Feeding Deer=Big Bucks $$$

[shadow]

Does anyone have any suggestions on a less expensive product I can use in my feeder to feed the deer?
 
I have been feeding them corn since early April, started out at 6.99 a 40 lb bag, then 7.99 for 40 lbs, and today I notice our local Cabelas is now charging 8.99.
Agway is charging 12.50 for 50 lbs. and the feed stores around here are about the same.
 
I want to continue feeding them year round but need to figure out what other product I might be able to give them.
Can I use, and would they eat horse or cow feed?  Would that be cheaper?
Thanks, and I hope you get what your after this season!

[ranwin33]

Purina makes a deer feed, but I can't tell you what it costs.  Most likely more than the corn.
 
I doubt you're going to find anything cheaper than what you're already doing.  We get corn from the local grain elevator, last year it was $7.50 a hundred weight, this year it's more than twice that .  Prices won't be coming down anytime soon. 

[msbadger]

Have you every thought about plotting? ...Illegal to feed here in NY but corn that I mix with my goat feed cost 13.99 per hundred....You would have to be very carful using any thing else for feed that gets wet could become moldy and cause bloat in deer...I'm going on the fact that goats are rumens as well and moldy ...sooty food is very dangerous to our goats. thats why feed is sealed tight...besides the raccoons and bear.....planting buckwheat = 79cents a pound at 50#per acre...rape seed about same ...clovers $3.00 something a pound...less for 50pound bags.....

[DeerCamp]

I agree the price of corn around here is insane as well. Its going at 7.99 a bag! I hear its cuz of the price of gas. They say people are switching to corn burners and ect and all that so corn is at a higher demand. As far as what eles you could put in your feeder Im just not sure.

[shadow]

Thanks ms for your wisdom, I won't feed them anything that will get moldy, I looked into the Purina Deer food and there are a few dealers in my area, just need to call to get prices.
As far as food plots I would love to!  I own the acreage, but no real equipment, I have 2 access roads in, it would be easy to do more or less, but costly. The property is thickly wooded, nothing open and rental of the equipment would be very expensive.
 
I guess adding food plots by just taking down a few select trees, removing brush and using a rototiller to till the soil would be the least expensive route, however I have been a stay at home dad to my three daughters for many years and do not plan on getting another paycheck for a few more years. So renting one at 75.00 dollars a day or buying one in the next few years won't go over well with miss shadow

[shadow]

Oh, and thankyou all for the input, I see gas and oil prices slowly coming down, hopefully everything else also will.

[passin through]

Do you have a pick up?  We have been buying it in bulk and storing it in 55gal steel drums direct from the farmer either in the field or at the farm...2 years ago it was 20 bucks per, last year it was 25, this year its 35. but thats still less than 11.50 a hundred ( a barrel wieghs approximatly 400-410 plus barrel wieght)  We lucked up the other day and found some in storage a guy let go for $4 per bushel....we filled a f150 truck bed up with bulk corn and drove across his scale...he charged us foe 2386 lbs but to solve a dumb bet we wieghed out the corn as we poured it up in barrels.....2600 plus is what we came to.....turned out the guy did not tare his scale before we drove across it...we told him about it and he said don't worry about it...which was very nice of him....anyways, long story short we got 6 & 1/2 barrels which is about half of what we have left to feed for $170  which I love and my wife's happy my feed budget just got a reprieve.  My suggestion is find you a farmer......you may not have to marry his daughter to get cheap corn.  Although if he'll stay at $4 a bushell for awhile I might consider it![:D]

[EatDeer]

 TSI work and frost seeding a clover/chicory mix does wonders for feeding deer all year.  You might have to buy some round-up,chainsaw, a weed-wacker, and hand tools, but I think you would be suprised with the results. You might check into renting one of those small hand-held tillers that you can buy for $170 bucks.  If you get in a half acre plot, I'd bet you would plot more acres the next year. Really it costs more to feed corn year round , then it does to grow a small no-till hunting plot. You will also produce more tonage of food for your deer. You might want to research no-till plots, for more information.

[shadow]

I will need to look into small food plots. I already have all the tools needed except the tiller, I can probably find one easily and cheap. What is TSI?? And when seeds are planted wont the deer just continue to mow down all that sprouts in a small plot?

[Legnip]

ORIGINAL: shadow

Does anyone have any suggestions on a less expensive product I can use in my feeder to feed the deer?

I have been feeding them corn since early April, started out at 6.99 a 40 lb bag, then 7.99 for 40 lbs, and today I notice our local Cabelas is now charging 8.99.
Agway is charging 12.50 for 50 lbs. and the feed stores around here are about the same.

I want to continue feeding them year round but need to figure out what other product I might be able to give them.
Can I use, and would they eat horse or cow feed?  Would that be cheaper?
Thanks, and I hope you get what your after this season!

 
Carefull with whatever it is that you are feeding them. I remember years back when we had some freaky weather. The corn crops stayed in the field and it was really wet. Some of it molded and a lot of deer bid the bullet.