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winter feeding of deer

Started by thecfarm, January 18, 2018, 08:26:34 PM

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thecfarm

I had at least 10 tonight,might of been a few more. They don't seem as brave as last year,or maybe not as hungry.  ;D  I feed just course 14,a cow grain and I scatter it like chicken food in a long line. I put the grain in a five gallon bucket and reach in with my hand and throw it. I would think about 100 feet long.This keeps the deer from fighting.Yes,they will still drive the smaller ones away,but the smaller ones comes back and eat further away and all is well. I've been doing this since I lived here,back in 2000. The deer was here when I built the house. I invaded thier back yard. I use to show shoe in to see how they was doing. So far this year,no turkeys.Last year I would get to the end and turn around to come back to the house and the deer would be there eating all ready. They would move away,but not far.
I have counted 20 a few times,it's kinda of an odd feeling to be within 20-30 feet of 20 deer.
The deer will come during the day too. When times was better I would feed them before going to work. Now it's just a night feeding.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

nativewolf

The coyote have done a number on the deer population here and for that I'm thankful.  However, it is great seeing a few deer in the woods, just my herd of 20-30 deer on 35 acres is a bit much.  Less this winter than last.
Liking Walnut

4x4American

I had read that feeding deer in the winter when theres alot of snow was bad for them cause it takes them outta rumenitis and if you stop feeding them and they can't find food elsewhere they will starve to death whereas in rumenitis they can survive for a long time on just about nothing.  Anyone else hearda that?
Boy, back in my day..

thecfarm

Yep,read the same thing that the state puts out.  ;D
A five gallon bucket will not feed too many deer. I mean give them what they all need to make it through the winter.
As I said,the deer was here before me,and will be here after I am gone. There is more deer around here in the winter time,than any other time of year. Or that is how I see it. During the summer months I don't see many deer at any one time. I see more deer when I am driving my tractor,than walking. When I am cutting wood,the deer are there.
I am out in the woods in the winter and there are trails where the deer are going.
I did mean to lime a few places in the woods so I could plant some carrots,beets and turnips. If they like them in the garden,they should like them in the woods.   ;D
I am not talking an acre,just a couple widths of a garden rake. I want to scratch up an area and see what happens. One year I did not get all of the carrots and beets out of the garden and the deer was pawing for them and having a feast on what I left behind.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

starmac

Illegal to feed game here, but we don't have deer anyway and nobody I know wants 20 moose in their yard.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

Chuck White

It's illegal to feed deer here too, but there are several that still do, they're just a little more discrete about it!

I used to feed around 15 here in my backyard when it was still legal!

They would eat whole corn (or cracked corn too) for a while, then stop and go over to the brush on the back side of the lawn a browse a little and sometimes they'd come back for a little more corn!

I also used to feed Molasses with Bovatec they really like it and they grow well on it and get some nice antlers too!  Got that stuff at the feed store, but they said if you're feeding it to the deer, stop feeding it 60 days prior to opening day of deer season, much the same way as when feeding it to calves on the farm!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

coxy

chuck it only illegal if you get caught   :-X  I tried to tell my deer that they wasn't allowed to eat the feed for the rabbits and squirrels but there just like kids they don't listen :D :D 

Chuck White

only illegal if you get caught!

Another "old saying"!   ;D
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

thecfarm

A game warden comes into the store,I have had him come to the house a few times. Not illegal,in Maine to feed deer during hunting season,just can't shot over it. I did not ask how wide an area is "over it" was either.
I do not hunt deer,just varmits that want to eat my chickens.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

thecfarm

Just came in from the nightly feeding. I know there was at least 20. I got to the end and turned around and there was one feeding. I stood there for a minute and another came,and another and so on. After a few minutes there was about 10 there. I walked back and they took off. I had one within 40 feet of me. I try to keep the light off them. They don't like it. But this one just stood there and looked at me.
We a lot of rain last week. Everything is like packed snow about 6 inches thick. Than we had about 2 inches of snow and rain. But did not warm up enough to melt. So we have about 2 inches of a soft crust. Get about 10 deer moving around on that and it sounds like 100.   ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

starmac

Be careful, I have read about cases of people getting seriously injured by the deer they were feeding, one in particular was a lady that had been feeding them for years.
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

Chuck White

Very true, starmac!

Everyone just keep in mind, a deer can kill you!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

thecfarm

How right you are. This year the deer have not been so close to me. Last year I was surrounded by deer. Gave me an odd feeling. Deer are like horses,they are a flight animal. Something scares them,they run. And neither ones cares what is in thier way when they start moving.  :o
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Larry

Kathy feeds the deer.  I watch and learn a lot about deer life.

What I have learned.

  • Deer freely share the food with birds, raccoons, squirrels, and many other animals.

  • One old doe is the queen and will smack those that get out of line or try to hog the food.

  • Deer up to one year old and perhaps older love to play.

  • Although much bigger, deer do not trust cats.

  • When traveling in a group the front runners will always stop to make sure the laggards are still coming.

  • Bucks will turn into does in a week or two.  They begin to be more active during the day.

  • Freshly dropped acorns are candy and much better than corn.

  • Old acorns must taste similar to boot leather.

  • Humans could learn a thing or two from deer.
Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

thecfarm

I have not see a raccoon where I feed the deer. I am not feeding them things too. Now if they want to eat a few of the wife's chicken........  :D
Larry is right on with the deer facts. I see The Queen keeping the others in line. I have chickens that act the same way.
The deer are pawing for the acorns under the trees. And I do mean pawing.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Larry

I should add turkeys and the deer will fight over the corn.  I've seen it a coupe of times, once a big buck and a turkey got in to it.  A lot of strutting but no blood. 




Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

coxy

ray does your chickens go by the deer when I had them the deer would chase the crap out of them it was funny same with red squirrels they don't seem to bother the grays I had a fawn that would stomp its feet at the 2 rabbits  I had   its funny my daughter can hand feed 2 of the fawns and a few of the older deer will let her get real close almost to pet them but if the wind is blowing she cant get no where near any of them they all run away  the fawns both have names  back straps and bologna her names not mine  :D

thecfarm

Chickens are not running free,at this time. But they would be there.
We had one flock that did great. They would stay down back and all was good. We might of chased them from the front of the house a few times,but they stayed down back. Those got old and got some more. That flock would head for the garden.  :o Than we would chase them out of there and they would roast on the hand railing going into the house.  ::)Finally we had to put a high fence up and kept them pened up.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Bruno of NH

Before I moved to my place I'm at now.
My wife and I fead about 20 deer in the winter for 10 years .
Behind my shop they would hear us drive home and come out or when I was in the shop they would look in the overhead door.
I got charged once and had to hold my ground and stomp my feet and it stopped.
By the way I'm pretty large.
I spread it from a metal bucket by hand they would come out right behind me.
I grew some big racks and had the land posted
My buddies didn't like it much told them take it up with the boss :)
The word got out and I had to stop some night hunters:(
My wife spent a lot on corn they liked whole corn the most
Lt 40 wide with 38hp gas and command controls , F350 4x4 dump and lot of contracting tools

thecfarm

I have no idea where the deer go during hunting season. My stepson don't know either.  :(  They come in at night,sometimes and than none at all at times.My step son is a big time hunter. He will have 4-5 other people here at times. Most times only 2 to an area. They had tree stands and sitting areas in many places. Once we had a couple inches of snow here,during hunting season. He walked through the woods and up on the hill too. I would guess a couple miles and I think only saw one set of tracks.  ::)  He came back to the house and said, I don't know where they are,but I know I'm not hunting here today. He has heard deer and so have others,some areas are thick with small pines. Hard to see through them. So feeding the deer does not really keep them here in this area during hunting season.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Bay Beagle

We would take 4 to 6 inch PVC pipe, 4 ft tall, cut a notch in the bottom or drill a hole with the same bit, that you would use for a door knob - tie it to a tree with wire - fill it with corn & throw a coffee can on top for a lid - let it gravity feed to the hole for the deer and coons to eat - worked well -   The new trend is "apple flavored" corn -
I'll stick to my clover fields and salt blocks for keeping the gang local. (we got to pull the salt blocks up from Sept. to mid January in our state).

coxy

I was told that hole corn does nothing for the deer it just fills there gut they eat it hole and crap it hole  :-\ :-\

starmac

BayBeagle, do you have to pull your salt blocks up if they are there for cattle??
Old LT40HD, old log truck, old MM forklift, and several huskies.

Bay Beagle

Quote from: starmac on January 31, 2018, 07:34:08 PM
BayBeagle, do you have to pull your salt blocks up if they are there for cattle??

no,  You can't hunt adjacent, or near the salt lick location - in a scenario's where you used it for attracting deer - you can not hunt over it - it needs to be removed, and the residue as well - (which is almost impossible) -
I have seen spots where white salt blocks have been placed to attract deer - and the deer (over the years) have dug out a spot, and eaten both dirt and roots - a hole you could bury a Volkswagen beetle in it -

Chuck White

Quote from: coxy on January 31, 2018, 07:24:05 PM
I was told that hole corn does nothing for the deer it just fills there gut they eat it hole and crap it hole  :-\ :-\

I have to disagree (in part) you are most likely at least partially correct!

When we used to feed the deer in the back yard, we could sit on the porch and hear them crunching the whole corn! 

Same thing when they would eat the Black Cherries from the yard trees out back, they would actually crunch those pits in the cherries!

Granted, you can see some corn in the deer droppings, but I've never seen whole corn in it!

Just sayin'!
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

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