Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Birth of a deer camp

well officially I must say that supplemental feeding of wildlife isn't recommended, they become dependent and no longer able to think for themselves (think "social programs").

I have seen a couple different ways when people do it however. make a cylinder out of the large square mesh, like 2"x3" or similar. make it about 8-10" in diameter and fill with field corn still on the cob.

another way is to take a piece of 4" pvc and drill a few 3/4" holes right on the bottom around it. stand upright on a board and tie it to a fence post or tree to keep from being knocked over. raccoons may empty it when they are out. deer can't get their tongues in but a small beak will peck out the corn. fill it at regular intervals, but don't keep it full all the time.

I understand and agree with the "offically" statement most of the time but when you get the snow and cold that we do, wouldn't it be beneficial to save a few breeders by feeding them?

If they dont have a good food source, I think it helps them quite a bit. Our chapter has taken a 55 gallon drum, put a cone in the bottom and either drilled 3/4" holes in the bottom or cut a rectangular hole and used a wire mesh screen over it. I also spread some around by hand to get them to find it.

We have also used a chicken wire fence to make a circle and filled it with cob corn....that is susceptible to deer however. But it works well and in my experience pheasants like cob corn better than shell corn.

One last way to do it is to plow a "road" in the field next to good winter cover and hand throw out cob corn. be sure to do this often and especially after snow. If you arent committed, dont even start any feeding method or as Ryan said, you hang them out to dry. I like the plow/hand throw method the best if you can keep at it as it is the closest to their natural feeding method.

Makes sense. I do not have a plow or access to the field where they tend to gather next to some red willow but I thought about throwing some corn out there every week or so. Would that be sufficient or do more harm than good?

Holy balls its cold out! -16 here in the north country without the windchill. We got a lot of work done on the old 78 ford truck. VERY close to paint on the body now. The frame is painted with rust resistant paint, rust proofing on back of newly installed steel, tje rear bumper is coated with bed-liner, and the interior is painted. The doors and jams are final sanded ready for paint. Just clean, mask and spray the body color. Tomorrow I'll put the visors, seat belts, headliner, mirror, and whatever else I can't think of, back in.

Getting close now!

Tom, keep the cold up there please. It's minus 18 here. Might drop another couple of degrees at sun rise.

It's -24 right now. I saw on the news a bit ago it's -31 in park falls, wi. Yuck!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

Rooster7,
Yes, I think that will work. Pay attention to snowfall and make sure you dont leave them without food for long as they will come to depend on it. The more you can spread it out close to those willows the better....not too close to them either; give it 15 yards of clear so they can see a predator coming.

I have 1 more hunt coming I think. A little hunt at a buddies place tomorrow.

Most likely about the same at the camp than as we're not all that far from Park Falls.

Got the furnace repair dude coming over. Furnace is acting up. We've got heat, but it doesn't always want to light. New pressure switch was installed last year when it did the same thing.

Our weather has been up and down here the week that the kids have been home Gizzard Lips the 6 yr old gdaughter keeps watching for enough snow to build a snowman. They are here until the 3rd so maybe they will get lucky. Yesterday the neighbors had a party for the last regular season football game. We went down to the farm maintainence shop wheere we set up a 55 inch tv, and put a half a hog in the smoker. Everyone showed up with a crockpot of goodies, and lots of their favorite beer and a rousing good time was had by all. I have never seen a group of kids have that much fun chasing farm dogs, pushing each other around on the bottom half of an old desk chair, and generally acting like a pack of little savages. The granddaughter was so worn out by 7pm she could barely stand up but fought going home. It took 2 washes to get all the hay chaff, soybean hulls etc out of her hair and her jeans will probably never come clean. When asked this morning if she had more fun at Disney Land or in the garage yesterday she said Disney Land but only a little. Her dad Chicken Lips told the neighbor he doesn't know if he can get on the plane to go back to San Diego. He doesn't get home often but it is harder everytime to go back to the big city. He is trying to get transferred to Mechanicsburg Pa. We are praying it will go through. Thanks for letting me ramble it is just so good to have them home and Pa is so much closer than Californiastan.
Bill

Sounds like an igniter switch maybe?

Sounds like you had a great Christmas, Bill. My son and family are out in Portland so we only see them 1 or 2 times a year.

Tom, no parts replaced so far. Just cleaned everything. He said the flame sensor was a bit dirty. So far so good.

You guys getting enough ice to put the houses on the lake yet? The pond in my front yard is only 3/4 acre. It has frozen completely over three times now and never got thick enough to get out on. It is 26 right now and supposed to snow all night. Temps are supposed to drop all week. Chicken Lips had hoped to be able to get on the pond and catch a few of the big gills in it but I don't think that is going to happen.
Bill

Bill 55 we got ice ..In the metro we got like 20 inches of ice, we didnt get the snow like they got up north.....

Not sure about the ice thickness around here. There was better than 6" at the beginning of December. I'm sure it's over a foot now even with the snow cover.

I was on the ice on Angostura on saturday and it supported 2 guys dragging a deer. pretty uncommon for here. ice was crystal clear for the most part and looked to be 5" thick. I may have to drag out my house and auger for the first time

Just wanted to jump on here to say HAPPY NEW YEAR to all the Chickenbuckers!

Grizzly Bill,

My buddy Jim was out on Half Moon a week ago and had 14." The buddy he was with took his 3/4 ton Chevy out there. I was out on Upper Twin on Christmas day in northern WI and there was way over 12". I drove the explorer out there, and a Dodge 2500 Cummins came past driving with a giant Ice Castle

Bill55,

I'd not walk out on the ice when it was only 26* if it was open recently.

Neither would I tzone. We ice fish here when we get enough ice but that sure has not happened much lately. I have gone out on 4 inches but you don't want to have groupes very close together. Here we mostly fish farm ponds and old strip pits that have been stocked. Mostly bluegills and bass. Occasionally a couple of the larger lakes freese enough we can get out after walleyes and saugeyes, but that is not frequent. If we want to really get after them we have to drive up to Port Clinton and fly out to Put In Bay and fish Erie.
Bill