- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Paging Levee: Anyone Here Stop Baiting/Feeding
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:10 am
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:10 am
I hunt 98% public in MS but also take care of 9 food plots and 8 feeders where wife and kids hunt which is a hunting club. I’m getting tired of changing, batteries, squirrels eating wires for solar panels, filling feeders, feeders getting clogged, hogs knocking down feeders and all other BS that comes with maintaining them.
My question is have you noticed a decrease in deer activity? Areas where plots and feeders are are surrounded by other plots with feeders and those coonasses rather cut a finger off than not have corn to hunt over. I can tell when there’s a problem with a feeder cause sightings and camera activity almost shut down completely.
I was pondering just doing food plots and spending extra money on liming and fertilizing them throughout the year verses dealing with feeders next season. What’s yall opinion on this idea?
My question is have you noticed a decrease in deer activity? Areas where plots and feeders are are surrounded by other plots with feeders and those coonasses rather cut a finger off than not have corn to hunt over. I can tell when there’s a problem with a feeder cause sightings and camera activity almost shut down completely.
I was pondering just doing food plots and spending extra money on liming and fertilizing them throughout the year verses dealing with feeders next season. What’s yall opinion on this idea?
15
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:17 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
I was pondering just doing food plots and spending extra money on liming and fertilizing them throughout the year verses dealing with feeders next season. What’s yall opinion on this idea?
Not a bad idea, but... corn and other bait will draw more deer I am afraid. You may get a late season swamp donkey on that secluded food plot though.... and over all health of the herd will benefit. I bet those coonasses stop feeding as soon as the season is over.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:18 am to WillFerrellisking
I hunt mostly public also. that being said, I also have a small lease close to the house that i'll bring my youngins to.
I have 2 stands that have corn feeders, and the rest of them are half assed food plots only, and a few in the woods with no plots or feeders.
from my experiences (15 or more years) on this lease, does and yearlings go to the corn routinely. Very few mature bucks eat from the feeders.
The older bucks are in the woods and food plots, but don't visit the feeders much at all.
TLDR; enhance food plots and leave the corn feeders in the shed.
I have heard bits and pieces that feeding will be outlawed in the coming years with all the CWD going around anyway.
I have 2 stands that have corn feeders, and the rest of them are half assed food plots only, and a few in the woods with no plots or feeders.
from my experiences (15 or more years) on this lease, does and yearlings go to the corn routinely. Very few mature bucks eat from the feeders.
The older bucks are in the woods and food plots, but don't visit the feeders much at all.
TLDR; enhance food plots and leave the corn feeders in the shed.
I have heard bits and pieces that feeding will be outlawed in the coming years with all the CWD going around anyway.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:20 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
Areas where plots and feeders are are surrounded by other plots with feeders and those coonasses rather cut a finger off than not have corn to hunt over.
Disclaimer: this does not apply to me. Not surrounded by anyone, have some neighbors who don't hunt at all and some who do but don't feed much or at all.
We quit feeding for one year. I personally loved it. We killed just as many deer as the year before. The year we went back to baiting we did a hair worse. 2 years after it was a poo garbage season. Great season for taking pictures of bucks at midnight and draining people's play money wallets.
I fricking hate corn/ricebran/soybean piling. All it does is help people get pictures of nice bucks at night more often. I wish I could convince the world it is stupid.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:22 am to SaDaTayMoses
quote:
have heard bits and pieces that feeding will be outlawed in the coming years with all the CWD going around anyway.
I hate more laws and I wish we could self regulate but I won't lie, this one will make me smile. I feel like a greasy piece of shite for secretly wishing for it but I can't help it.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:41 am to WillFerrellisking
It depends on the property. What is the habitat made up of. Is it think pine plantations where seeing deer off of lanes or food plots impossible? What are your neighbors doing? Do they feed?
The fact of the matter is, the majority of deer hunters may no longer possess the abilities to kill deer without corn or rice bran. Woodsmanship is a craft that has decreased in each successive generation since automatic feeders became dependable and affordable.
If you have a small property (less than 200 acres) and your neighbors are baiting, you’re gonna have a hard time. If you have a large property, you can create enough quality habitat to hold deer, meaning they don’t need to travel the distance to feed on corn or bran.
My place in north Louisiana is small and even though I’ve created food plots, bedding cover and edge, I can’t hold deer consistently because my neighbors on all four sides bait. I have enough cameras out to confirm that statement.
Also, keep in mind there’s a difference between baiting to kill and baiting to hold deer. I have land owners who run feeders in the center of their property but don’t hunt over them.
The fact of the matter is, the majority of deer hunters may no longer possess the abilities to kill deer without corn or rice bran. Woodsmanship is a craft that has decreased in each successive generation since automatic feeders became dependable and affordable.
If you have a small property (less than 200 acres) and your neighbors are baiting, you’re gonna have a hard time. If you have a large property, you can create enough quality habitat to hold deer, meaning they don’t need to travel the distance to feed on corn or bran.
My place in north Louisiana is small and even though I’ve created food plots, bedding cover and edge, I can’t hold deer consistently because my neighbors on all four sides bait. I have enough cameras out to confirm that statement.
Also, keep in mind there’s a difference between baiting to kill and baiting to hold deer. I have land owners who run feeders in the center of their property but don’t hunt over them.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:53 am to WillFerrellisking
bookmarking...stay tuned.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 9:55 am to WillFerrellisking
I hunt in a club where pretty much everyone puts our corn except me, who puts all my effort into a top notch plot.
I see zero hogs, and am currently tagged out. They are still hunting and deal with hogs nightly.
It’s worked out for me. Just my experience though. I hunt area 4 pine plantation land
I see zero hogs, and am currently tagged out. They are still hunting and deal with hogs nightly.
It’s worked out for me. Just my experience though. I hunt area 4 pine plantation land
Posted on 1/7/25 at 10:04 am to WillFerrellisking
Last 3 years I've shot 13 deer. Only one has been at a feeder. It is my only ground blind that I have on a plot with a feeder. Most of the time I put a sack of corn or two before the season while my food plot is growing up and then just let it run out.
I just hunt funnels, trails, etc. and catch them walk by. But I've moved to hunting out of lock ons or climbers and have become more mobile. It has been so much more enjoyable than just sitting in a box over a plot/feeder.
I just hunt funnels, trails, etc. and catch them walk by. But I've moved to hunting out of lock ons or climbers and have become more mobile. It has been so much more enjoyable than just sitting in a box over a plot/feeder.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 10:11 am to WillFerrellisking
I 100% think deer in a natural environment eating their natural food sources are much easier to patten and hunt and are much more likely to spend more time on their feet during shooting hours. I live on 70 acres at border tens of thousands of public land river bottom swamp. We have a ton of hogs and I run a feeder in the field my house sits to see and shot hogs from the house. We see plenty deer too, but any and every decent buck I have ever seem in that field with the feeder is just cruising though scent checking the area down wind, they have had absolutely zero intrest in it.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 10:40 am to SaDaTayMoses
quote:
feeding will be outlawed in the coming years
I hope so!!
Posted on 1/7/25 at 10:42 am to WillFerrellisking
quote:
I can tell when there’s a problem with a feeder cause sightings and camera activity almost shut down completely.
Doesn't this answer your question? I live and hunt in the thick brush country of South Texas. Not really a place where spot and stalk is feasible, I often rattle up bucks, but we hunt over feeders and I won't change that. I have 4 kids that hunt and it makes for a more engaging hunt with the kids and we see plenty of deer, and my deer are getting supplemental feed in an area that the investment of a food plot is not worth it because we don't get rain.
I lived in Madison Ms. for 8 years and hunted near Vaiden. We would always put out corn from June-August on our trail cameras to see what we had in the area. We would put in the time and money to plant food plots and hope we would get the rain.
It depends how motivated, how much time, and how much funds you have. When I lived in MS baiting was illegal, but I am sure we would have just done both food plots and baiting.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 11:19 am to mtb010
True but I’m talking all season long not just a night or 2.
I know a well maintained plot done the correct way will be way more beneficial to the herd than just corn and mo buck for 4 months out the season.
I know a well maintained plot done the correct way will be way more beneficial to the herd than just corn and mo buck for 4 months out the season.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 11:44 am to WillFerrellisking
We have around 60 acres of private land in area 6. My family has known the neighbors since before I could walk. There’s a common agreement to let yearlings walk and practice deer management, etc. Our land is more oak trees and bottom where we run feeders. One neighbor is more open and has food plots. He will routinely see more deer per hunt than us. To the point where we are considering clearing an acre or two and making a food plot next year. Sure I get decent buck pictures but 95% are at night and rarely at the feeder. Just checking it out.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 12:07 pm to WillFerrellisking
We’re in the CWD Zone, so obviously, we were forced to quit baiting. Of course, that went for our neighbors, as well. With a large bear population, we were unable to use feeders. I had a spreader on my 4wheeler that I would sling corn from down a lane. We’re mostly in CRP, so it was nice to have the corn to slow down the deer when they crossed a lane.
We are seeing as many deer as we ever did. But no one is baiting in the area.
We are seeing as many deer as we ever did. But no one is baiting in the area.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 12:16 pm to WillFerrellisking
I haven't had a feeder in the woods in almost a decade. Yet everyone around me does, and piles corn and rice bran knee deep. I have narrow winding lanes for food plots so the deer feel some security when stepping out in them. Those Big open plots and wide lanes do not give deer a comfortable approach and will be hit after dark more than in the day by mature deer. I do put corn out from time to time but i do it with a seed spreader and broadcast it all over my area so deer can naturally browse thru and eat and not stand in or at a stagnate pile. I see more deer than anyone on the lease or in my area. I kill at least 130" mature buck most years Biggest is a lil over 160" right here in swla pine forest. No hardwood creeks or rivers around me.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 12:38 pm to One More Shot
One more, I think your success has as much to do with your skill as a hunter and your attention to detail.
Baiting can be a slippery slope for a hunter. They have a feeder, so they put a camera on it. They get some good picks, so they put a comfortable stand there. They have a comfortable stand and some good pics, so they sit the spot morning and evening. They sit it on bad winds. It doesn’t take long for the deer to catch up to the game.
Baiting can be a slippery slope for a hunter. They have a feeder, so they put a camera on it. They get some good picks, so they put a comfortable stand there. They have a comfortable stand and some good pics, so they sit the spot morning and evening. They sit it on bad winds. It doesn’t take long for the deer to catch up to the game.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 12:44 pm to WillFerrellisking
A few thoughts...
So I am in a no feeding zone where I hunt, and have obeyed the law to the letter we haven't put any bait or attractant out weather in feeders or on the ground. We have really focused on food plots and Timber management the last three years. We lease about 3,000 acres and own about a third of that next to the lease.
We have killed two deer over 150 which is very good and are happy with however our deer sighting and especially buck sightings have decreased dramatically since the season has started. In talking with my surrounding neighbors we are the only ones that haven't baited at all. My neighbors are having the best seasons they have ever had and are seeing more deer. They don't do near the work we do on property management.
While we are still having a good year I am very surprised that our sightings are down and with no acorns on the ground the only difference I can see is use of bait. I would have NEVER guessed it would have mattered that much from my small sample size it matters a lot. FYI we are still not baiting.
So I am in a no feeding zone where I hunt, and have obeyed the law to the letter we haven't put any bait or attractant out weather in feeders or on the ground. We have really focused on food plots and Timber management the last three years. We lease about 3,000 acres and own about a third of that next to the lease.
We have killed two deer over 150 which is very good and are happy with however our deer sighting and especially buck sightings have decreased dramatically since the season has started. In talking with my surrounding neighbors we are the only ones that haven't baited at all. My neighbors are having the best seasons they have ever had and are seeing more deer. They don't do near the work we do on property management.
While we are still having a good year I am very surprised that our sightings are down and with no acorns on the ground the only difference I can see is use of bait. I would have NEVER guessed it would have mattered that much from my small sample size it matters a lot. FYI we are still not baiting.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 1:45 pm to WillFerrellisking
quote:
9 food plots and 8 feeders
Dang that is a lot of feeders compared to plots. No wonder you pissed. I would drop that number to just 2 feeders and don't put them in your food plots. Use them for inventory only, then hunt the areas around them to catch them in daylight.
Sounds like your deer don't need to move unless you hunting on 5k acres plus.
Posted on 1/7/25 at 1:47 pm to Da Hammer
Have people been cited or fined for baiting in the no baiting zones?
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News