Deer and Feeders...??

[nchunterkw]

I setup a feeder in one of my local spots in Aug. Went back 3 weeks later (1 week before the season) to check and it had fallen over - so the deer had a party on 2 - 50lb bags of corn. Set it back up, set the camera and waited another week. Checked the camera and had deer coming in every night. On my first sit, I was a little late getting to my stand and spooked 2 out of there - although I didn't know it untilk I recently checked the camera. Then 5 came in and hung up. Not sure why but they were really close to me. They went behind me, didn't wind me, and just fed away. Except 1, it walked down my shooting lane and I ended up taking it. I thought all was well as it was the only deer around when O popped it so nothing else got spooked. When I left that night I had 75 pics on the camera. That was last Monday. Went back to add corn and check the camera after my morning hunt Sat. Figured I should have about 80 more pictures - and I did. I thought everything was good. When I checked the camera they had all shifted from coming in at 5-6PM to 12-2 AM!!
One time there were a few in there at 7:30 one night.

We have not had any rain so the blood may have stayed around for a few days. I field dressed it 100 yds away from the feeder where they don't travel.

Do you think this spot is basically done for me? Or will they come back to a "shooting hours" pattern if I let it rest?

[W.Miguire]

Sounds like ,full time deer and part time hunter. an old timer told me that when I started to deer hunt. just give them time they can go any where to eat . when it gets colder things will change for you. don't think the blood spooked them . hang in there.it will get better
W.M.

[bubba]

I think they will start coming back around. You got the right idea, keep checking your camera, and logging the time's when they are around. i don't think the blood left on the ground, mean's much after a few day's. Be patient they will be back...

[Hester0305]

I use hanging feeders because of the bear in the areas I hunt, The deer react to the feeders differently in the places I hunt, I put a new feeder in one of my areas back in February and been running it all summer long, I don't have any decent bucks at this feeder or many does in daylight I know things will change when the food starts getting scarce. I have another spot and where I've been feeding and we've killed 2 deer from it and had deer right back under the feeder the next morning after they're was blood everywhere the previous afternoon. I think some deer just have to get used to the feeders and it may take up to a year before they feel comfortable there. My suggestion is to keep feeding when hunting season goes out and there is no hunting pressure and have a couple stands where you don't have to hunt at the feeder all the time. Good Luck

[Deerstalker]

Two weeks ago I had about 300 pictures during a 7 day period while last week I had over 3700. Several nice shooter bucks are now coming to the feeder as the temp cooled somewhat. That is a Redneck gravity feeder in the pic.

[DuckHunt]

We have not had any rain so the blood may have stayed around for a few days. I field dressed it 100 yds away from the feeder where they don't travel.

I can't say what has them dining at different hours, but from my experience the blood/guts has no impact at all. I have seen deer killed four days in a row from the same stand with plenty of blood and gut piles surrounding it. In my area a gut pile disappears with 24 hours, 48 hours tops. Unless I have multiple to drag, I prefer to drag them away from my primary hunting area before gutting them just to keep the varmints (coyotes & foxes mostly) away from my stand so they don't spook anything.

DuckHunt