Deer Feeders?


Guest Heter32

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Guest MnBOWhntr

I personally don't agree with deer feeders. In Minnesota it is illegal to feed deer and I think that law should be put in to action everywhere. I think it is unfair to use feeders I mean if I could put out a feeder on my property I could kill whatever deer on the farm I wanted on whatever day I wanted!

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Remember everyone has an opinion !!I don't really know what to think of them!!I has to check this thread out cuz i'm stuggeling with something like this myself!!Here in maine it is illegal to bait deer but at all the sporting stores you can buy all the acorn rage,c'mere deer,ect....So were do they draw the line between bait and attractant!!

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... if I could put out a feeder on my property I could kill whatever deer on the farm I wanted on whatever day I wanted!
WOW, y'all must either have some really hungry or really stupid deer!!! :eek:

To help with the original question, the deer will probably find the feeder pretty quick. As far as year round feeding, it depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If you're trying to supplement their natural diets to help with body weight and antler growth, I suggest a free choice protein feeder and keep it filled with 18% protein pellets all year. That way the deer can eat as much as they want, whenever they want. Also giving them a source for trace minerals, like the Trophy Rock, will be beneficial.

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No here in Minnesota we have the proper habitat and forage for them. In texas you don't have anything but small, spindly racked, nothing but bones deer. Our fawns in Minnesota are bigger than your mature deer. You guys got to feed them with feeders just so they survive. Anyone can go shoot a deer over a feeder like you guys down south do!! We actually got to work and scout for our deer up here!

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HOLY CRAP.....can hunters just get along....we have big enough issues with animal right freaks and anti-hunting groups.....unless someone is doing something that is really destructive then back off just a bit....when hunters fight hunters we loose focus on other topics and give people the chance to destroy the sport THAT WE ALL LOVE.

OK so to answer your question When we use them...to help my mom who gets VERY LIMITED TIME to hunt we put them out about 3 or 4 weeks ahead but you could prob get away with less if you don't want to go threw lots of feed...I would say at a min 1 week pre-hunt. Hope this helps you my friend.

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HOLY CRAP.....can hunters just get along....we have big enough issues with animal right freaks and anti-hunting groups.....unless someone is doing something that is really destructive then back off just a bit....when hunters fight hunters we loose focus on other topics and give people the chance to destroy the sport THAT WE ALL LOVE.

OK so to answer your question When we use them...to help my mom who gets VERY LIMITED TIME to hunt we put them out about 3 or 4 weeks ahead but you could prob get away with less if you don't want to go threw lots of feed...I would say at a min 1 week pre-hunt. Hope this helps you my friend.

Getting along would be much simpler without the narrow mindedness that seems so prevalent everywhere. We see it in traditional bowhunters who think compounds shouldn't be allowed. Compound hunters who don't approve of crossbows. Traditional muzzleloader hunters who think inlines are unfair. Shotgun hunters who don't think centerfire rifles should be legal. People who stand hunt who would like to ban deer drives and dog hunters.

Heck, we even see it with anglers who think live bait fishing is the scourge of the planet. :eek::D

BTW MichiganHunter, thanks for taking the time to answer the question posed in the original post. :cool:

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Guest MnBOWhntr

I just don't think of feeders as being fair chase hunting. If you put out feeders to keep the deer herd healthy but don't let anyone hunt near them then that is a different story but when people set up feeders and the hunt right over them I don't thin that is fair for the animals.

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.....Ok well hunting over a food source is basically the same thing, instead of being something you put out in the woods that dispenses food it's something that is planted....TO DRAW IN DEER or to DRAW DEER IN A PARTICULAR DIRECTION...or the FARMER HAS PLANTED....it's all BAITING so if you have EVER hunted a food source in any way, a trail from bedding to feeding, or right on food then you to have used a feeder...just not a mechanical one..........BUT you are new and the hole point of the forum is not to rip on one another it's to HELP, so keep comments positive and HAPPY...mmmk...welcome :)

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I just don't think of feeders as being fair chase hunting.

That is your opinion, and you are intitled to it, but it has nothing to do with the question he asked.

Now if he had asked about everyones "ethical":rolleyes: thoughts on feeders, your post would have been worth something. If you think that you can put a feeder out and expect to see every deer in a 1/2 mile radius of it, and get to pick and choose which deer you want to shoot, you apparently are uneducated about feeders.

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Guest Bigbuckor2

Mr. MNBohunter & Zach90

I have a couple of questions. Do you hunt private or public land? How many deer are in the whole state of Minnesota?

I believe these are viable questions for this reason. I have hunted in Texas ever since I was a kid and have seen many things happen with our deer concerning population, range conditions, limited hunting access, deer die off, and the advancement in deer management.

1)In Texas we have a deer population over 1 million deer, so it is important to have a high success rate to keep from having overpopulation and over-running of the carrying capacity of the land. I would guess, due to our climate, we have way more drought conditions here than you do in Minnesota. Thus the need for supplemental feeding in a management plan. In the 1970's we had a massive die off of deer from starvation, because of drought in the hill country. This die off severely hurt the deer herd because of disease from the die off, not to mention the economical impact on the people of the Hill Country who made a great part of their livelihood from running day hunts and season leasing of their land.

2)You see we have almost no Public Hunting land here. 90% of all hunting land is lease land.This is the reason feeders got started in Texas. If part of your family income comes from leasing land, then you have to make sure there is deer on the property. Your probably thinking then plant something for the deer to eat. Again alot of Texas can have extended periods of drought and if you plant something and it doesn't come up you have wasted time & money for nothing.

3) Also it's only been since the mid 80's that the Deer Management Research and Technology has produced products that are viable and provide the nutrients that a deer needs to survive. We now have sufficient data to effectively manage a deer herd and protect against losing our native resource.

I do not feed deer just to shot a deer over a feeder. I hunt 320 acres that is low fenced with free ranging deer. In 6 years we have shot 9 deer that score between 105BC - 147 1/8BC., that are 4.5yrs and up in age, as well as about 20 does. I can promise everyone of these bucks wasn't shot at a feeder. They were either chasing a hot doe or fighting another buck.

Part of the management process is leaving the little bucks alone and trying to manage the proper deer ratio.

I realize that out native Texas white-tailed deer are southern strain and are smaller than your northern strain, but if you manage a deer to maturity you can have bucks here with live body weights around 200# and a good set of antlers.

So to the original author. I start my feeding program about June 15th here and keep it going until spring greenup. If it's not legal don't do it, but if it is then be sure your feeding something that is beneficial to the deer.

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No here in Minnesota we have the proper habitat and forage for them. In texas you don't have anything but small, spindly racked, nothing but bones deer. Our fawns in Minnesota are bigger than your mature deer. You guys got to feed them with feeders just so they survive. Anyone can go shoot a deer over a feeder like you guys down south do!! We actually got to work and scout for our deer up here!

You ever been to Texas? True, some deer are small in body weight, then there are some in West Texas around the panhandle that have some pretty good body weight to them. Also, alot of the reason for the difference in body weights is NOT the forage, but the climate as well. Mn is ALOT colder than Texas. But don't be so negative, it will get you nowhere here;). Just because it isn't legal there and is somewhere else, doesn't mean that everyone has to share those views. Same as gun control....................;)

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  • 3 months later...

State laws are different all over. Usually one only really understands the laws for the state in which one hunts. We should not judge other state laws as many are put in effect for management reasons. If it is legal and a sound management practice then we should all support and respect our hunters and sportmen around this great country. I support our hunters in Texas. They have great deer and deer hunting down there. The next time you harvest a buck just remember what Uncle Ted said " God bless America, you can't do this in France. "

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