My current feeders are set at 7am, and 5pm at my new lease. My buddy at his place has his set at 7:30am and 4:30pm. I haven't studied cameras/deer sightings enough to know when the best feeder time is. My only concern is having the feeder go off too early and the deer being around the feeder as you walk in.... I try to get in my stand at a minimum of 30 minutes before legal shooting light, so 630am right now.

Do you guys think I should push the feeder time back to 7:30ish to avoid bumping deer? Or do you like having the feeder go off right around legal shooting light?

I set mine at 8:00AM and 6:00PM and then I don't have to mess with them when the time changes and days get short. Not sure if it is right or makes sense, just what I have always done.

I like mine going off at sunrise and an hour before legal sunset.

7:30ish and 5:30ish here ...

I keep mine at 7:00 AM all year. The afternoon times I change....right now it's at 5:00. When the time changes and the days get shorter I will move it to 3:00. I like it to go off at least 2 hours before dark.

Honestly, I don't think 30 minutes either way is going to matter much, so I would just set them to what makes you feel the most comfortable. Nothing wrong with having it go off 30 min after you are in the stand.

Mine go off at 630 am and pm for now

7:15 AM and 4:15 PM

10 minutes before legal shooting light, 1-1/2 hours before sunset.

Keep mine at 0730 and 1630... Central Standard Time...

When the time changes : I set my feeders to go off at 05:15 am for 20 seconds: and 13:20: for 15 sec: then 15:30 for 20 seconds...for three feeders then adjust to my target buck. At 05:10 I throw out 17 lb.s of corn by hand. I will have deer in my pen (100X80) before I get to my blind. The most bucks I counted was 39 in one setting from 05:20 to 10:15. It was a blast..I could've set there all day. My average per day: 8-10 does and 12 bucks(6 mature,,,6 others). When I get through hunting I put out scents(35). This has worked for 20 years...I will not change.

Daylight times are different depending on where you are so its hard to say a time. Daylight hours also change which makes it tougher still.
I think the best way to say it is what time in relation to daylight and dark. For me its easy on the pm-I set them to go off about two hours before dark(whatever time that it.) The morning is tougher cause, to me, its much more important to be somewhat specific. I do not want them going off before I can see whats out there so daylight at a minimum. Because days can be overcast I will set them a little after daylight. No later than sunup so thats easy to remember. I will also adjust them slightly as the daylight time changes. Short version for me would be about 715 and 4.
Also, I hunt from daylight till dark so on popular spots I will have them throw a second throw after the first and again about midday.

My above post I put 4pm but that’s for early Nov after time change and shorter days. Just clarifying in case anyone was paying attention.

About 10-30 minutes after daybreak, and about 2hrs before dusk.

^^^^thats what I tried to say. It always takes me more words......

7:15-5:00

I throw in another one at about 9. Why not?

I do the same.

That works for me too.

Im curious yalls thinking by having them go off before daylight. 10 minutes in the dark and then a cloudy hazy morning and they could be through eating before you know whats there.

Well....hears what happens..at 05:20-05:40 usually a couple of yearlings and a couple of does jumps the fence...until around .6:40 then a couple of more does jumps into the pen and feeds ...then a mature buck will come into the pen and go directly to his spot which hasn't been touched. A few more minutes an adult buck comes in usually with a yearling. The pen is full of deer eating at their places. About 07:15 more mature bucks make their way around the pen very slow.. As the food gets down to an amount the dominate buck tells the does and young to leave as he walk around and makes sure they leave. Then other mature bucks come to the outer edge of the pen looking for the permission to come in the pen. The dominate bucks moves to the inside of the pen with his ears back. The buck outside the pen will make his mark by rubbing a shrub and leaving his scent. When the mature buck moves away from the fence the other buck jumps in. From here on in it is fun to watch as they call in more bucks by grunting. When a mature buck is forced out first thing, he snorts and walks around.. most mature deer will leave around 07:40. There will be more come and go.
Most of the time this is what I see. Probably not exactly but close. When all leaves the pen I use my calls. Some will come back but new bucks and a few doe will come. Its so very exciting for every deer I see. This is why I feed the way I do. I begin to set the stage in April(when I'm counting fawns)...by October, there will be plenty of deer that has been in the pen. I will have a choice of mature bucks. Normally I just watch the show and have a ball doing it. I also do other things to help draw deer. It doesn't matter which way the wind blows as the deer knows I'm in the blind as some of them watch me get in my popup. New bucks will react if they sniff me and leave post hast..lol

0700 & 1600

I run mine year round and adjust them every 6 weeks to go off at 30 minutes before sunrise. Afternoons I'm not so picky. 2 hours before sunset and then usually a quick shot just before sunset.

I just hand feed about 4PM. The sound of my Ranger means dinner is served and they promptly respond.

Right now 7 am and 5 pm. When rifle season opens set it in the am for first legal shooting light and 2 hours before last legal shooting light.