Need Help!

I want to feed the birds on the land I hunt in MN. I’m thinking of heading down there at the end of this month with a barrel full of corn for the birds and deer. Does any one have any tips on how to or where to disperse this corn??? Mainly for the birds. Any tips would be appreciated.

I think there was an article posted last year on this subject.

The sportsman’s club back home feeds in tough years and they have chosen a barren hilltop next to heavy cover to feed the birds. The hilltop allows the birds to see predators from a distance and with the coyote population out there, that is a must. This hilltop is also next to a gravel road so the birds can find pebbles for digestion. If the snow is deep, the guys shovel an area bare so the pheasants can get to the stones.

The other thing is that feeding should not be a one time deal. The deer will clean up the corn quickly and if the pheasants have grown to depend on this food source and it dries up, they may have trouble adapting to new sources.

Just my 2 cents.

I think there was an article posted last year on this subject.

The sportsman’s club back home feeds in tough years and they have chosen a barren hilltop next to heavy cover to feed the birds. The hilltop allows the birds to see predators from a distance and with the coyote population out there, that is a must. This hilltop is also next to a gravel road so the birds can find pebbles for digestion. If the snow is deep, the guys shovel an area bare so the pheasants can get to the stones.

The other thing is that feeding should not be a one time deal. The deer will clean up the corn quickly and if the pheasants have grown to depend on this food source and it dries up, they may have trouble adapting to new sources.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks Putz! So do you think if I do it once a month it would be benifical to the birds or are you talking about doing it constantly???????

Thanks Putz! So do you think if I do it once a month it would be benifical to the birds or are you talking about doing it constantly???????

It really depends on the weather conditions and the number of birds and deer. I remember the winter of 68-69 (am I old?) we were feeding with snowmobiles and going through 3 bushels of ear corn a day at each site we fed. Easy winters we didn’t feed at all. In talking to one of the guys back home last night, he takes out a 5 gallon pail of ear corn every other night to that hill if the snow is about 6″ or so. More if the snow gets deep. He hasn’t started yet this year but with this icy crap we’ve had, he is keeping a close eye on them. I guess the bottom line is that it would be better to contribute the food to someone who can keep track of things daily than to just dump a bunch of corn once or twice a winter.

I’m not trying to discourage you, but only to optimize the usefulness of the feeding.

It really depends on the weather conditions and the number of birds and deer. I remember the winter of 68-69 (am I old?) we were feeding with snowmobiles and going through 3 bushels of ear corn a day at each site we fed. Easy winters we didn’t feed at all. In talking to one of the guys back home last night, he takes out a 5 gallon pail of ear corn every other night to that hill if the snow is about 6″ or so. More if the snow gets deep. He hasn’t started yet this year but with this icy crap we’ve had, he is keeping a close eye on them. I guess the bottom line is that it would be better to contribute the food to someone who can keep track of things daily than to just dump a bunch of corn once or twice a winter.

I’m not trying to discourage you, but only to optimize the usefulness of the feeding.

Winter Feeding of Pheasants

Winter Feeding of Pheasants

Thanks for the input. I live to far away (2 hours) to do anything routinely. Maybe I should just hold off and see if this mild winter continues. Maybe if it gets rough I can dump some then??? Thanks for the input James and Putz!

Thanks for the input. I live to far away (2 hours) to do anything routinely. Maybe I should just hold off and see if this mild winter continues. Maybe if it gets rough I can dump some then??? Thanks for the input James and Putz!