Texas Hunting Forum

Hand corning

Posted By: Tylercohunter

Hand corning - 10/18/14 04:14 PM

For those of you that hand corn, how far in advance do you put out the corn? I put about 15 lbs of corn out on several trails that cross a pipeline in Tyler county on Friday. Should that much corn last until I hunt youth weekend on Saturday, or should I try to put some more out sometime this week? Also, do you think it's too early in the season to try rattling? Thanks
Posted By: Finfeathernfurr

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 04:23 PM

I hunted Wednesday and my feeder was out I hand scattered 60 pounds of corn and went back with a new feeder Thursday afternoon and there was not a single kernel . left over the course of one day but I am in very high deer densities in Mills County I had 50 deer come in last Wednesday and Thursday. I'm sure some where doubles but it will all depend on how many deer you have in the area one deer can sit there and clear that out In the course of a day. The one stand I had down there growing up that we hand scattered we went every day to scatter corn the deer will get to where they come in like clockwork just like you're using a feeder as Lon as you feed at the same time.
Posted By: txtrophy85

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 04:36 PM

Any corn I put out is gone in 15-20 min at the home ranch

I use a tailgate feeder to call them in, they hear the dinner bell and they will show up
Posted By: stxranchman

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 04:47 PM

I hand corn about 30 minutes before daylight with around 5-8 lbs in clumps of grass or in brush so deer will have their head behind if I need to draw/shoot. I also feed extra with the tailgate feeder to scatter the deer. All that corn will be gone by 8am.
Posted By: Jimbo

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 05:32 PM

I've had feeders going off and on all off season and I usually feed the sendero that the feeder sits off of when I hunt. Most of the deer come to the corn on the ground rather than the feeder except for a few does and a lot of turkeys.
Between the deer and the turkeys, (the hogs haven't showed up yet in numbers) I seldom find any corn on the ground once I leave the stand.
In answer to your question, I'd feed it again when you get a chance. The corn will be gone shortly after you feed, but you are training those deer and on the morning of the hunt feed again before daylight. More than likely you'll have deer feeding on the corn before you even get setttled into the stand.
As for rattling it won't hurt, just don't get too carried away. Right now I'm watching bucks kind of lightly sparing with each other more playful than anything, but if you don't see anything for a while give it a shot.
Posted By: Tylercohunter

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 07:23 PM

So y'all put out more corn the morning you hunt? Have you ever had a problem with deer smelling your scent around the corn or anything?
Posted By: Seadog

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 07:49 PM

I live in Warren and hunt in Hardin County!!! I pour out about 10 lbs about an hour before daylight and its gone before the end of the day!!!
Posted By: stxranchman

Re: Hand corning - 10/18/14 08:56 PM

Originally Posted By: Tylercohunter
So y'all put out more corn the morning you hunt? Have you ever had a problem with deer smelling your scent around the corn or anything?

Yes I put out corn every time I hunt and even on the days I don't hunt. I want the deer to be accustomed to my scent. I had deer in front of me this morning at 30 minutes before shooting light till 8. Most were less than 30 yards and a few were 8 yards from me. I don't wear rubber boots or use scent killer either.
Posted By: sqiggy

Re: Hand corning - 10/19/14 01:45 AM

If you want it for youth weekend, put out a 50lb bag at each location. You are looking at a week away. When I hand corn, a 50lb bag on a pipeline in one general location last about 3 days where I hunt in E Tx.
Posted By: Finfeathernfurr

Re: Hand corning - 10/19/14 01:49 AM

Yea I grab it up by the hand full and start chunking too. Never bothered them I have a bunch of clumps of blue stem grass that I sprinkle some in it almost makes me laugh watching them try and get it out sometimes. This also keeps their attention so I can get the bow back. I like the idea stx had about the big clumps keeping them blind but mine are not that big.
Posted By: Antler Addicts

Re: Hand corning - 10/19/14 02:15 AM

Originally Posted By: stxranchman
I hand corn about 30 minutes before daylight with around 5-8 lbs in clumps of grass or in brush so deer will have their head behind if I need to draw/shoot. I also feed extra with the tailgate feeder to scatter the deer. All that corn will be gone by 8am.


This is a fantastic idea!
Posted By: bermise

Re: Hand corning - 10/19/14 01:57 PM

Originally Posted By: Tylercohunter
So y'all put out more corn the morning you hunt? Have you ever had a problem with deer smelling your scent around the corn or anything?


Not at all. I've corned every morning before the hunt for as long as I can remember. Just make sure you do it early and your in the blind while it's still dark.
Posted By: LoonMan

Re: Hand corning - 10/19/14 09:12 PM

If ya want it to last, dig a 18"-24" hole and fill it up. Spread more around by hand. The corn in the hole keeps them coming back. I started doing it for hogs, but they always leave some laying around the hole. I watch deer get what they can from the hole. I also see bucks at the holes, unlike my feeder.
Posted By: DHS274

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 12:29 AM

I collect acorns and spread those along with a little corn or acorn rage. I put some out early morning, dark thirty and when I leave for the night. I spread them around a wide area so the deer get into the gathering mode and give me opportunities to set up a shot.
Posted By: Deep Sea

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 01:30 PM

My friend who has helped me immensely in becoming a better hunter always hand corns just before getting into the stand. i have shot several deer on his ranch and we always do this. They never seem to mind our smell on the corn. And this is bow hunting, so I have had deer directly under my stand just munching away.
Posted By: ancuegar

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 02:45 PM

in south texas we would find some random spot on the ranch dump a 5 gal bucker of corn (25 pounds or so) and it would be gone by the next day. deer and hogs would hammer that stuff. we found several nice bucks with the random camera deployment. for bowhunting i always used hand thrown corn to put the deer exactly where i wanted to shoot them. it also doubled as a rangefinder. if they was in the yellow they was in range!!
Posted By: ChrisB

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 03:42 PM

I carry a large full crown royal bag with me to my bow stand and chum at about 20 yards every time. Saturday I got there about 45 minutes before first light and dumped the corn. I had a buck chewing before I got to the top of the ladder on my stand.
Posted By: redchevy

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 03:47 PM

We always hand corn. On one place we leased I had a pair of yearlings that would follow you around till you started throwing corn.
Posted By: QuitShootinYoungBucks

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 03:53 PM

I hand-corned a small clearing to get them in bow range one day-in 15 minutes I already had two deer on it within 35 yards of my stand.
Posted By: WTGuide

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 04:20 PM

I use Indian Corn. The seer seem to like it and they stay around longer
Posted By: Redneck_Hunter

Re: Hand corning - 10/21/14 04:28 PM

Originally Posted By: Tylercohunter
For those of you that hand corn, how far in advance do you put out the corn? I put about 15 lbs of corn out on several trails that cross a pipeline in Tyler county on Friday. Should that much corn last until I hunt youth weekend on Saturday, or should I try to put some more out sometime this week? Also, do you think it's too early in the season to try rattling? Thanks


It depends on how quickly the deer and/or hogs locate your corn, how much corn you put out, and how sparsely you spread your corn. Like you I hunt in East Texas and I also hand corn several different shooting lanes, or at least I used to. I have a 100 lb spreader on the back of my SxS that I use today. I've found that corn will usually last longer if I really spread it out over a large area and make them work for it. If I just pour it on the ground it's gone in no time. If I were you, I would plan on putting more corn out before you plan to hunt. Either the night before or the morning of. I usually drive up & down my lanes the night before I hunt, and I try to keep corn on the ground throughout the season. Or at least each time I'm at the lease.

I should also mention this time of year corn may last longer because of all the acorns on the ground. You'll get a pretty good idea of how long it will last as the season goes on.
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