[catchdog]

is it ok to feed them soybeans ?

 

[OCLJ]

is it ok to feed them soybeans ?

Yeah, a good mixture of like 80% soybean and 20% corn will make it highly nutritious but tasty for the deer.

 

[OCLJ]

So how much corn is too much corn? Of the four articles listed only one stated they were feeding 22+ pounds per day. I don't think any deer are being fed that much per day, in fact 2-3 pounds per day would be a lot in some areas.

I think they need something like 15% protein in their diet and pure corn will provide 8%. The problem in the winter is that the deer will just keep coming to the feeder and eating way too much corn. Like I said in the post above an 80-20 mixture is plenty good for deer.

 

[ohiosam]

No, but deer don't naturally eat the concentration of corn that pure corn feeders will give them. So even if they do eat corn in small amounts, they do not eat anywhere near the amount that they do from a pure corn feeder.

That is why I always use the word "regular". In most of Ohio (geez how many time must I repeat that) deer get used to corn and have it on a regular basis. They also have access to other foods too. Deer by their nature will mix up their diet.

And you are.....? All the people who are qualified that make that statement say it is, yet the people who's only experience is gutting a deer, say it isn't... who to believe? Only for people who have problems with reading comprehension

So the couple people quoted constitute "everyone"? The ODNR must not have a big issue with it because they haven't banned the practice yet. I guess the ODNR is nobody. BTW while far from an expert I have learned a few things over the years about feeding ruminants from places besides gut piles.

He is a well syndicated wildlife columnist

Since a bunch of newspaper editors(who probably know zero about the outdoors) pay for his articles it lends some credibility on every subject he writes about? It would seem he had an opinion and found some experts who agreed and "wallah" an article is born.

 

[ohiosam]

Yeah, a good mixture of like 80% soybean and 20% corn will make it highly nutritious but tasty for the deer.

Where's the roughage in that ration?

 

[OCLJ]

That is why I always use the word "regular". In most of Ohio (geez how many time must I repeat that) deer get used to corn and have it on a regular basis. They also have access to other foods too. Deer by their nature will mix up their diet.

I have debunked that multiple times and you refuse to listen. Here, I will yell it for you. EVEN IF A DEER EATS SMALL AMOUNTS OF CORN ON A REGULAR BASIS, LARGE AMOUNTS OF CORN FROM A FEEDER WILL CAUSE ACIDOSIS, NO MATTER HOW USED TO IT THEY ARE, IT WILL CAUSE ACIDOSIS. RUMINANTS DO NOT JUST GET USED TO THEIR PH GETTING ALL SCREWED UP.

So the couple people quoted constitute "everyone"? The ODNR must not have a big issue with it because they haven't banned the practice yet. I guess the ODNR is nobody. BTW while far from an expert I have learned a few things over the years about feeding ruminants from places besides gut piles.

Every veterinarian will tell you the same. Just because ODNR has not banned it does not mean that it is not a problem. ODNR has many practices that are questionable.

Since a bunch of newspaper editors(who probably know zero about the outdoors) pay for his articles it lends some credibility on every subject he writes about? It would seem he had an opinion and found some experts who agreed and "wallah" an article is born.

Because every expert will agree :tsk:

 

[Darron B]

If feeding deer corn hurt deer that bad then the deer herd in my area would be devistated because everyone around me, including me, baits deer. I also put out about 2 acres of food plots every year as well. I plant cereal grains and brassicas. I have yet to see or find any deer dead on my property since feeding them corn. I just checked my trail camera on one feeding station and I had as many as 8-10 different deer around the feeder multiple times during the past week to 10 days.

 

[OCLJ]

Where's the roughage in that ration?

ruminants do not require pure roughage. It can be substituted as long as the proper nutrition is there. The best thing to feed deer from a feeder would be alfalfa pellet rations, but soybeans have enough protein to make it viable.

 

[OCLJ]

If feeding deer corn hurt deer that bad then the deer herd in my area would be devistated because everyone around me, including me, baits deer. I also put out about 2 acres of food plots every year as well. I plant cereal grains and brassicas. I have yet to see or find any deer dead on my property since feeding them corn. I just checked my trail camera on one feeding station and I had as many as 8-10 different deer around the feeder multiple times during the past week to 10 days.

Acidosis mainly causes malnutrition and only death in severe cases, aka deer only eating from the pure corn feeder. I find it funny that many of the people that are defending the use of feeding corn are probably some of the people that are against corn diets for cows. Well guess what, the problems in cows are the same in deer. Ruminants are ruminants. It's not like comparing a dog to a human.

 

[Wildman18]

To much corn during a period of the year when there is a lack of food is not a good thing. It may not kill them but it doesn't help them. Eat corn and tell me what it looks like when it comes out..lol (yea we are different from deer) I don't care if you read it in the comics or in the journal of deer. LOL It is hard to digest. When mixed with a good diet it isn't such a bad thing. Another guy on here said it best when he said that when the acorns fall the deer get out of the corn and hit the nuts. What is better for you nut's or corn. You guy's can argue all day... Yes I have a wild life management back ground. No, I do not know everything but I do know this....

Feeding them some collected acorns would be the best for winter time food.. I have 5 50 pound bags sitting in my barn. They are going out in Jan 15.... Wish I had more...

Cutting trees (maples) I think would be fine but you don't have that much food per tree. That is why I think several clear cuts each one done in secession would be a good thing mainly in you maple canopied zones. I would leave as much wildlife/timber trees as you could. Just My thought's

Also I understand it was an experiment. But I and most of the guys on here could of told u the results before your experiment was conducted... I could spray Molasses on a big pile of Sh+T and the results would have been the same... That doesn't mean it is good for them They will brows on what they want to eat... To many people want to take the temporary rout. If you want to do something good for them manage the land long term.. Bedding sites I like to clear areas and put in a dove mix (taller grasses) some on points. Several don't have to be huge depending on the size of the property. Food plot's They don't have to be huge either.. make some clear cuts/thick areas could also be bed sites when you are implicating this, think of stand location and wind. do some research on preferred edge-land trees/shrubs

All this is long term not piles of corn or molasses spraying... Again I know it was just an experiment...

 

[patk]

How big were your trees you cut. Also do you have any other kinds of trees you would cut. Where did you get your malasus mix from and how much was it.

the trees i cut were about 5-7 inches in diameter, mine were basswoods but you can cut just about anything, basswoods, willows, and maples are good if you have them, but the deer will eat just about anything. The molases mix came from tractor supply, it is called more-m-lass and it is 16 dollars for 50 lbs