Hunting lease & food plots

[BRL]

Okay....I finally was provided the opportunity to join a hunting lease. These are a few questions I have and would appreciate any comments, tips or ideas.

Firstly, the lease is over 5 hours away and I might only get up to the property once before this rifle season. I know I will have to make more time for visits in the seasons to come in order to improve the nutrition of the land. I have a feeder set up throwing corn twice a day and will fill it on my next visit. However, what else can I do to draw deer to my stand (area) this season and future seasons? I was wondering about hay (of varying varieties) for a healthy alternative (or supplemental) to corn.

I have wondered if corn does the same thing to the fatty acid profiles of deer meat that it does to cattle. Corn and other grains reduce the amount of Omega fatty acids in beef, making it not as healthy (fat wise) as cattle that was grass fed. Any wildlife biologists/biochemists want to touch on this topic? I figured hay might produce a better fatty acid profile in game meat.

Thanks for any comments!

[rockbilly]

I run 55 gallon drums as containers for my feeders.  Each drum will hold seven bags (50lbs) of food. I start with a bag of corn, then a bag of Purina Anther Max, then another corn,etc.  The Anther Max is a high protein feed that helps greatly in producing larger deer, and producing larger racks.

Depending on the area, hay would not be a normal choice.  Most feed stores (in Texas) carry deer blocks that are laced with molasses and with a wild berry scent, they work very well.  Another idea is to flavor the corn/feed mixture with apple scent, or put apples out.  (Pears work well too) Sweet potatoes are good too.  Every feeder should have a mineral/salt lick nearby.

As indicated by the date/time stamp in the pictures I posted on the "doe Shooting" post above, most of the feeding around my feeders is done at night, so feeding may, or may not place an animal in your sights.

[jhm]

I use a mixture of 3 50 ld. bags of corn to one 50 lb. bag of roasted soybeans for a 16% proteen mixture for a 9 mo. feeding program, I keep the red mineral salt blocks on hand all year long, the feeders and the blocks stay in the same area from year to year, if another area becomes active I just add an extra feeder there, I have found that after everyone has bought their GARDEN seeds for their gardens in their yards that the feed stores are willing to sell out whatever seeds they have left for pennies on the dollar, I buy them for the food plots peas/corn/beans/okra/ etc. it doesnt take alot of the seeds to produce a decent food plot, and they really love the okra.  good luck in your new lease.   JIM

[BRL]

Thanks for the tips!!

[sdb777]

I plant Alfalfa, green beans, and turnips for the spring, and then oats and rye for the fall.  In the back corner I dump 100# of salt(although they didn't seem to touch it until the following year when it leeched into the soil).  A All Season Feeder with a protein head with nothing but 18% pellets are available whenever they so choose to eat....

Corn attracts too many raccoons and hogs....unless that's what you want?



Scott B

[Land_Owner]

Feeders and food plots are further discussed in the Wildlife and Land Management board of this Forum.  Check in there and see what the boys have to say.

[rockbilly]

Just call me a confused old man, I loaded feeders yesterday, The Purina feed is "Record Rack", not Antler Max.  And it does work, just look at the pictures on my post below of the killing doe site.