Trough feeder for deer and turkey

P

PatM&P

Member
EE Expired
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just recently moved out in the country east of ottawa a few months ago. I so far had 2 deer sightings on my property. The wife loves it and being a new hunter I enjoy observing them and study there actions.

I was thinking of building a trough type feeder to attract some deers and turkeys. I will not be hunting deer on my property since neighbours are a bit too close by but a bow turkey hunt is very probable.

Does anyone have plans? Anybody used a feeder before? What type of feed do you need for deer or turkey? Will the type of feed used attract pests?
 
There are many DIY plans and commercial feeders on the net. Many hunters just dump corn or carrots or other on the ground. You can hunt over bait for deer but not for turkeys in Ontario. You may or may not have a fall season for turkeys where you are located, check the MNR web site. The spring turkey hunt is related to mating, not food. I've hunted deer over corn, corn/molasses and apples and also over nothing at all, both with and without success. The availability of food will keep wildlife around. I've seen birds, turkeys and raccoons on the corn pile. If bowhunting for deer I'd suggest putting a stand/blind in a more sheltered area less open area where the deer feel comfortable and where you have good shooting lanes.
 
Best to spread it on the ground in the winter, dont feed them when they can find their own feed, that doesn't help...

Also, feed on the ground prevents "nose to nose" feeding as would occurr in a trough. Which is good because "nose to nose" feeding is how several types of disease spread in deer possiblly including CWD. But for sure tuberculosis and other respiratory disease.

Deer normally would not touch noses other than through accidental contact at a trough. There is lots of information on this on the internet.
 
PatM&P said:
I just recently moved out in the country east of ottawa a few months ago. I so far had 2 deer sightings on my property. The wife loves it and being a new hunter I enjoy observing them and study there actions.

I was thinking of building a trough type feeder to attract some deers and turkeys. I will not be hunting deer on my property since neighbours are a bit too close by but a bow turkey hunt is very probable.

Does anyone have plans? Anybody used a feeder before? What type of feed do you need for deer or turkey? Will the type of feed used attract pests?
Click to expand...

Bucket feeders are what I recommend. You can not bait turkeys so I would not send you plans to break the law.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REMINGTON-6...900?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ec025cb0c

You can build this for under 10 bucks. Home depot buckets and toilet bowl plunger and hang it up in a tree away from the coons.
 
Last edited:
I was under the impression that you couldn't hunt over bait for turkeys but if the bait was removed a set require amount of time before then you were ok. Is this the case or is baiting turkey year round for hunting illegal?
 
Thank you all for your help. I think I may just install a bucket feeder or throw some food on the ground. As much as I'm looking online for plans to build a trough I'm falling on more plans for bucket and gravity feeders. I take this as a sign that trough are not that popular.
 
PatM&P said:
Thank you all for your help. I think I may just install a bucket feeder or throw some food on the ground. As much as I'm looking online for plans to build a trough I'm falling on more plans for bucket and gravity feeders. I take this as a sign that trough are not that popular.
Click to expand...

Trough are not popular not because of the turkey. If you have a trough feeder the coons will be eating 95% of your bait. You need a bait that is off the ground that the coons can not get but the deer can. Remember coons are always looking for food. Trust me I had a trail camera on the feeders and if the feeder is on the ground coons will eat all your feed. If you throw it on the ground coons will eat almost all your feed before the deer and turkeys even find it. Place that bucket feeder around 2 feet off the ground so that all the deer can get it and hang it up with a strong rope.
 
PatM&P said:
I was under the impression that you couldn't hunt over bait for turkeys but if the bait was removed a set require amount of time before then you were ok. Is this the case or is baiting turkey year round for hunting illegal?
Click to expand...

I don't know where you're at but here in my area of Ontario (94) you can feed them but must be at least 400 metres away from where the bait is or the spot must be bait free for at least 7 days.

My concern with a trough would be turkeys and other birds crapping in the feed and spreading desease? Don't know if that's possible but just a thought?
 
j.krug said:
I don't know where you're at but here in my area of Ontario (94) you can feed them but must be at least 400 metres away from where the bait is or the spot must be bait free for at least 7 days.

My concern with a trough would be turkeys and other birds crapping in the feed and spreading desease? Don't know if that's possible but just a thought?
Click to expand...

Forget disease with a trough feeder your feed will be gone as the coons will eat it all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom