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Deer Feeder Vs. Corn Pile

Many states allow for hunters to bait for deer. The big debate is whether to use corn piles or deer feeders when baiting. Both have their pros and cons, and it will ultimately come down to your preference. The deer feeder is a machine you fill with feed and set a timer for release of a certain amount of food each day at a certain time. A corn pile is a pile of corn a hunter lays out hoping to lure a deer around a deer blind. The costs associated with each end up being similar because, despite the need to buy the feeder, you will go through much more corn with a pile.

Feeding Time
- With a deer feeder you can determine what time the food releases and what time the deer will eat. Most hunters will set the timer to release food around the time they will be in the blind. In contrast a corn pile often allows for deer to eat at night. The food is always there and most deer are more comfortable eating after dark, especially during hunting season.
Deer Feeder Noise
- Although a deer feeder can release food whenever the hunter wants it to, the feeder noise can scare deer away. Releasing the food lets out a distinct noise. The corn pile does not have this noise, so if you live in a place where deer are spooked easily, you may want the corn pile. However, the deer feeder noise can be beneficial in certain instances. Once the deer get used to the noise, it can alert them when food will be available.
Other Animals
- There is no way with either choice to keep other animals from eating the food. Just like you can teach deer to hear the noise of the feeder know it's feeding time, other animals can learn the same thing. The corn pile sits in the same place day in and day out and other animals, including raccoons, rabbits and birds can also eat the food.
Amount of Food
- The deer feeder only releases a certain amount of food each day. This can save you money in the long run because you can control how much food gets eaten each day. Deer or other animals can eat as much of the corn pile as they want in one setting. A feeder could feed deer for one to two weeks, and you may have to refill the corn pile two or three times per week.

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