Great article on the dangers of feeding corn

[scn]

Aflatoxin in Corn Harms Deer and Turkeys. These 3 Steps Prevent Trouble. | National Deer Association

deerassociation.com

The article pretty clearly shows why feeding corn is a bad idea, and especially in the warm months. IMO, it is one of several reasons that we are seeing the decline in turkey flocks across the Southeast.

I, personally, wish it would be banned. There is not enough benefit for the deer to make up for the potential devastating issues for the turkey flocks. It appears it also may be causing issues with songbird populations that are seriously declining.

 

[megalomaniac]

personally, I'm not opposed to responsible feeding (feed off the ground, limited amounts during summer, trapping the extra raccoons feed produces, etc). I don't do it because it's a waste of $$$ and it artificially increases raccoon populations that I have to remove, but if someone wants to feed responsibly, I'm ok with it.

BUT, the problem is very few people feed/ bait responsibly... at any given time on my lease, folks are illegally dumping corn out on the ground in 50-100lb increments (which is not completely eaten by the time it begins to mold). Even those using spin cast feeders put 200lbs in at a time, allow a little water to get in the feeder which causes it to develop mold, etc. Because it seems noone down here can bait/ feed responsibly, I would rather it be banned altogether myself. Irresponsible baiting certainly causes much more harm than good.

I'm actually glad we have a black bear on my lease now... he's going to destroy the feeders and hopefully discourage the other members from baiting this next season.

 

[TheLBLman]

I'm actually glad we have a black bear on my lease now... he's going to destroy the feeders and hopefully discourage the other members from baiting this next season.

Never thought about that!

I understand the "politics" get in the way,
but we would have more deer & turkey to hunt if there was no corn "feeding" period.
I just overall does more harm than good.

 

[woodsman04]

I've said this for years coming from a feed background myself.
But not many people listen or believe it.

 

[woodsman04]

They don't need us to feed them. It's just a lazy way for hunter to say "im helping the heard."

The best way to help any heard or flock is to create better habitat with bedding/nesting/brooding/ and food plots. Deer and Turkey.

 

[SEC]

The most game rich country my eyes have ever seen is the Texas hill country. 31,000 sq miles, whitetails, turkeys and exotics running in every direction. I'd guess more corn has been fed to there wildlife than anywhere in the country for the last let's say 30 years. There doing just fine.

 

[woodsman04]

The most game rich country my eyes have ever seen is the Texas hill country. 31,000 sq miles, whitetails, turkeys and exotics running in every direction. I'd guess more corn has been fed to there wildlife than anywhere in the country for the last let's say 30 years. There doing just fine.

Haha. You must have not read anything, or one of the people I talk about that don't listen or care.

We get about nearly 20" more average rainfall than they do.

Can't explain it to people that don't want to listen. So I won't go any further.

 

[DoubleRidge]

The most game rich country my eyes have ever seen is the Texas hill country. 31,000 sq miles, whitetails, turkeys and exotics running in every direction. I'd guess more corn has been fed to there wildlife than anywhere in the country for the last let's say 30 years. There doing just fine.

The Texas hill country truly does have some amazing game rich country....and in addition to the drier climate....they also only allow certified aflatoxin free corn to be sold as feed....so the corn they feed isn't the "deer corn" like we see in our local Walmart or TSC.

 

[TheLBLman]

The most game rich country my eyes have ever seen is the Texas hill country. 31,000 sq miles, whitetails, turkeys and exotics running in every direction. I'd guess more corn has been fed to there wildlife than anywhere in the country for the last let's say 30 years. There doing just fine.

In addition to the before mentioned differences in TN's vs. TX's circumstances,
I suspect there are also currently more corn feeders per acre in the average TN county than in the TX hill country.

Land ownership patterns are much different in the State of TN vs. TX.
Do you think the large TX ranches (average is many times larger than the ave TN "farm"),
have more feeders per acre than the average rural area of TN, where in addition to what's on the average small TN farm, there are "wildlife" feeders in the backyards of many the homes along our roads?

Yes, rural homes in TX also have wildlife feeders behind their homes.
Just saying across the states, we are a lot more "congested" in TN, a lot more homes per acre in the average county.

One other difference, although it may have little to do with the aflatoxin issues, supplemental feeding is actually considered more a necessity in Texas (not necessarily the hill country) statewide due to the arid climate not producing a consistent food supply to support their desired deer density, which is generally much lower statewide than is TN's.

 

[redblood]

My corn feeding days left with the current prices of corn. I have 15 acres of field corn standing right now. If the farmers spills some loading the grain carts i will scoop it and put it where i want (they gonna eat it where it fell anyway)….but i wont buy a bag this yr

 

[Gravey]

We put a little out over cameras in the summer to get an idea of what deer we have and then stop.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

The Texas hill country truly does have some amazing game rich country....and in addition to the drier climate....they also only allow certified aflatoxin free corn to be sold as feed....so the corn they feed isn't the "deer corn" like we see in our local Walmart or TSC.

This is spot on. Different regs and different climates

 

[DoubleRidge]

My corn feeding days left with the current prices of corn. I have 15 acres of field corn standing right now. If the farmers spills some loading the grain carts i will scoop it and put it where i want (they gonna eat it where it fell anyway)….but i wont buy a bag this yr

If there is spillage loading grain carts...I'd scoop it up too ...and if I was gonna feed it I'd scatter it over a larger area verses piling it up in front of a camera....less chance it molds being scattered vs piled.

 

[holstonangler]

If it were so bad why do most neighboring states allow it. Still yet to ever find a deer dead of alfloxin poisoning.

 

[DoubleRidge]

If it were so bad why do most neighboring states allow it. Still yet to ever find a deer dead of alfloxin poisoning.

Nothing I've every read suggest we will find deer dieing of aflatoxin?...but plenty of studies suggest lower average fawn birth weights and the fact that molded toxic corn isnt any benefit to a deers health....and aflatoxin tainted corn has been proven deadly to turkeys and other birds..... nobody is saying all corn has aflatoxin....but studies show a certain percentage has or will develop aflatoxin...so is it really a risk worth taking? .....as for why certain agencies allow baiting with toxic corn?....great question?... sometimes agencies make terrible choices.....and sometimes they make smart choices (like Texas where only certified aflatoxin free corn is available)......just imagine how much healthier the turkey flock, deer herd and song birds would be if they never ate any aflatoxin tainted corn.

 

[redblood]

I know that aflatoxin/mold wont afffect salt mineral, but isnt it almost as bad as feeding corn ( as far as spread of disease)

 

[DoubleRidge]

I know that aflatoxin/mold wont afffect salt mineral, but isnt it almost as bad as feeding corn ( as far as spread of disease)

In years past I never thought much about mineral sites being a bad thing....but as CWD creeps across the state I'm already thinking of ways to shut down the mineral sites....I hate it but it is what it is....I don't want to contribute to the issue.....but yes, anywhere deer are concentrated and are swapping saliva there's a increased chance of spreading disease.

 

[waterman]

so, if i buy "deer corn" from tsc, place it in a broadcast feeder set on timers, will aflatoxin still be an issue? isnt the deer corn certified aflatoxin free? have never done this but was considering it this year. if not feeding with corn, what other feed would you use?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

isnt the deer corn certified aflatoxin free?

It's not. It's regulated by each state from my understanding. In Texas, it's required to be certified, but I think most states don't have any regulations on it - they should!

 

[DoubleRidge]

so, if i buy "deer corn" from tsc, place it in a broadcast feeder set on timers, will aflatoxin still be an issue? isnt the deer corn certified aflatoxin free? have never done this but was considering it this year. if not feeding with corn, what other feed would you use?

The MSU Deer Lab found aflatoxins in 11% of samples of bagged feed sold for wildlife and the fungi that causes aflatoxin is found in nature, so corn left on the ground can develop aflatoxin within days, especially in humid summer months....so it's a gamble....and the bags they sampled we're across multiple states.....I wish Tennessee only sold certified aflatoxin free feed corn...but that's not the case.
I'm not familiar with other cost effective feed options? But for a greater return on investment the money planned for a feed program could be invested into habitat improvements, food plots, etc.