activity before hunt?

[Redneck Archer]

Been curious.

When I go out and hunt I try to not go near or do anything around the feeder before hand. try to just sneak in and get in blind.

HOWEVER, tonite for example. I am going to sit for a bit in the blind. will be out there around 5 or so, and feeder goes off at 7...

need to fill feeder, and water.

that means pulling truck up to feeder, and dumping in 200 lbs. of corn while running my 12v pump to empty a 55 gallon bucket into trough system (may take about 10 minutes.

Would doing this before sitting in the stand ruin the nights hunt?

[Codie]

I won't even drive into the ranch if I am going to be hunting it - park at the gate and walk - you can fill the feeder and such after the hunt

[Punkin]

I've never had a problem with it. I've actually ran to the feeder to set it off when i was having trouble with it and ran right back and got in the blind. Had deer there within 10 minutes. I wouldn't reccomend doing this on a regular basis but that was just my experience with it.

With the motor and pump running it might take them a bit longer to come in but I don't think it will "ruin" your hunt especially doing it a couple hours early. Just my .02 from my own experiences. But if I can avoid going to the feeder before the hunt, I do.

[30-30]

Depends on how much vehicle traffic the place gets. I wouldn't try it if the animals aren't used to trucks and noise. Then again I've watched pigs walk around my truck to get to the feeder while I was setting up a ladder stand 50 yards away. So you never know!

[Redneck Archer]

I basically have trouble with not being efficient...

When the hunt is over I want to head straight home if I dont get anything and see the family. SO, sitting in the stand 2 hours before feeder goes off I sit and wonder if doing the other stuff first so its out of the way would have ruined anything (especially when you sneak in and see nothing the whole hunt). I think to myself I shoulda just filled the darn feeder and water first.

I am just wierd like that. But, we will see.

[Redneck Archer]

Depends on how much vehicle traffic the place gets. I wouldn't try it if the animals aren't used to trucks and noise. Then again I've watched pigs walk around my truck to get to the feeder while I was setting up a ladder stand 50 yards away. So you never know!

Ive witnessed that to at the farm...

[iamntxhunter]

You will probably get the same young deer to come in. I have filled the feeder and later on looking at the camera card deer were there within the hour, but not often. Just as you or the rancher would be doing regular ranch type work a lot of the time deer are not really concerned. Later in the season they would probably be a little more skittish. I don't believe that you would get a bruiser that lives in your area in that quick. Deer are funny creatures and just when you think you kind of know what they are going to do they prove how little you really know about them.

[bowhuntntxn]

drive in, fill your feeder and change the feeding time to be at 530 or 6. then you are not sitting as long waiting for the feeder to go off, and if you do shoot something, you have lots of daylight left to track it if necessary. if they are not coming immediately to the feeder after it goes off, they are happening by it as they travel. if that is the case, you will not be disturbing anything by being there and taking care of what you need to.

[JEG8233]

I've never had a problem with it. I've actually ran to the feeder to set it off when i was having trouble with it and ran right back and got in the blind. Had deer there within 10 minutes. I wouldn't reccomend doing this on a regular basis but that was just my experience with it.

With the motor and pump running it might take them a bit longer to come in but I don't think it will "ruin" your hunt especially doing it a couple hours early. Just my .02 from my own experiences. But if I can avoid going to the feeder before the hunt, I do.

I've found that the deer at my place usually don't mind the noise of filling the feeders. I would suggest tossing out some hand corn around while your waiting on the water.

[SwineAssassiN]

i try and keep activity around my stands to a minimum during season. if i do have to fill feeders i wait till my hunt is over. And if for some reason i have to go walk around my feeder for something before a hunt. i always use cover sent on my boots, and depending on what im doing i wear rubber gloves. im a scent freak... lol

[Swampa]

Our deer don't mind. We drive into the pen, fill water and the mature bucks show up the same evening.

[Redneck Archer]

I don't believe that you would get a bruiser that lives in your area in that quick. .

we dont have any of those where I hunt...

[five-08808]

Opening weekend my BIL was all stressed about needing to move a ladder stand to a tree that allowed a shot at a good buck he was seeing. I finally convinced him to make the move and he shot the buck a short 3 hours after taking down and then moving the ladder stand.
Same weekend, I moved a quad pod from my hill stand feeder to my area in the river bottom. After getting the quad pod set up, I climbed up to make sure it was level and to see what limbs needed to be trimmed. While I was testing level, I had that feeling that something was in the area. I slowly turned to my right and there was a couple of doe easing through the woods less than 100 yards away.
Fill your feeders and the water when you get there. It may take 30 minutes or so for the woods to calm down but then it will be like it never happened.

[flywise]

Last Friday I went to the lease to hunt for the first time. I pulled up to my stand dumped a half bag of corn on the ground, walked around to see if there were any scrapes and rubs in the area. This was my first trip to the lease since last February and it was 10am. When I went back to get into the stand @ 2:45 I scared off 2 does. I saw 8 does and bucks before dark and the next morning every kernel was gone. There is no need for you to worry about making a trip in to fill the feeder. The deer will still show up

[myway]

I won't even drive into the ranch if I am going to be hunting it - park at the gate and walk - you can fill the feeder and such after the hunt

I think I would listen to this^^ coming from a guy that changed his hunting times do to activity on his place and around him and shot a mature 150" deer just a couple days later I believe is on to something. While i agree you will see some deer but that mature buck or doe for that matter is not sticking around. If your willing to sit there for that amount of time whats a few more minutes after the hunt.