Deer attractor that works?

I run a timed deer feeder (corn mixed with soy beans) about 8-9 months a year. Mine’s got a 300lb capacity, so I fill it about every other month. I feed 2-3 times a day, 2-3 lbs per feeding, usually about 1 hr prior to sunset, 1 AM and just before sunrise. The timing helps keep the crows and turkeys from scarffing up all the feed. It works once they get used to it, and I’ve gotten hundreds of photos. Funny thing is I’ve never gotten a picture of a mature buck during legal shooting hours. I’ve watched bucks walk right past the feeder area during daylight, and I might get a picture of the same buck at the feeder that evening after dark; does and yearlings will use it during legal hours though.

I think the effect depends on your area and how much other food is available at the time. I’ve read where feeders have a “dinner bell” effect, but on my property at least the deer show up whenever they feel like it. And again, in 4 years of running the feeder with a game camera watching it, I’ve yet to get a picture of a mature buck during legal shooting hours. They just don’t fall for it.

Piled corn works “OK”, but once “they” find it, it will be gone over night. Also, to develop anything that resembles a pattern, you’ll spend a lot of time replenishing the pile or spreading it. The “they” also means raccoons, skunks, possums, squirrels, quail, songbirds and in my case muskrats, and even a beaver. Unfortunately for the beaver, he did subscribe to the “dinner bell” effect. In fact I’ve got so many miscellaneous animals using the thing I don’t even call it a deer feeder anymore, it’s more like a giant wildlife feeder that the deer happen to use when they feel like it.

For a mineral lick I use “Trophy Rocks” mostly because I’m too lazy to make my own mix and they do work. They also hold up pretty well in the rain. As the others have said, it takes a while for the deer to find them, but you can jump start them by smearing with peanut butter. Deer use really depends on the time of year. I see most of the activity on my sites in the spring/summer.

Chuck

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Might does not make right, but it sure makes what is.

I buy the cheap loose mineral salt sold at
Tractor Supply. Then I go to a feed mill and buy a bag of dry molasses, I mix 10 lb of molasses to 50 lb of mineralized salt and then get panty hose and place one leg inside the other and then put several lbs of the mineralized salt and molasses into a single leg and tie a knot in the panty hose above the contents and finally I toss this into a tree. The nylon in the panty hose will not readily rot. The suspended panty hose will slowly release the contents as it rains. When it drips the deer will eat the dirt. Do not get impatient as it may take several months to start the process. This will last a long time and it will condition the deer to frequent the area through out the year. I dressed deer number 102 to go into my freezer this past season.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

I use buck (goat) scent.. of the natural variety... draws em like flies to poo

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I bought deercane 10 years ago and put it out and waited! Nothing. Checked every couple of weeks. Nothing! Happened by the area over a year after first putting it out and there was a hole 3' across and 3-6" deep. Guess it just takes time. Rick.

That's what happened to me. Then the same thing happened again the next year at the very same spot. Then I read that deer don't really use it much till the summer heat is on, when they lack certain minerals in their diet and the cocaine supplies what they need. Same goes with using a mineral salt block. Put a block out at the beginning of summer and it will be ate up by the end of summer. Put it out in fall and most of it will still be there when spring arrives.

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r.h. in oklahoma

Raised a country boy, and will die a country boy.

yes it does help to have a regular schedule for feeding your deer so as not to waste food on other critters..my deer come between 10 and 11 am and just before dark pm..if they aren't around i call them..one is called Bambi..and she is the scraggliest..so i call her to make sure she comes when i feed them..i use a tall cup and throw about 3 or 4 cups full of corn out my door and call her name if i don't see her..and she will be there within a minute or two..sometimes she brings friends..at least one larger deer shows up with her..

if she cleans up all the feed and is still hungry she will let me know..as she'll stare right in the window at me..and i'll talk to her through the glass..

if she doesn't walk off or run, she is still hungry and i'll go give her another tall cup or so..of corn..then she'll eat up what she wants and leave..if i put out too much then the critters clean it up..but i try to avoid feeding critters as i buy the corn mainly for Bambi..as she really looks like she needs help this winter..

There is a pet whitetail buck (castrated) who choses to hang around here most of the time. He was bottle raised, so had to be castrated to prevent future agression problems between him and the humans he comes in contact with...
Anyway, during rut, the "real" bucks can NOT figure him out! He gets chased and when he is tired of running he comes up to the house. He draws in all sorts of bucks this way! He's about two years old now.