# Backyard deer feeders



## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

A question for those of you who feed the deer within, say, 500 yards of your house. Do the deer and varmints tend to ignore your landscaping (saplings, flowers, shrubs) when they are well fed on corn? If so, I may have to try it.


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## 21938 (Feb 17, 2010)

It worked for us When we first moved in our home and installed our basic landscaping, shrubs/small trees all was fine until the first snowfall. The next morning revealed a yard full of tracks and upon inspection we found that they had browsed the tops from just about everything. With the price of shrubs and trees we thought it might be cheaper feeding out some corn. Sure didn't save any money however, because it didn't take long before we had anywhere from 10 to 15 staring at the house first thing in the morning. We were feeding about 150' from the house, and if Kath or I weren't out there at first light with pails of corn they would wander closer and closer to the yard until one of us went out with feed. Darn things would only move about 30 ft. away and watched the corn hit the ground, pretty funny! I'm quite certain they would have eaten all our stuff if we didn't keep it up. While it got expensive(we kept feeding them for years), we didn't mind as we spend a ton on birdseed anyhow, got a kick watching them and I would like to think we have mature shrubs and trees because we fed.


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## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

There are better ways to save your shrubs if that is your goal.

My dad feeds deer corn about 50 feet behind his back door. They don't bother his garden or landscape which is act sully rather extensive. But there are woods right back behind here too with lots of browse.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

My feeder is about 80 yrds from the house. The deer have wiped out many of our shrubs. We have a very large landscspe and they will munch on it quite often if we are gone over the weekend. When we are home and they are heading toward the house I let the dog out, it's a fun game to watch. We love watching the deer and turkey all year but it's starting to get frustrating with the damage they have done.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

You will draw the deer closer to your plants while doing this. This time of year the deer will herd up around a food source and stay there. The deer in my woods behind my house have zero problems hopping my 3.5 foot fence and eating landscaping. Even tried putting in plants that are deer resistant. That means they dont eat them quite as fast. Finally gave up and tore all the landscaping out of the backyard. No sence in tring to groom and trim something that will get pulverized on the first snow fall. Tried hanging irish spring, bags of mothball, deer spray dont really matter. It all gets trashed.


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## Net (Apr 10, 2004)

We've tried a number of different deer deterrents and nothing works as well as vinyl deer netting. Works great on tree trunks but hides the beauty of the flowers & plants I'm trying to enjoy. Would love to find an alternative that really works.

After reading some of the responses below I'm now thinking our deer herd would go from annoying to invasion if I started feeding them.

Thank you for your responses.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

deer are like any thing as far as eating....they like a variety and corn isn't all they eat....every plant is a little different for taste I guess.....I sure don't know for sure...but here they eat a little of this and a little of that....all I see is you will draw in more then you already have

.


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## turkeyt (Apr 13, 2006)

The deer love the corn but they will visit every edible thing during the night. I won't have to trim my shrubs much this spring since the deer have been keeping them pruned. I have a small yearling bedding down in my flower bed against the brick wall of my house every night. That is the effect on game staying around those who feed them. My neighbor started feeding along with birdseed and the squirrels have also become a problem. They are starting to come up front now and digging up all the flower bulbs. They also chase each other up on the back porch and tear the screens up. Feed em' and they will come and stay for sure. Oh, the deer like pumpkins too.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Net said:


> We've tried a number of different deer deterrents and nothing works as well as vinyl deer netting. Works great on tree trunks but hides the beauty of the flowers & plants I'm trying to enjoy. Would love to find an alternative that really works.
> 
> After reading some of the responses below I'm now thinking our deer herd would go from annoying to invasion if I started feeding them.
> 
> Thank you for your responses.


Wise move Net. I tore out my landscaping and now just feed the deer. Lot less work and aggravation. The favorite food of deer are pumpkins, pears, and peanut butter.


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