My hand corning experience

[stinkbelly]

I use to hand corn. I did it for the first 9 years on my place. I shot a 120" buck every year. I then got lazy. I put up a feeder. I haven't shot a deer since. There are always does and smaller bucks, but nothing nice.

I started hand corning a week ago about 70 yards from my feeder. The corn was eaten every day. This weekend, I found two scrapes in the middle of the area that I was hand corning. Then last night, I bumped a shooter buck off of one of the scrapes. Once he left, 5 does came in and finished off the hand corn before they went to the feeder.

[Geezy Rider]

That brings a question to mind.....when you hand corn, do you toss out corn in one particular area over several days or weeks to get them used to coming to that area or can you just pick a spot and hunt it the first day you put it out?

[flywise]

I have not used a feeder in 2 years. Shot my best buck last year(avatar) and had a 135or better 8 under me sat morning. Only reason I did not shoot him was because I saw a bigger 10 the day befor

[StevensTaxiderm]

I have been very successful setting up my bowstand 60 yards from the feeder and hand corning at half the distance. I only hand corn when I hunt.... there really is no need to try and pattern them on hand corn because 9 times out of 10 they will smell it or find it anyway as they mill around. I set up 60 yards away from the feeder because this normally allows room for their fishhook when they try to get wind.....Best of luck. oh and hand corn just like the broadcast of a feeder would. I have had several experiences where a deer is leery of a pile of corn......my 2 cents.

[stinkbelly]

I am tossing the corn like a feeder would throw it. I am putting it under oak trees that usually drop acorns. I don't see many acorns this year, but they should be use to coming to these trees.

I try to hand corn a day or two before I hunt so that hey hopefully will be use to coming to the area.