Supplemental Feed for South East Whitetail Deer
Most deer hunters plant food plots to hunt over and to provide nutrition to their deer herd. This is a great way to improve herd health on your property. Some hunters also choose to use deer supplemental feeding which includes corn, grains, and other mixes designed to provide additional nutrition. While these feeds can provide another good option to draw in and feed deer, there can also be some problems associated with using deer feed on your property.
The question becomes, should you implement a deer supplemental feeding program on your property? Or do the risks outweigh the potential rewards? Here, we will discuss the positives and negatives associated with supplemental feeding so that you, as a deer manager, can weigh these risks and decide for yourself.
Deer Supplemental Feeding
Many landowners use supplemental feeding programs on their property as part of their management plan. Most supplemental foods designed for deer are high in nutrition and can be important during periods of drought or extreme cold. During the summer months, does are lactating and bucks are refueling and regrowing their antlers after a grueling winter.Winter months are often during the rut periods in the southeastern US. It is important that bucks have the access to nutrition during this time, even though they likely will not utilize it as much as they need to.
Generally, supplemental feeding is done using either a gravity feeder or an automatic "spreader" style feeder. Gravity feeders are generally more reliable and can be made at home if desired. In these feeders, the feed is poured into the feeder and more feed is pushed out as deer eat the feed. This results in the culmination of feed into one area for deer consumption.
Automatic feeders, on the other hand, spreads the seed out using a 12 volt motor and battery. Most of these feeders allow you to pour your feed in and forget about it for a period of time. You are able to set a timer for the feeder to spread the feed as many as 6 times per day in most cases. You can also manipulate how long it spreads the feed. The timer on the automatic feeder results in a more conservative feeding schedule which can ensure your feed lasts longer.
Types of Supplemental Feed
Corn
Corn is probably the most popular deer feed on the market. Hunters have used corn to attract and feed deer for many years. Increasingly, more and more states are making hunting over feed legal and corn has high attraction for deer. Unfortunately, corn is one of the least nutritious feeds you can provide to your deer. It only provides around 8% crude protein which trails most other options. I would recommend corn as part of your supplemental feed, but not exclusively.
Combination Feed
Combination feeds are a much better option than corn alone. These feeds generally have processed cereal grains and corn. The grains increase the crude protein content to around 15-20%. This is much higher than corn alone. If you are going to feed for nutrition and attraction, combination feeds are a better choice. Unfortunately, these feeds are also more expensive.
Should You Feed?
Rather than telling you to feed or not, I will discuss the positive and negative aspects of feeding and let you decide. Supplemental feeding has inherent benefits and risks that should be considered before making a decision for your property.
Positives
1. Increased nutrition for your deer herd.
One of the best aspects of supplemental feeding is the additional nutrition it provides to your deer herd. Especially during periods when the herd is under more environmental stress. Ensuring that proper nutrition is present is the most important factor in determining buck antler size. It is the easiest thing to manipulate as a wildlife manager.
2. Provides another source of deer attraction.
Supplemental feeding acts as a deer attractant in addition to providing nutrition. In states where it is legal, these food sources can provide hunting opportunities, especially when food is scarce.
3. Makes scouting easier.
Having supplemental feeding stations makes scouting a little bit easier on your property. This is especially the case when using an automatic feeder. Having the ability to determine when the feeder comes on can improve your chances of catching deer in that area. Using trail cameras to monitor these stations and the trails to them can help inform tree stand placement. In addition, knowing when deer are coming to certain areas can allow you to trace their steps more easily and know when and where to hunt during daylight hours.
Negatives
1. Potential for disease transmission.
Anytime that you have multiple animals congregating and eating in the same area, you have the potential for disease spread. This is especially the case in areas where Chronic Wasting Disease is a problem. This disease can decimate a deer population and feeding stations provide an area for disease proliferation. In areas where major diseases like this are present, it is discouraged to use feeding. If you must, automatic feeders are the better option because they ensure that feeding takes place over a wider area, reducing the risk of transmission.
2. Increased predation.
Predators are very opportunistic and the ability to pattern deer movements to feeders benefits hunters and other predators, including coyotes and bears. Coyotes and black bears are responsible for most of the fawn predation that takes place in the eastern United States. When the deer are in the same place, it makes ambushes easier which results in more successful predation attempts.
Summary
The benefits and risks listed above are universal, but specific risk factors, especially disease and predation, can differ significantly by region.
Supplemental feeding programs are an important consideration for any deer manager. It can provide significant nutritional benefits which improves herd health. Improved herd health will result in better fawn, doe, and buck size and chances of survival. In addition, having a centralized attractant can improve hunting and scouting success.
Some diseases pose more risks than others. Likewise, areas with more predators have an increased risk of resulting predation from feeding. Examine these general factors and decide whether the risk of feeding your area is outweighed by the benefits.
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Brandon grew up in a small town in south Alabama on a pine plantation. There, he hunted and fished as often as possible and began to develop a passion for wildlife and forest management. This passion became a profession when he went to school to become a wildlife biologist and forester.
Source: https://huntforconservation.com/whitetail-deer-supplemental-feeding-to-feed-or-not-to-feed/
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