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I had other ideas but driving a T-post is a lot easier than digging a hole! Espescially when it was 111 degrees when we out there yesterday!
There is a little more info in the original DIY thread.
http://martinarchery.com/mtechforum/...100&do=discuss
Have you got the deer to come to the feeder yet? Sometimes, its like you have to teach deer to eat corn, you might try a comercial deer block, a molassas and corn block.
Elk
Originally we used Hen Scratch on the ground, just because I had a bag of it laying around. It had cracked corn and other stuff in it and they seemed to like it better than plain corn but it is about 30% higher in cost. Then we switched to straight deer corn and that took a while but they did eventually eat it off the ground. Then we tried it in the feeder and had no luck from the feeder but they did eat off the ground directly below the feeder. From a couple pictures I think the feeder was too high so we lowered it. We got some new apple flavored corn and mixed it in with the straight corn and added some vanilla as well. A few of my friends swear by vanilla so I tried it. We also sprayed some on the corn we placed on the ground as well as the plunger/feed stick. That was last Sunday and we haven't been back. We will go this weekend and see if they have broke the code yet.
I moved the game cam to an automatic feeder we placed out there. I know I shouldn't have but my son just wouldn't drop it about having the cam on the auto feeder. I couldn't get it through his head that we know they know how to eat off the ground! Of course I caved in and moved it. I might put it back this weekend if we see we have pic of deer at the auto feeder. I have one game cam and 3 feeders (2 bucket) on a small 30 acre plot where a friend lives.
I think the deer we have seen are traveling and not residents. We have a bad drought and they really need water more than food. If I could find an easy and cheap way to do that I would have them sticking around I think. Than again 30 acres is small so they probably will always be passing through.
I have thought of making some deer blocks and haven't ruled it out yet. Especially for public land where we will just show up and hunt trails.
If you have bedding cover on that 30 acres, and you provide water, they will stay, at least nearby. I used to live on a little 3 acre place, that had bedding cover, I keeped water and plenty of corn avaible for the deer every day, and after a few weeks, I had deer every where on that place. The problem is that water is heavy, and hard to carry very far. By all means, use the vanilla and or molassas, both have strong odors. If you can , run a hose out to your feeding area. Keep up your feeding program into Nov, and you'll have bucks following the does to the feed. I also tried a pvc feeder, and had the same problem someone else mentioned, the deer stuck their noses in and did'nt pull out till the corn was gone. A feeder with a timer controled dispersion unit will make that 50# of corn go a lot further. Unfortunatlly, all I can feed deer here in Oregon is alfalfa, another food that deer seem to love, it also has a strong odor, makes a great attractant. Best of luck to yopu and your son ! Post pics of all successes! :D
I wish I could run a hose to the feeder areas but that won't happen. The guy who lives there doesn't even have water as his well has dried up. There is a lot of that right now around here! I want to figure out a way to bring water and dispense it that is semi-practical. I know it can't be on the ground or everything will be drinking it but the deer.
Tell me more about your molasses home brew.
Just a update,don't use these feeders in Bear country,lost mine the other night and found it today destroyed with the tree limb still attached:mad:
Got pics of the theif too,and eating my apples