Deer Feeder Helper Blog

Cody Hirt

Veteran Outdoors

“Giving Back To Those Who Gave”

512-971-6313

www.veteranoutdoors.com

The Pros and Cons of Deer Hunting Over Wildlife Feeders

Introduction to Hunting and Wildlife Feeders

I am not certain of the origin of wildlife feeders but I would be willing to bet that the Lone Star State of Texas wouldn’t be a bad guess. As long as I can remember, the famous barrel has been an ever present icon within the Texas hunting industry where I’ve been blessed to have enjoyed for some 40 years. However, there are those among us who question the technique and whether or not it is ethical and sporting. I am a firm believer of “to each their own” and while this type of hunting may not be for everyone, I discovered the value of it a quite some time ago. I will discuss what I feel to be the  pluses and minuses of this tool we call a wildlife feeder.

Wildlife feeders provide an opportunity to judge the bucks and does so that only select ones fitting the management criteria are taken. This prevents nubbin bucks, young bucks and healthy vibrant does from being killed, this may not be quite as achievable while hunting using other means such as stalking.

A wildlife feeder will certainly congregate deer. We all love to see deer when we go to the ranch, especially if we are lucky enough to be accompanied by a favorite hunting partner such as a child. Unfortunately, congregation can lead to an unhealthy situations by increasing the possibility of spreading diseases.

Different species benefit from the food as well; such as turkeys, javelinas, birds, feral hogs and a host of other undesirable varmints can be quite destructive and consumptive of the feed.  Feed pens and varmint guards are probably the most effective means to controlling these untargeted animals.

Wildlife feeders can be used to alter dietary intake. Corn provisions during the winter help replace carbs expended during the rut, which in turn, helps worn-out bucks survive the freezing winter. Protein in the spring and summer will help keep wildlife healthy and improve milk production in does providing a better start for fawns with improved horns in the bucks. I have found that the Deer Feeder Helper is a useful accessory for converting a corn feeder into a gravity type protein feeder for further enhancement.

Wildlife feeders must be constantly maintained. This has historically been the biggest pit fall of the wildlife feeder. The feeding environment is quite a challenge for an electronic product with mechanical parts dispensing organic material.  Wildlife feeders are often surrounded by destructive animals, insects, adverse weather conditions and often are not frequented enough by the owners so that they may keep abreast of any malfunctions. Solar panels have made a huge difference as hunters no longer arrive on opening day to find a discharged battery and a non-functioning feeder.  The  Feeder Helper mentioned earlier reduces most, if not all, of these monumental endeavors to simple tasks. Clogs can be removed instantly avoiding damage to the spinner; timers can be swapped out in seconds allowing broken ones to be replaced with ones that work; it opens to allow draining of the feeder for relocation or to remove old or spoiled feed and dust; and timers can be taken home for safe keeping during the off-season by simply removing a couple of screws. Attention to detail and taking some preventive measures should keep your wildlife feeder working properly.

Neither wildlife feeders nor their contents are cheap. Feeders will cost several hundred dollars so the purchase of quality products is strongly recommended; Premier, Texas Wildlife Supply, and Wildlife Resources come to mind. With the recent demand for BioDiesel, which is derived from corn, has doubled the cost of corn in just three years. Hopefully this trend will stabilize as technology improves and/or more farmers switch to corn production.

All said and done, I love watching the sunrise on a brisk morning, followed by the awesome whitetail  filtering from the wilderness to grab their share of treats from the legendary wildlife feeder.

Happy hunting,

Chris