Providing your deer with the proper nutrition is important to maintain a healthy population. It’s also a crucial time of year for the development of new antler cells. Having the proper nutrition will help ensure that does will be able to survive and give birth to healthy offspring. Read on for some tips for attracting more deer to your property using feeders.
Choosing a Feeder
Before you buy a deer feeder, it’s important to determine the size of the deer herd that you have on your property. Usually, an adult deer will consume around one and a half pounds of food per day. Having a large amount of deer on a property can necessitate several feeding units with high capacities. A smaller area can be ideal for smaller feeders.
Finding a Spot to Put the Feeder
Another factor to consider when it comes to attracting deer is the location. This will require you to strategically place feeders in an area that the deer frequently visit. The ideal location should also provide the deer with easy access to water. If you don’t have nearby waterways, you can use a water system. Having a clear line of vision and an area that provides easy escape routes will help the deer feel more at ease.
Introduce the Feeder
When it comes to attracting deer, you can start by introducing corn and gradually adding pellets. After you have selected a prime location, start by setting up the feeder. Although you can use pellet food, start with corn. You can also use a spin feeder to start with a couple of bags of corn, which will then be followed by the pellets.
Follow these steps to establish a distance between you and the feeder. Once the deer have found the piles, start filling them with corn. When they start eating from the feeder, continue tossing the corn on the ground. Slowly add the pellets to the mixture, gradually reducing the amount of corn until you reach the point where you can provide only pellet food.
This process can take around two to three weeks. During this time, it’s important to monitor the deer’s reaction to the new food source. If you’re not able to be in the woods during this period, a trail camera can provide you with an insight into the animal’s behavior.
Pattern the Deer
Before you start planning on the locations of your feeder, start by identifying the ideal areas for it. One of these should be near trails that lead to it. This will allow the deer to easily access the food source. Sometimes, the ideal location for your feeder may not be the ideal place for a blind or stand. Creating a funnel can help draw the deer to your area. To prevent the deer from running away, place tree debris along the trail to restrict their movement.
Steps to Place Feeder in a Good Traffic Area
To attract deer to your feeder, start by throwing out a couple of pounds of corn every six hours. This will allow you to keep the food supply safe and attract the animals to your area. Feeding at night can also help keep the deer coming back. Depending on the food supply and the density of the deer in your area, it can take several weeks for the process to work.
Deer will frequently visit your area looking for corn. After a while, you can set up an artificial free-choice feeder that’s filled with corn. When the deer continue eating from the free-choice food source, stop tossing the corn around the ground.
After a week, switch the mix to 1/3 deer food and 2/3 corn. This will help the deer get used to the new food source. Before adding more corn, make sure that the animals thoroughly clean the pellet mix. If they still want to eat the remaining corn, continue adding more corn to the mixture. Before you start filling your feeder, make sure that it’s thoroughly cleaned and dry. Deer will not want to keep eating out of it if their feed is damp or moldy.
Final Thoughts
Finding the right way to attract deer to your feeders can be time-consuming. However, having a feeder on your property can help keep the deer on your property in good health this spring and provide them with a reliable food source during the hunting season.
