have the other corn pile in the same location as last year, straight in front of the box. 

The other stand that I have a feeder at is located on a creek between 2 pine thickets. The woods on the creek is hardwoods and they are about 100 yards wide between the pines. The deer cross the big woods going between the pine thickets. DUring the rut the bucks run the creek in search of doe.

My last stand does not have a feeder. It is located on a road between a pine thicket and a swamp that the beavers made. The beavers have 10-15 acres flooded. The deer bed in the swamp and cross the road to get to the pines. At the endof the road is a section of hardwoods and a pasture. They feed in the hardwoods and pasture. It is a awesome location to catch them slipping back and forth. THis will be the 4th year I have hunted this stand. It is the best stand that I have but I am limited on hunting it because of the creek I have to cross. If it is a wet winter I may not get to hunt it because of the beavers, The water can get deep if it rains very much. I tear the dam down and they build it back overnight. 

You need to head down to NC and hunt with me one weekend. I can just about guarantee a decent deer. I can guarantee all the doe you want to shoot. 

Darin


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

FM,

Excellent. Your post reminds me of hunting days a decade (well two decades) ago. Over the years I've put tens of deer into the freezer (can't righty say a hundred...yet!), a three-year old doe is what I'm targeting this year (deer dogs, pastrami, and smoked quarter...yummy!!) and a nice 6 point buck for steaks. I've let a few big bucks go in my days only to tag a tasty doe that follows.

I'm 45, stopped hunting and fishing in my late 20's, sold alot of my stuff to pay for college (what a mistake...including my golf clubs...) But I'm back at it again. Past hunts with 870/1100, .306 and compound bow, now am using crossbow. ... like to tag one with my .44 ha ha. (not legal here.)

Spotted a eight point this evening on my hike with the Mrs. and kids. Gotta get set up with corn. 

The property you're describing is inviting...I'm packing up to drive. When's hunting season start? Any bird (pheasants) property local? My opinion is deer taste better when taken earlier in the season (but not when the air is too warm.) Taste even better when when make a fire and cook it nearly fresh the next day surf fishing!

I'd rather lay low and get a solid shot than clip one and have to hike around for miles to claim a bag. 

I'm about to make a decision on a feeder. Yeah, there are those models that cost several hundreds of dollars (just like the reels that somebody just has to have for big bucks) but there's alot to be said IMO for what works well for a sportsman who ain't got them kinda bucks, no pun intended.

SS


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

I get a 100lbs of loose corn for $10.00 a bag. never had any use for an automated feeder. For me my recipe is the loose corn, molasses, butternut squash and crab apples. We bait from July to December and have had good results. We also use that Deer Cain stuff which works great.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Corn*

Dogg,


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

*Corn*

Dogg,

I wish corn was going for $10.00 per 100# around here. Try $8.00 per 50# in my part of the world. I did luck up and find it for $6.00 per 50# but I have to drive 45 minutes to get it.

Where I hunt 50# will last all of about 1 night or day depending on what time of day you put it out. I have tried scattering it over a huge area and pouring it in a line. They flock in a suck it up. Last season I was putting out 100# of shelled corn and 100# of cob corn at each stand. It took 2 days to eat it. The feeders help to keep corn on the ground. It also cuts down on the cost of feeding over the course of the season. You know that corn will be on the group at a certain time in teh morning and again in teh evening.

I still put corn on the ground. I have the feeder just in case I can't get down to bait before I go hunting. There will still be something there to hunt over.

The tract I hunt is approx. 700 acres. I hunt approx. 400 acres of it. It is all pine thicket. You have to hunt the old roads that run thru it. Except the stand I have on the creek. It is the only hardwoods on the property. Corn is the best way to get the deer out of the thicket. I am sure some don't approve of hunting over bait, but to each his own.

SNS,

Bow season comes in on Spetember 13th. I do not bowhunt on the tract of land I have the feeders on unless I strike out around my house. 
Muzzleloading comes in the 2nd week in November. It stays in for a week. Rifle comes in the following Saturday. It stays in until January 1st. 

Darin


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## saltandsand (Nov 29, 2007)

Finger_Mullet said:


> Dogg,



Corn (hot) dogs are good, but corned ""venison" dogs are EXCELLENT!!


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