[TheDoubleD]

I came into this deer lease late in the game. The others on the lease were gracious enough to allow me the use of their stands this Year. The condition of this Lease has always been that I would build and equip one stand-feeder, ground blind and camera.

I have been looking around for potential sites. I had found couple of places that looked good and also what appeared to be previously used sites.

Two weeks ago I had the one fellow who kind of ramrods this deal show me around. He said there were sights that were way in the back of the lease that they used early in the lease that that produced good deer. Over the years they set up blinds closer to entrance of the property so they didn’t have travel so far to hunt.

As we traveled around I pointed out an area that I thought was a good area. The guy pointed out tree about 50 yards away, with some cut branches and said he use to have stand in that tree.

He showed me where he had the feeder, but pointed out an area about 100 yards east, he said would be much better. He said when he was hunting that area that was where the dear were coming from.

Thursday we hauled the feeder in there. Yesterday I hauled 400lbs of corn and set up the camera.

On the drive home my wife asked how long before the deer started feeding. I told her it would probably be aweek or two before they found it.

Here Are this mornings pictures, 13 hours after the feeder was turned on.

 

[dennishoddy]

Great spot!
My observations have been deer find the corn within 24 hours of putting it out.
They have a great sense of smell and hearing. Don’t know if they are hearing the feeder go off or smelling the corn, but it’s one of the two I’m betting.
Now we need to patent a device that sounds like a feeder going off. Probably better than rattling. Lol.

 

[TheDoubleD]

First buck on the new feeder.

he’ll be ready 2024-2025

 

[Wishbone]

Great spot!
My observations have been deer find the corn within 24 hours of putting it out.
They have a great sense of smell and hearing. Don’t know if they are hearing the feeder go off or smelling the corn, but it’s one of the two I’m betting.
Now we need to patent a device that sounds like a feeder going off. Probably better than rattling. Lol.

I think someone beat you to it Dennis.
The Feeder Repeater

Oh, the memories. In states where deer feeders are legal like my home state of Texas, there is no more familiar sound than that of a spin-cast feeder going off. The “dinner bell” of whitetail hunting. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the Feeder Repeater is/was a simple push-button device that would simulate this sound. A “corn call”, if you will. Having had a tailgate feeder go out, I last used this piece of genius equipment on a 2004 South Texas hunting trip. And it worked. Though the sound quality rivals that of the average children’s toy, it accurately mimics the sound of an electronic deer feeder. Originally costing around $10, it represents legitimate hunting equipment, deer camp conversation, and memorabilia at the same time. I’m pretty sure I got my first Feeder Repeater in the late-80s and it’s still in one of my hunting packs.

 

[Wishbone]

DoubleD, what kind of feeder is that? Looks like mine turned upside down.

 

[TheDoubleD]

 

[TheDoubleD]

This an 800 lbs capacity Capsule Feeder. Shop - Brands - Capsule Feeders - Page 1 - FeraDyne Outdoors.

I bought from their December sale With free shipping, for $600 less than current list price.

It sits on the ground and this old man doesn't have to climb a ladder carrying A bag of feed. This feeder has the option, for better stability to be mounted on old truck tire. I didn't do that. So far no cattle or hogs are on this part of the ranch.

I am pretty excited about this. I have hunted from stands and feeder before. But this is the first time I have been responsible for site location and set-up.

Here's the deal for me. When I no longer get excited about deer season coming. When I don't get excited about finding a place to hunt and setting up a stand. When I don't get excited seeing deer come into range. And, when I longer get excited about making the shot, hit or miss. Well that's when I head to Cracker Barrel and buy a rocking chair. Hum, I wonder will a Cracker Barrel rocking chair fit in a deer blind...

 

[Bullbuster]

That’s a cool looking feeder. Keep them fed and they will come. Good luck on the new spot.

 

[Wishbone]

Dang those feeders are nice....and a bit pricey for me even with $600 off! Fully understand the efforts of filling feeders on legs. Good thing that I'm tall.

We've got a couple of ******* blinds that a CB rocking chair would easily fit - just have to move the Mr. Buddy heater to one side!

Another suggestion would be to look for sales on stands and blinds. Last year Atwood's had a great sale on ladder stands. We got some Muddy double person 18' stands for like $85 each and some Big Game single person 20' stands for $90 each. Ground blinds for $40. Right now though, Atwood's doesn't even have any listed when doing a search. The winds here in OK are horrendous to say the least but I'd have 2 stands in each general area you plan to hunt - North wind and a South wind. If the deer are coming from one of those directions, then you have a dedicated 'sit only when wind is this direction' stand.

I like the idea the others on the lease are hunting close and leaving the long walk in for you. PERFECT!

 

[TheDoubleD]

Great idea about setting up a second site for different wind directions.

Right now the deer seem to be coming primarily from the south. The approach to this blind is from the South East The plan is set a blind to the west---behind the camera.

There was a second site we looked at. It looked really good, but I didn't see much deer sign. I am thinking about setting up a camera on this site and pouring some feed on ground and see what shows up.

 

[TheDoubleD]

Been counting bucks on the new feeder. Only the little guys still have horns. Up to 6 so far.

So do I count this as one deer or two?

Or, is this little guy getting ready to do some "shadow boxing" in preparation for when he grows up?

Sorry have only had two sips of coffee and my sense of humor is not in its highly tuned state---yet.

 

[dennishoddy]

More will come around as they find it.

 

[Bear Sits In The Woods]

Looks like you may have set up in a good spot

 

[TheDoubleD]

We are really enjoying checking our camera every morning and seeing the deer come in.

Last night we had the first raccoons.

Then this morning there was this sequence. Feeder is set to go off at 7:30

So here is 7:30

And here is 7:32

I think the camera and feeder are not quite in sync. There are 5 deer in that picture. But look at this one- 7 deer.

I don't think these are all does either, several of these deer look a bit large. That one to left looks like it might have horn bases.

Next month, which starts Wednesday, I am going pick up a ground blind and minerals. I have to stick with ground based gear. Two knee replacements, fused lower back and inner ear balance issue that plague us older folks, plus a cranky wife who grumps about me climbing ladders and trees and such, keeps me on the ground

The other guys say turkeys are in the area, but I have not seen or heard them yet.

A good cellular game camera keeps this old guy entertained for hours.

 

[retrieverman]

You should be able to distinguish between does and bucks that have dropped their horns, because the bucks tend to have a ”blockier” head and will have a bigger body. I have a buck this year that never grew more than “buttons”, but he was easy to pick out in the herd. If he doesn’t have a more substantial rack next year, he’s going to be culled.

 

[TheDoubleD]

Crap!!!!

 

[dennishoddy]

There is your pig hunting opportunity!

 

[Bullbuster]

Kill’m, chill’m and Grill’m!!

 

[TheDoubleD]

My sole purpose for hunting pigs is to try to drive them off a bit. The reality is that hogs are out there. They are going to visit the feeders, there nothing I can do about that.

If a hog sets up camp on a feeder that is different. I can work those/that hog. It would be helpful if I was closer than 2 1/2 hours from the lease.

I have seen some of the hog trap video on YouTube where they trap an entire sounder. That's nice if the hog come every day. But it doesn't seem economically feasible, if they only come every week or two,

I have worked as a volunteer with USDA and seen what the aerial gunners can do to wolves and coyotes with a Benelli and a Sup Cub. I wonder how they would do going after hogs.

Don't get a picture in your mind about those big helicopter hog pursuits you see on YouTube. Those USDA gunner don't chase, they just kill. I don't recall them ever missing. They are good, very good.

We on the ground would spot or locate a coyote or two and they would fly over a tell us they see 4 or 5 and sometimes more, If they saw 4 or five coyotes then usually 4 or 5 would die, If we had worked the plane in an area the Cub would get even more as escape route would be known, The plane would know where to look for those that got away. Those guys are very good at what they do.

Hopefully those hogs yesterday followed the same general pattern seen so far on this ranch, just feed through for a day or two and are not seen again for a week or so..

The boar over on our Rock Creek feeder is the only one that seems to be hanging around. He stays for 4 or 5 days and is gone a couple of days. then comes back. That feeder i close to the south property line of our lease. There is another small one man lease south of us and that pig may be tending that feeder.

Here is a pictures from this morning---no pigs.

That one deer should a candidate for next year. The other two the following year.

It is interesting. I have access to the other 6 camera's on the lease. We are still seeing the same numbers of deer at each site, Most deer visiting those sites have dropped their horns.

We call this sight the End of the Earth. It is in the very back north west side of the lease and nobody hardly ever goes back there. There is more ranch land north and west part of this ranch currently not being used.

 

[dennishoddy]

The USDA does helicopter hunts around Kaw lake every year. I see them when spring sand bass fishing on the river flying around and shooting pigs before the trees get leaves on them. Currently they have shut down pig shooting on Kaw lake. The USDA along with the ODW are doing some kind of testing there about eradication. Nobody seems to know exactly what they are up to. They also shut down some WMA's in Love county and Ellis county I think it was to conduct the same testing.