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Considerations for Winter deer feeding #6127389
01/16/18 02:17 PM
01/16/18 02:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 10,007
WI - Wisconsin
A
AJE Offline OP
trapper
AJE  Offline OP
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Joined: Jan 2016
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WI - Wisconsin
I thought this is kind of interesting:

https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/wildlifehabitat/documents/winterdeerfeeding.pdf


I did a little research on the winter corn feeding topic, since I hear of a lot of people in Wi feeding corn. 1 thing that kind of stands out to me is the apparent possibility of deer getting something called acidosis from too much winter corn eating. I heard that deer that aren't used to farm crops are at more risk from winter corn feeding (i.e. such as the Central FOREST). I guess it can result in death, some biologists claim.

It mentions something about how predators may 'gang' up on deer feeding stations. Makes some sense I suppose.

Last edited by AJE; 01/16/18 02:24 PM.
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127394
01/16/18 02:24 PM
01/16/18 02:24 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 862
St. Croix County, Wisconsin
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ToTheWoods Offline
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ToTheWoods  Offline
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St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Yes. What happens is the deers digestive system slows in a sense to pull as much nutrients from the browse they are getting as they can. When a food like corn is introduced it can and will kill them. Now if those deer are consistently getting fed corn daily thru the winter the deer are better able to digest the corn.

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127396
01/16/18 02:25 PM
01/16/18 02:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 862
St. Croix County, Wisconsin
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ToTheWoods Offline
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St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Sorry the are some other variables but thats the jist. Bernie has a good article about it on his website

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127397
01/16/18 02:26 PM
01/16/18 02:26 PM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 364
New Hampshire
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Beaver Thumper Offline
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New Hampshire
I’ve witnessed white tailed deer killed by well intentioned winter feeding a few times. Acidosis and enterotoxemia are not pleasant ailments.


New Hampshire - Live Free or Die -
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127406
01/16/18 02:34 PM
01/16/18 02:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,087
Wright county, Minnesota
Birch Tree Offline
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Wright county, Minnesota
Unless there is 5 feet of snow then feeding the deer is a waste of money. They are adept at finding the food they need to survive but deer are a huge market in regards to every aspect now. I suspect people want to feed them to keep them in the area year-round for easy targets next season and those who just want to look at deer in their backyards every day as if they have never seen one before. I believe it is more detrimental to most wildlife (not including birds) to feed them for any reason other than severe winter extremes that would prevent them from finding food on their own.

I have never and will never use bait of any kind in the pursuit of deer, it is just like a canned hunt IMHO.


Mark Skokan, Buffalo MN.

MTA and NTA Member.
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: Birch Tree] #6127412
01/16/18 02:42 PM
01/16/18 02:42 PM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 364
New Hampshire
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Beaver Thumper Offline
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New Hampshire
Originally Posted By: Birch Tree
Unless there is 5 feet of snow then feeding the deer is a waste of money. They are adept at finding the food they need to survive but deer are a huge market in regards to every aspect now. I suspect people want to feed them to keep them in the area year-round for easy targets next season and those who just want to look at deer in their backyards every day as if they have never seen one before. I believe it is more detrimental to most wildlife (not including birds) to feed them for any reason other than severe winter extremes that would prevent them from finding food on their own.

I have never and will never use bait of any kind in the pursuit of deer, it is just like a canned hunt IMHO.


Introducing feed to a population late in the winter season is a guaranteed way for feed to kill animals.


New Hampshire - Live Free or Die -
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127420
01/16/18 02:49 PM
01/16/18 02:49 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,545
minn
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fossil2 Offline
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minn
i believe its illegal to feed them here in Minnesota, as it causes them to gather to one area, and may help promote the spreading of CWD.

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127428
01/16/18 02:55 PM
01/16/18 02:55 PM
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Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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Wisconsin
Things have to be pretty tough for deer to eat corn.

There Is a 30 acre standing corn field where I'm snaring coyotes and today after that fresh snow there wasn't a deer track to be found any where near that field.

I know In the past the WI DNR would go out and cut down cedar In the north woods to feed the deer.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: fossil2] #6127429
01/16/18 02:55 PM
01/16/18 02:55 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,879
Central MN, sort of old
MnMan Offline
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MnMan  Offline
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Central MN, sort of old
Originally Posted By: fossil2
i believe its illegal to feed them here in Minnesota, as it causes them to gather to one area, and may help promote the spreading of CWD.


From what I understand it is only illegal in the CWD zones and is legal all over after Feb 28th for some reason.


I'm just happy to be here! Today I'm as young as I'll ever be and and older than I've ever been before!
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: The Beav] #6127441
01/16/18 03:15 PM
01/16/18 03:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 862
St. Croix County, Wisconsin
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ToTheWoods Offline
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St. Croix County, Wisconsin
Originally Posted By: The Beav
Things have to be pretty tough for deer to eat corn.

There Is a 30 acre standing corn field where I'm snaring coyotes and today after that fresh snow there wasn't a deer track to be found any where near that field.

I know In the past the WI DNR would go out and cut down cedar In the north woods to feed the deer.

Your kidding right?

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127529
01/16/18 04:35 PM
01/16/18 04:35 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Wisconsin
No I'm not kidding.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127551
01/16/18 04:52 PM
01/16/18 04:52 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,568
Gitche Gumee Wisconsin
RiversNorth13 Offline
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Gitche Gumee Wisconsin

Not much corn up in my country, but the couple of fields that are here won't have a cob left in them by March .




Simplify your methods to the point of perfection.

Become fast,efficient & effective.

The real "SECRET" to successful trapping.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

.
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: RiversNorth13] #6127554
01/16/18 04:55 PM
01/16/18 04:55 PM
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Posts: 11,292
East-Central Wisconsin
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bblwi Offline
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East-Central Wisconsin
If you feel that food is in short supply grab a saw and drop some young popple or birch. Give them something that their guts have evolved to for winter survival rations.

Bryce

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127589
01/16/18 05:28 PM
01/16/18 05:28 PM
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east central WI
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Dirty D Offline
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east central WI
Deer in my neck of the woods are hitting what's left of the corn.
out before the latest storm they are in the corn fields during the daytime.
They also will hit the popple tops I drop as I thin my woodlot.
If I believed that feeding them corn in the late winter would kill them I'd do it.
I don't think it does. They have corn available from fall till the fields are tilled in the spring time.
I have seen waste piles of corn in the fields from harvest that would go untouched at times.

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: The Beav] #6127601
01/16/18 05:37 PM
01/16/18 05:37 PM
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Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
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Steven 49er Offline
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mn north of blakely
Originally Posted By: The Beav
Things have to be pretty tough for deer to eat corn.

There Is a 30 acre standing corn field where I'm snaring coyotes and today after that fresh snow there wasn't a deer track to be found any where near that field.

I know In the past the WI DNR would go out and cut down cedar In the north woods to feed the deer.


Our deer must be smarter, I can show you some stand corn fields and corn stubble that have a pile of deer in them.


"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". Milton Friedman.
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: Steven 49er] #6127605
01/16/18 05:42 PM
01/16/18 05:42 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,023
ND
grumley701 Offline
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ND
Originally Posted By: Steven 49er
Originally Posted By: The Beav
Things have to be pretty tough for deer to eat corn.

There Is a 30 acre standing corn field where I'm snaring coyotes and today after that fresh snow there wasn't a deer track to be found any where near that field.

I know In the past the WI DNR would go out and cut down cedar In the north woods to feed the deer.


Our deer must be smarter, I can show you some stand corn fields and corn stubble that have a pile of deer in them.


same here...


Pure Blood
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127609
01/16/18 05:45 PM
01/16/18 05:45 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,152
Northern Minnesota
BernieB. Offline
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BernieB.  Offline
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Northern Minnesota
Deer do not commit suicide by eating corn. their body tells them what they need. It takes some very unusual circumstances for them to be harmed by eating corn.

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127613
01/16/18 05:50 PM
01/16/18 05:50 PM
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 414
Roanoke, VA
Meathunter1978 Offline
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Meathunter1978  Offline
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Roanoke, VA
No corn around me for miles. So what I do is buy 7 or 8 bales of alfalfa and put it out through out winter. They seem to like it.


Formally known as Meathunter78. Just doing it for meat.
Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127635
01/16/18 06:21 PM
01/16/18 06:21 PM
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Wyoming
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cmcf Offline
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Wyoming
I read it has to do with the bacteria that is in a deer stomach. If the don't have the correct bacteria to digest corn they can't. The deer in Texas must have the correct fauna in their gut cause they eat tons of corn at the deer feeders down there.


“The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined” B. Disraeli

Re: Considerations for Winter deer feeding [Re: AJE] #6127652
01/16/18 06:41 PM
01/16/18 06:41 PM
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Posts: 6,683
PA
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gryhkl Offline
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PA
If there are corn fields in your area, it's unlikely that feeding corn will do them any harm. When deer are stressed from a tough winter and not accustom to eating corn, introducing a pile of corn into their diet can kill them. In such areas dropping trimmed branches and hinge cutting trees is a much better way to help them.

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