Deer feeder food

[WV Sawmiller]

   WV legalized use of deer feeders on private land a few years ago and I have a couple out. I use whole kernel corn as feed. My problem is when I set them to feed during daylight hours (doesn't do me any good to feed the deer when I cannot be there to hunt them) the doves have been carrying off most of my corn. Do any of you in other states where feeders are legal have any suggestions for other types of feed that the typical feeders will dispense but which are not so attractive to doves?

   I don't mind the squirrels, woodpeckers, coons and even the bears taking a little of my feed but when flocks of 50-100 doves show up they wipe me out and it is out of hand.

[RCBS]

I used to feed quite a bit with two spin feeders, one large trough feeder and a couple PVC homemade tube feeders.  I too suffered from theft mostly by turkeys and coons, but one feed station had started to accumulate some doves.  I just accepted the fact that with my scheduled spin times and having open feed available during daylight hours would result in losing some feed to birds.  The only counter I know of is to set the feeder to night time feeding.  This is obviously counterintuitive if you are using the feed as bait since the deer here were always at the feeders within half hour of them dispensing.  I think they get "Pavloved" by the sound of the feeder and get to know the schedule.

I was mixing whole corn, ADM deer feed and black sunflower seeds at 60/25/15 ratio.  Whole corn only doesn't really benefit the deer a lot nutritionally.  The ADM added minerals and the sunflower seeds gave good fat content.  My intentions were to better the herd as opposed to using feed strictly for bait.  I would start feeding in December and carry on till almost March.  I'd go through 500lbs of corn every two weeks.  I also had a couple 1/2 acre or so food plots at the time. 

You could always post signs at the feeder:  Corn for deer only, all other takers will be shot! 

[E fan]

I feed here in Arkansas all year long with trough feeders filled with soy beans, corn and 14% beef pellets

[Peter Drouin]

and 14% beef pellets

Why beef pellets?

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'm using the spin type feeders with timers as bait to attract the deer during legal hunting times. I normally set to feed right at sunrise and about an hour before sunset. We can shoot here till 30 minutes after sunset. I have one shooting house at the foot of the slope and can hardly see that late. The other is well up on the side of the mountain and stays light much longer.

   Looking for something the spinners can throw but less attractive to the doves. Thought about dicing up sweet potatoes but time consuming and pretty pricy. I'd thought about the beef mix feed but afraid it would get moist and clog up the feeder.

   I need to feed popcorn and zap the doves with a microwave gun.

[terry f]

   Be careful with beef feed, deer can't take a lot of copper. I still find it hard to believe that states allow baiting deer, or I should say shooting deer over bait.

[E fan]

just dump the tators on the ground they'll take care of the crushing and crunching them up

Protein is the reason for the beef pellets and at the time I started feeding that corn was higher priced than that so I went for the cheap route but noticed my deer looked healther so I stayed with it

[WV Sawmiller]

Terryf,

   Thanks for the copper warning.

   WV did not allow baiting when I moved here 25+ years ago but have changed their regs in recent years, I guess because of excess deer and related problems. I think the same is true in mny of the southern states, many with even much more liberal limits than us (such as one per day or no limit and long seasons 3-4 months or more).

   By the way, Please update your profile so we know more about you.

E Fan,

   Yeah, I know that but I'm trying to train them to come at regular times. If I can get some next year I may try soybeans just because of the extra fat I think they have over corn which should help the deer keep and gain weight.

[Chuck White]

Deer also like chopped up Halloween pumpkins!

[WDH]

Not problem with doves eating the feed here.  The wild hogs don't allow it. 

[Raider Bill]

I use whole corn because it seems like that's the only thing that doesn't plug up my feeder.

[timberking]

Those dove eat pretty good too.

[terry f]

   WV, I'm in Eastern Oregon. It seems like the deer in the Eastern half of the country are more of a nuisance than a treasure, some of your hunting methods would be considered unethical at best, and mostly illegal here. Not saying anyone is unethical, just playing by the rules given.

[WV Sawmiller]

Terryf,

   No offense taken.

   I never used bait till it became legal. I assume WV and most other states where legal is because of increased deer herds and damages is reason need to thin the herd more.

   It truly is more like harvesting than hunting but I am mostly hunting for meat not for sport anyway. I do not shoot anything I can't use or need to eliminate. In some states deer limits are more liberal than small game. I assure you there are more deer than rabbits in my area.