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Queastion about feeding deer during hunting season

Diggdug

Diggdug

Member
So I have a gravity corn feeder on my property and I understand that I cannot hunt over or near it but can it have corn in it while someone is hunting on the land? The guide doesn't really get too detailed about that. It is about 300 yards from the nearest blind and cannot be seen through the tree's. -all woods.

Thanks!
 
Diggdug said:
So I have a gravity corn feeder on my property and I understand that I cannot hunt over or near it but can it have corn in it while someone is hunting on the land? The guide doesn't really get too detailed about that. It is about 300 yards from the nearest blind and cannot be seen through the tree's. -all woods.

Thanks!
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I guess I was always under the impression that they had to come down completely during the season.
 
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I can't think of anything specific that says a feeder has to come down during season. As long as it is not active, it shouldn't be an issue. I would have to search the book to make sure though. With that being said, if a CO sees it, and someone is hunting near it, I would be ready to get questioned pretty hard.
 
I was under the impression that feeding during season is ok, but you just cannot hunt anywhere that it would lead to an unfair advantage over the deer. Whether that is within a certain number of yards radius or any trail that eventually leads to the feeder would be up to the CO's discretion as I don't believe they give a specific distance. So as far as it having feed sitting in it or still feeding it out, I was thinking that you are fine, but it would make that area off limits for hunting. I would not hunt around it if it has feed in it, even if not feeding it out. Not sure what they would say about hunting around an empty feeder with all of the feed cleaned up prior to the hunt (would they have to find any remaining feed on the ground to ticket you?), but definitely wouldn't want to argue with them over hunting around a feeder with feed in it.
 
I have always been under the impression that 200 yards was the distance from feeders or mineral but I don't remember where I go that idea. I would think you would be OK 300 yards away unless the CO was already looking for a reason to bust your chops.
 
My understanding is that the distance does not matter, if there is a trail directly leading to an active feeder then you could be ticketed. Does not matter if its 400 yards or 100. The CO has quite a bit of discretion on what they interpret it. I would play it safe and not have feed in it during any season i was hunting.
 
All in the eyes of the CO. If you give them a reason to be pissed off then they can find a way to ticket you.

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re

Thanks guys! I guess I will have to call a C.O. and ask their opinion. Seems like a gray area. I am in Law Enforcement in MI and don't want to take any chances with my reputation.

I intentionally placed my feeder away from my food plots and hunting blinds/stands so I would not have a problem. But on 80 acres I'm sure a C.O. could argue that just about any deer is in route to an active feeder.
 
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I personally would empty it or better yet remove the hopper completely. Even if they rule you as being legal, I don't like the thought of someone possibly dropping by to give you a follow up, all the while stomping all over the woods kicking deer around while you try to hunt effectively. Plus if you or someone ends up shooting a monster, then that would definitely add fuel to the rumor mill. Just my 2 cents.

On a side note, I have entertained the thought of getting a few feeders set up over the winter months for some supplemental feeding until spring green up. Might be pretty costly to keep them full though.
 
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