Corn: Blessing or Curse?

[Goose]

ORIGINAL: USN_Sam1385

ORIGINAL: Mac

I keep my feeders going all year and I think it's great for the deer. We have acorns all over the lease but they always have corn as an alternitive. If the deer don't eat it the pigs will...

I don't think that a food plot, vs. a feeder that you run all year long is very much different. I completely agree with you Mac. I think the problem might lie in the guy that just dumps a pile of corn once or twice and calls it a day.

Honestly, it blows my mind that guys plant food plots and consider it not baiting, but putting corn there, spread out in a big area (like most feeders do) all year is. Then these same guys sit up on their high and mighty chair and act as though they are not baiting. It's the same thing. It just doesn't have roots.

Ahh this one again....

I cant haul a food plot back on a 4 wheeler through the swamp and put it up where ever I feel convenient.
When my food plot does not grow for a myriad of reasons, I cant simply buy a bag of it and refill it.
I cant just go to the store and buy a bag of food plot to put out. I have to learn about soil, preparation, timing, Ph levels, fertilizer requirements ect...
I can not just pick up my food plot and move it somewhere else.
I cannot put a big cage around my food plot that opens up at 6:33PM.
I cannot make the deer come into a 20 ft area when they have 174,240 square ft to come out into.
I cannot buy a piece of land that is pure sand, clay, or swamp and get all of the deer to come to it with a food plot.
2 weekends before hunting I cant go to the gas station and buy a food plot to put out.

I could go on but you get my point.
If you hunt over a feeder, thats fine by me as long as it is legal, but Id rather not be called high and mighty because I put a lot of work into my land.

[ranwin33]

Well said Goose.

[Flowerpacker]

This debate could go on forever!!!!!!!I am a baiter and a plotter and yes putting in plots takes time and knowledge and money and so does baiting where allowed! If I the hunter want to go out everyday and bait than I should be allowed too the same thing goes for plotting I pay taxes on the land I own and if I want to take the time to put a plot in than I should be able too. Is there differences yes of course but its know different, than whether you drive a ford truck vs. a chevy truck. If you pay the taxes you should be able to do whatever you would like to do to manage your property for the deer that is on it whether the neighbor guy thinks its reasonable or not or for that matter the DNR.JUST MY TWO CENTS! I just don't like to be told what I can or cant do on my land!

[PrairieShadow]

+1

ORIGINAL: ranwin33

Well said Goose.

[mightyfofaad]

ORIGINAL: OHhunter

I view corn piles/feeders as a curse. For many reason a couple were mentioned in the article with the binge eating and the increased chance of spreading disease.

What's happens when deer rely on corn from a feeder or bait pile as a staple in there diets and then just as the worst part of winter hits, hunting season is over and hunters quit putting out corn? Now what? Is there a natural food source nearby or were they only staying in that area because of the corn, that is now gone, until next hunting season. I'm not a scientist but I would think this could be devistating especially to herds farther north.

The increased chance of spreading disease. That statement right there should be enough for anyone putting out corn piles to stop. Why take the chance? Is it really that hard to find natural food source, hunt travel corridors, bottlenecks, etc. I personally would rather have unfilled tags than to think I may have contributed to the spread of CWD or other diseases.

SIGNS YOUR DEER MAY HAVE CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE

[USN_Sam1385]

Well... to all of you "non-baiters" and advocated against CWD, Ted Nugent disagrees with you. Just read his new article in the January 2010 issue, "Baiting: One of my Many Roads to Backstraps."

A few highlights if you didn't read it yet:

He states that food plots, apple trees, 'the water hole we sit over during extremely dry conditions, the mock scrapes we create in our favorite buck woods, or the trail of doe urine we strategically plot out to cross in front of our tree stand, write this down: It is all bait. To listen to someone attempt to deny this is theater of the absurd in spades. Too Funny."

"The CWD scare is about as real as Al Gore's global warming hoax."

"Deer do not need bait thrown around to have nose to nose contact. Their lives are nose-to-nose contact, nose-to-eyeball contact, nose-to-ear contact, with or without man's involvement."

Speaking about Corn Feeders: "Not only are all these strategies over-the-top exciting and absolutely fair chase, but, astonishingly, we can find fellow hunters (Many of you on this forum) who would like to ban one or more of these legal methodologies for some strange, selfish, unsophisticated, small-minded and unfounded reasons."

"Get straps, and get them the way you like. Whatever your personal choice in hunting, have at it, I am with you."

Thought I would share the Nuge's opinion with the many of you that disagree. I am not saying he is right, just another opinion on the matter.

I still feel that anyone who thinks that corn fed from a drum, or corn in a field is much different is wrong. The only difference I see is Roots in the ground, and a high and mighty attitude that they are doing it "better", because it is more time consuming and difficult.

[USN_Sam1385]

as soon as he hunts over or near it or uses it to his advantage to take game. Is it exactly the same? No since food plots also cause the unnecessary use of ag chemicals and herbicides to be placed into the soil (water supply eventually) as well as any soil run off. Aside from their ability to spread disease, they have some worse characteristics than a bait pile.

While most states and game managers are trying to figure out how to reduce deer overpopulation, many deer feeders are looking for ways to increase the herd size and surviabilty and the carrying capacity of the land. What ever happened to the good old days of scouting and using woodsmanship and hardiness to hunt deer? A trip to a sports show is now more like a farm expo. Hunting has turned into deer farming with selective culling and domesticating them with feed. Many hunters these days only hunt for a good place to dump bait or plant bait.

ORIGINAL: mightyfofaad

[size="4"]Let's see[/size]

USN_Sam1385 ... Honestly, it blows my mind that guys plant food plots and consider it not baiting, but putting corn there, spread out in a big area (like most feeders do) all year is. Then these same guys sit up on their high and mighty chair and act as though they are not baiting. It's the same thing. It just doesn't have roots.

[size="4"]VS.[/size]

ranwin33 ... Food plots do not have the same attractant qualities as corn and other food type baits; food plots more closely resemble what deer see in their natural environs, piles or corn don't. That is why one is baiting and the other isn't.

[size="3"]Sorry USN_Sam1385 ... I have to side with ranwin33.

You see, what ranwin33 is saying, is that a Food Plot is like your Mom setting the table & putting out a nice chicken dinner.

A feeder, or putting out corn, is like someone just picking up a chicken dinner at KFC & just dumping it on the table.

See the difference?[/size] [8|]

Yeah... I do see the difference.. Either way me (The deer) is going to eat the chicken dinner. The home made version is just more of a pain in the butt for my mother, and she might feel better about herself at the end of the day, because of all the extra work she put in. However, she accomplished the same thing; getting me, (the deer) to come to the table and eat it.

Now..... what was your point??

[mightyfofaad]

USN_Sam1385: Yeah... I do see the difference.. Either way me (The deer) is going to eat the chicken dinner. The home made version is just more of a pain in the butt for my mother, and she might feel better about herself at the end of the day, because of all the extra work she put in. However, she accomplished the same thing; getting me, (the deer) to come to the table and eat it.

Now..... what was your point??

I think if you re-read my comments, you'll realize my point was your point [:D][:D]

[msbadger]

I beg to differ with you  USN__Sam....See I'm one of those that just got off my high and mighty chair after 4 hours in 17 mile an hour winds and a blinding snow storm....that chair was over one of many small food plots I have spread over my lands.....not a single deer did I see.....you can bet dollars to donuts that in the same situation had I been putting corn in that area at certain times during the day all year...there would have been deer there....2 days ago I was in that spot and had a nice buck come in....he fed through the turnips and browsed here and there then 15 min before legal hunting time turned and walked away....I won't shoot illegal and at 50 or so yards for quit a while I good see him well enough to shoot...Now had I a corn feeder and a timer then it would have been timed to have that buck in during shooting hours....So this mom likes making home made soup too...but I also like to scout out good areas on my land to plant food to not only hunt around but to help the deer..turkey grouse and others get through some pretty rough ...very deep snows in our NY finger lake hills...excuse me...need to get back out in a different almighty chair...[;)]

[USN_Sam1385]

ORIGINAL: mightyfofaad

USN_Sam1385: Yeah... I do see the difference.. Either way me (The deer) is going to eat the chicken dinner. The home made version is just more of a pain in the butt for my mother, and she might feel better about herself at the end of the day, because of all the extra work she put in. However, she accomplished the same thing; getting me, (the deer) to come to the table and eat it.

Now..... what was your point??

[size="4"]I think if you re-read my comments, you'll realize my point was your point[/size] [:D][:D]

I see.. haha. I didn't read into your comment enough in the context it was in to note the sarcasm. I thought u were actually agreeing with him. The smiley face should have given it away. Belay my last. ;-p