Offseason feeding

[Long Cut]

Oh yeah I don’t disagree with you for sure ! It’s very tuff to control or know what the people around you are doing you can over harvest based on what your seeing and the neighbors could be killing 2 or 3 times that amount.. add in predators, vehicles and normal cause of death and your only getting a general idea of what’s there year to year. just to many variables. For me and what I am looking for in my outdoor time and hunting. It just starts to get to busy and feel like i have another job and takes the fun enjoyment out of what hunting is in my eyes

That’s why it’s beneficial to get to know your neighbors.
Heck, do you hear them shooting a bunch during deer season?
Are you seeing plenty of deer on trail camera or during hunts/scouting?
Are your food plots are “lip height” or are they 6-12” tall?

All this a guy can do from the stand or on his way to/from the stand.

A guy can get as crazy or lazy as he wants in doing this. I’m just trying to help folks out, because there’s much cheaper options to maintain a healthy deer herd without spending a bunch of time and money.

 

[Bud Man]

I'm like you I've done the surveys, reduced the harvest over the last 3 years, still continue to feed year-round especially this time of year during the hardest time for the deer to find the food. I still have plenty of acorns on the ground, but the preferred food source is my supplemental feeding and food plots. I guess my original question was just curious to see how many people continue to supplemental feed especially this time of year but more so year-round. I advertise and sell corn and from September till January it seems that providing food for deer is irrelevant in the budgets but this time of year when the wildlife needs it the most it seems to be a drastic decrease in sales and lack of concern for the wildlife. I'm not wanting to start a baiting versus supplemental feeding conversation. Glad to see all the previous responses

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

That’s why it’s beneficial to get to know your neighbors.
Heck, do you hear them shooting a bunch during deer season?
Are you seeing plenty of deer on trail camera or during hunts/scouting?
Are your food plots are “lip height” or are they 6-12” tall?

All this a guy can do from the stand or on his way to/from the stand.

A guy can get as crazy or lazy as he wants in doing this. I’m just trying to help folks out, because there’s much cheaper options to maintain a healthy deer herd without spending a bunch of time and money.

Oh for sure I get where you’re coming from and in no way trying to take away from facts. This is just what works for me. I feed some corn mainly because it’s fun and I like seeing deer on camera and in the tree stand, Along with the food plots we do etc. we do know our neighbors and we cannot control that. Already tried the meet and greet with them all. They do a good bit of shooting in deer season and we are in a Qdm county. That’s why we don’t shoot to many. Yeah we could shoot more and problly should. We shoot what we need. Since I have started doing food plots 30 years ago. I haven’t planted one yet that wasn’t lip high anywhere I have been in the state and a place I owned in another state.

 

[sghoghunter]

We run spin feeders year round but they are mostly for the hogs. I’ll start filling gravity feeders with corn and soybeans for deer around July. I wish I could afford to feed them year round

 

[bigchiefchoctaw]

We run spin feeders year round but they are mostly for the hogs. I’ll start filling gravity feeders with corn and soybeans for deer around July. I wish I could afford to feed them year round

We cut ours back a good bit just to keep them coming to the areas. We work on the predators too..

 

[Jim Boyd]

For us - no.

We rely on green patches.

Believe it or not - we are not overly far from the green up. Lengthening days already have those yellow flowers (don’t know the name) and the wild onion sprouts popping up.

Would love to ride February out and not get a late freeze in March again.

 

[basshappy]

I'm like you I've done the surveys, reduced the harvest over the last 3 years, still continue to feed year-round especially this time of year during the hardest time for the deer to find the food. I still have plenty of acorns on the ground, but the preferred food source is my supplemental feeding and food plots. I guess my original question was just curious to see how many people continue to supplemental feed especially this time of year but more so year-round. I advertise and sell corn and from September till January it seems that providing food for deer is irrelevant in the budgets but this time of year when the wildlife needs it the most it seems to be a drastic decrease in sales and lack of concern for the wildlife. I'm not wanting to start a baiting versus supplemental feeding conversation. Glad to see all the previous responses

You know why this (in BOLD) is. As you noted.

We aren't up north in the cold and snow. I don't understand the notion of hard times for the deer down here in GA, especially Piedmont Region and below. What hard times? These are wild animals taught by mom from birth they are prey. There is browse that will sustain the herd. The carrying capacity of the land ... why mess with it? What are your long term plans - if you suddenly have financial hardship what happens to all those deer used to eating bait and plots that are now no longer there? If your age and no longer able to hunt, then what? If you pass and whomever takes your land will they continue the artificial feedings? I believe Mother Nature manages herself way better than our mindset we know and can do better. Heck we can't even fix ourselves and take care of our species, but we are going to meddle with other species?

Is there scientific evidence that whitetail deer are suffering loss beyond expected loss during this time of year in GA? For those familiar with how much 1 whitetail eats each day, is the mathematical formula used so that every deer that has been observed is taken care of?

For us for now we continue to let Mother Nature provide and live. I can't get into trying to support dozens of deer. I have 4 kids, 2 elderly parents, etc. I will burn and fell where I can with idea that need growth us healthy for most.

 

[Jim Boyd]

You know why this (in BOLD) is. As you noted.

We aren't up north in the cold and snow. I don't understand the notion of hard times for the deer down here in GA, especially Piedmont Region and below. What hard times? These are wild animals taught by mom from birth they are prey. There is browse that will sustain the herd. The carrying capacity of the land ... why mess with it? What are your long term plans - if you suddenly have financial hardship what happens to all those deer used to eating bait and plots that are now no longer there? If your age and no longer able to hunt, then what? If you pass and whomever takes your land will they continue the artificial feedings? I believe Mother Nature manages herself way better than our mindset we know and can do better. Heck we can't even fix ourselves and take care of our species, but we are going to meddle with other species?

Is there scientific evidence that whitetail deer are suffering loss beyond expected loss during this time of year in GA? For those familiar with how much 1 whitetail eats each day, is the mathematical formula used so that every deer that has been observed is taken care of?

For us for now we continue to let Mother Nature provide and live. I can't get into trying to support dozens of deer. I have 4 kids, 2 elderly parents, etc. I will burn and fell where I can with idea that need growth us healthy for most.

There is no right or wrong here.

Only what someone desires.

Yes, the deer can survive.

Yes, additional food helps.

Reasonably confident that everyone can agree to these two simple truths?