updated/surprised by the game cam pics

[wabi]

Started filling the feeder a couple weeks ago and the critters must have been waiting. Usually takes a few weeks for them to hit it hard, but this year they are already eating about 25# of corn daily! That amounts to $5./day at corn prices this year, so I put the camera out yesterday to see who had expensive tastes.

I figured coons were getting most of it, but I stopped by and pulled the card this morning to be sure. I was surprised to find out that most of the pics were deer!
114 pics -
5 - squirrel
10 - coon
25 - coon & deer
70- deer
4 - blank

this pair were there for almost 20 minutes


deer/coon sharing the feast


morning visit


No bucks yet, but with the number of deer pics I guess I'll keep buying corn (until the freezer is full - about 4 weeks 'till season).

[j.krug]

That's gonna make yer wallet a little lighter but at least you know now it's mostly deer making the corn disappear.

[denisdendenis]

nice pics , corn fed deer will taste better it the fun part of hunthing
thanks for sharing
Denis

[papa bear1]

I know how you feel man i'm paying $9.37 for 50# and i'm feeding,coon's,crow's turkeys, and a lot of doe's w/fawn's. But i got 1 nice 8pt. coming in so i guess, i'll get in my wife's piggy bank and buy more corn!! . I mean what the hell there is nothing better than corn fed young doe!!~!!!!!. got to love it. . man...

see ya in the woods

papa bear1

[wabi]

Checked the cam this morning to get a full 24hr view of the critters.
One doe & twin fawns were eating at the feeder for 26 minutes yesterday evening and were back for 50 minutes this morning.
Also visited by turkeys, crows, coons, squirrels, and songbirds over the course of the day.

[Tar Heel]

With corn prices a feeder with a timer is the way to go
mine is set for 3 seconds in the morning and 5 in the evening and a 50 lb. bag will last 3 to 4 weeks.
I will turn it up when the season opens.

Tar Heel

[groundpounder]

At that rate of feeding those deer are going to put some weight on quick! I think you will be dressing one out on opening day

[wabi]

With corn prices a feeder with a timer is the way to go
mine is set for 3 seconds in the morning and 5 in the evening and a 50 lb. bag will last 3 to 4 weeks.
I will turn it up when the season opens.

Tar Heel

Thinking about it, but my past experiences with battery powered feeders hasn't been good. I've never had one last a full season yet. Either the thing is clogged or the motor burns up.

At that rate of feeding those deer are going to put some weight on quick! I think you will be dressing one out on opening day

If those fawns loose their spots one of them would be tempting for some fresh, tender meat.
With a 1 buck - 5 doe limit here I'm not too good to put a young one down for the freezer. Their chance of survival is lower anyway, and steaks you can cut with a fork sure taste good.

[deerhunter0430]

i could never shot a doe with young ones, I fell its like killing all of them ...

[wabi]

i could never shot a doe with young ones, I fell its like killing all of them ...

I was actually thinking of taking one of the "weanlings" if they are big enough by the opener.

I realize it's not something everyone is in favor of, but in reality the season dates are set with the deer's survival in mind. By opening day most of the fawns are old enough to survive on their own.

As far as taking a fawn (weanling sounds like a much better description, picked that term up in a magazine article in favor of selectively removing young ones) if they are old/big enough to use for meat you can bet it will be tender. Their chances of survival in a hard winter are much lower than the older deer's chances. It sounds harsh & cruel to many people, but nature's plan is geared toward the healthy breeding population to have the highest survival chances - if the young ones die (not established "breeders") the mothers & fathers (established "breeders") can make more.
I don't take many young ones, but I have in the past and probably will do it again. I really prefer a "yearling" (one that is 1½ years old on the opener) for the freezer, but if there are plenty of "weanlings" available it probably doesn't hurt the overall health of the local population to reduce the population by one.

Might make an interesting thread to do a poll on whether members would take one, or not.

[bob1961]

even though fawns, yearling or weenies are still with mom at years end they are more then ready to be on there own if mom dies during hunting....most likely they will group with other yearling and another mom.........bob

....

[Tar Heel]

With corn prices a feeder with a timer is the way to go
mine is set for 3 seconds in the morning and 5 in the evening and a 50 lb. bag will last 3 to 4 weeks.
I will turn it up when the season opens.

Tar Heel

Thinking about it, but my past experiences with battery powered feeders hasn't been good. I've never had one last a full season yet. Either the thing is clogged or the motor burns up.


Wabi I use a Cabelas dusk and dawn feeder motor about $30.00 and get my own barrel a squirrel cage of rabbit wire
a 6volt energizer will last all season. I sift my corn through old fan guard and pick out the stems and larger pieces. Walmart has the cleanest corn with less dust. Some of my motors are over 5 years old.

Tar Heel