deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
I think it will become more of an issue. People trying to short cut and get a deer or turkey easier or faster so they don't have to make as many trips out.
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Great article on the dangers of feeding corn
- Thread starter scn
- Start date
You have never drowned either, so drowning must be BS too.
I learned to swim.
This thread has been eye opening for me. I haven't given out corn for quite some time. I won't be in the future.
I haven't seen a turkey on my property in years. When I moved here, flocks of +20 were common, right in front of or next to the house.
I haven't seen a turkey on my property in years. When I moved here, flocks of +20 were common, right in front of or next to the house.
I don't have much of a dog in this hunt as far as turkey goes. Been years since I've been, and we are swamped here with turkey hunters.
I drive the backroads every day in what used to be a really rural area that's fast disappearing into 5 acre tracts. Almost every new "homestead" has a corn feeder at the edges of the properties that backs up to what's left of any sizable farm, with chairs on back porches for wildlife viewing fun.
It'd be interesting to know how much of that factors in versus "hunter" baiting/supplemental feeding. With as many people as there are here now, I'd bet it's pretty close.
I drive the backroads every day in what used to be a really rural area that's fast disappearing into 5 acre tracts. Almost every new "homestead" has a corn feeder at the edges of the properties that backs up to what's left of any sizable farm, with chairs on back porches for wildlife viewing fun.
It'd be interesting to know how much of that factors in versus "hunter" baiting/supplemental feeding. With as many people as there are here now, I'd bet it's pretty close.
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In the Last 20 or 30 years the use of Camera's has exploded. Better technology more affordable.
Grew up in Eastern Nebraska on a cattle/corn/bean farm; our deer were big bodied but smaller racks. Mature bucks would almost always be 200+ lbs; and some over 250. Racks that scored 140+ were rare.
Snowwolfe
Well-Known Member
Some of you are forgetting the article is offering three steps to prevent trouble
Buy Tested Feed
Distribute Smaller Amounts
Clean Your Feeder
Whats the big deal? My wife and I love to watch the turkeys and deer on our property. I toss out half a bag of corn every other day. Generally 99% of it is gone the first day and the second they come back looking for scraps. No feeder needed.
Buy Tested Feed
Distribute Smaller Amounts
Clean Your Feeder
Whats the big deal? My wife and I love to watch the turkeys and deer on our property. I toss out half a bag of corn every other day. Generally 99% of it is gone the first day and the second they come back looking for scraps. No feeder needed.
If you are buying certified aflatoxin free corn rather than the Walmart crap, it may be OK. If you are going with the cheapest, you are gambling the health of the turkeys you enjoy watching plus a bunch of songbirds that also eat the potentially tainted corn.
If it isn't certified corn, it can be toxic in the bag. Is your viewing pleasure worth having a turkey flock around?
Snowwolfe
Well-Known Member
Since we started feeding turkeys with corn we buy at the local COOP 4 years ago we had a noticeable increase in the number of turkeys and doves on our property. It doesnt bother me there is a 89% chance of helping them while increasing our viewing pleasure:
"The MSU Deer Lab found aflatoxins in only 11% of samples of bagged and bulk feed sold for wildlife, and at relatively low levels"
After they visit the corn they usually walk around our front and back yard eating bugs which is another benefit. We have never killed any turkeys or doves either.
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Aflatoxins develop in field corn before it's harvested, then detected when the grain samples are pulled at the local grain elevators when sold. In my opinion the biggest danger of feeding turkeys corn in the spring is that hens will nest near the food source. People are inviting nest raiders right into the bedroom. When I hear someone say they trapped 30 coons in 2 weeks on the one ridge, I wanna say "quit feeding the damn things." Stop feeding them and they won't congregate. I think lots of todays turkey hunters are not very knowledgeable or just don't care about conservation. Everyone wants that hero shot on social media.
As far is Texas is concerned the ranches I've been on feed way more protein pellets than corn. I've never seen a turkey eating those pellets.
As far is Texas is concerned the ranches I've been on feed way more protein pellets than corn. I've never seen a turkey eating those pellets.
