Okay, you posted this in the Traditional forum... which is fine... especially if you hunt with traditional gear.
I hand corn like a boss!
Especially now that I hunt with traditional gear. Most of the places I hunt have feeders setup for 20+ yard shots. In order to get them in close to 12 yards, I hand corn.
I carry a small drawstring bag with me and spread it out where I want them before climbing into the stand/blind.
I use a cup and don't touch it with my hands to put it in the bag... and I "throw" it out directly from the bag... again, not touching it.
All the deer I have killed have been on hand corn at a feeder... but with the hand corn closer to the blind and outside the feeder pen.
Good luck and welcome to TBH (oh and are you a traditional bow hunter?) If so, welcome to the trad forum too
Yeah he's the Yankee from off east who recently introduced himself.
Actually, I would forget the corn and use deer pellets as there is a higher digestibility factor for the deer. And for you guys that use a half of a bag, you do realize that you are putting out enough for a couple of dozen deer.
I've got one spot I'm hand Corning. It takes 3 deer, yes only 3 deer to clean up 25# in 3-4 days
And just to clarify...I've scattered it and dumped it in a pile in the past. Personally I like a big old pile of corn. Like a 200lb pile at 12-15 yards. They're not nearly as nervous as deer at a feeder. Only bad thing is the hogs will gang up on it too.
Yes but you need to start well before you start to hunt. I would say at least a week before if not longer. Be careful not to put more than they will clean up before dark when corning in the afternoon. I hate getting out of my stand with deer still crunching on corn. I would also starrt putting out a pile of rice bran if you have atv or vehicle access. I like to put 50# of bran and corn
I've always seen way more deer on hand corn than I've ever seen at a feeder. The first & biggest deer I've ever killed was on hand corn. First sit in the stand and didn't even have a feeder up.
Does anyone "hand corn" when they go hunting? I might give it a try soon. If you do any tips would be great.
One other tip. When people say they "hand corn" it has more than just 1 meaning/method.
1) Dump a 50# bag or more in a pile in location that you think is a "good spot". You can hunt the spot within a day or so. You can put up a camera or something to see what comes by. Folks do this a lot to test a spot or a property for activity. You could keep refreshing the spot over and over and essentially keep the corn train going, but a lot of folks will just eventually put a feeder in that spot if it is good. But not always, everybody is different.
2) Dump a 50# bag under a feeder. The hail-mary of trying to keep critters at YOUR feeder and not somebody elses. You are trying to train them to change their pattern and come to yours.
3) Put a "small" amount... like a ziplock bag full +/- to put in a high traffic area like a trail or an existing feeder to get the deer to come to a certain spot in that area. If on a trail, it is a good way to get the deer to stop and stick around until you get a good shot.
I have used variations of all three of these.
When setting up a new spot "off feeder" I have dumped a bag of corn, setup a cam, and checked to see what was coming in. I then revisited and throw down a small amount before getting up into the stand.
Our rifle blinds at 100 yards from the feeder. However my son isn't a crack shot off of sticks past 70 yards... so I go out and throw corn halfway between the blind and the feeder at the beginning of the weekend. He has taken both of his deer off the hand corn at 50 yards.
Both my trad deer have been at a location where there wasn't a good place to put a bow blind close to the feeder (aka manmade, metal, automatic food plot) so I put it as close as I could and I throw down corn 12 yards from it... between it and the feeder pen. Often times the deer prefer to come to that corn than the feeder itself.
That was a really long winded explanation... but I find that when some folks say they "hand corn" it just means they don't use a feeder... whereas even if you use a feeder... hand corning specific spots is a really useful tactic that can drive up your chances on getting the deer close.
I've had luck killing doe this way but not good bucks. I've either been on leases with so many deer that any kernel of corn was consumed quickly or on places where even feeders were hit sporadically because the density was so low. If you have lots of deer hand corn works great. If not then chances are you may just watch a pile of corn most sits.
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Gotta hand corn in his bedroom, not just in the street he lives on
Last season I got to hunt a place late and no feeders. Ended up being best place I have ever sat. Saw a few truly mature bucks and the does were not all jittery. We only threw out hand corn and like many above in lanes and lines not piles. The deer in a lot of East Texas are pushed hard and every available inch seems to have a feeder and boom stick waiting... YEAR ROUND.. <--Well maybe I am over exaggerating just a little but the point is we saw nice deer and more of them with frequent hand corn then anything with a feeder. Going that route this season again.
Been hand corning once a week for a month away from feeders. Will go again Friday and again Thursday and Friday next week. Hoping they are there for Saturday opener.
Been hand corning once a week for a month away from feeders. Will go again Friday and again Thursday and Friday next week. Hoping they are there for Saturday opener.
Sounds like a fine plan!!!! Good luck aim small!!!
One other tip. When people say they "hand corn" it has more than just 1 meaning/method.
1) Dump a 50# bag or more in a pile in location that you think is a "good spot". You can hunt the spot within a day or so. You can put up a camera or something to see what comes by. Folks do this a lot to test a spot or a property for activity. You could keep refreshing the spot over and over and essentially keep the corn train going, but a lot of folks will just eventually put a feeder in that spot if it is good. But not always, everybody is different.
2) Dump a 50# bag under a feeder. The hail-mary of trying to keep critters at YOUR feeder and not somebody elses. You are trying to train them to change their pattern and come to yours.
3) Put a "small" amount... like a ziplock bag full +/- to put in a high traffic area like a trail or an existing feeder to get the deer to come to a certain spot in that area. If on a trail, it is a good way to get the deer to stop and stick around until you get a good shot.
I have used variations of all three of these.
When setting up a new spot "off feeder" I have dumped a bag of corn, setup a cam, and checked to see what was coming in. I then revisited and throw down a small amount before getting up into the stand.
Our rifle blinds at 100 yards from the feeder. However my son isn't a crack shot off of sticks past 70 yards... so I go out and throw corn halfway between the blind and the feeder at the beginning of the weekend. He has taken both of his deer off the hand corn at 50 yards.
Both my trad deer have been at a location where there wasn't a good place to put a bow blind close to the feeder (aka manmade, metal, automatic food plot) so I put it as close as I could and I throw down corn 12 yards from it... between it and the feeder pen. Often times the deer prefer to come to that corn than the feeder itself.
That was a really long winded explanation... but I find that when some folks say they "hand corn" it just means they don't use a feeder... whereas even if you use a feeder... hand corning specific spots is a really useful tactic that can drive up your chances on getting the deer close.
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