Deer Feeders vs. Deer Attractants

As any seasoned outdoors man knows, luring deer to hunting grounds is similar to romantic courtship. Deer are attracted to scents and tastes, and you woo them to your stand by offering the right treats. The question that every hunter must decide is how to draw their trophy-winning deer to the stand. While some hunters use short-term attractants, an increasing number of outdoors men pair deer feeders with a quality feed to keep local herds coming back. As you decide whether deer attractants or deer feeders best serve your hunting needs, it is worth taking another look at the pros and cons of each approach.

Deer Attractants

Hunters use a variety of scents, hormones, and food items as deer attractants. As the name suggests, deer attractants are used to lure deer to hunting grounds. Deer attractants come in a variety of forms, ranging from a hormone spray to a bucket of apples drenched in molasses. Hunters typically put the bait out shortly before the hunt itself. The main advantage of using deer attractants is their low cost. However, hunters must take care to check with local regulations because allowable baits vary from one place to the next. Another drawback of using deer attractants is that it leaves more to sheer chance. The herd has to be within sniffing distance of the lure in order for the attractant to work. Finally, deer attractants do not improve herd health because they are used on a short-term basis.

Deer Feeders

Deer feeders are similar to deer attractants in that they are designed to lure deer to hunting grounds. The key difference between the two is the amount of time spent luring deer. Corn Feeders and Deer feeders are often used year-round. They allow hunters to lure deer to a desired location on a regular basis, meaning that your hunting grounds gradually become the deer population’s stomping and feeding grounds. Moreover, a deer feeder allows you to promote the health of the herd because you can use feeds containing essential vitamins and minerals. Automatic deer feeders are particularly convenient because you can program feedings one or several times per day. Some feeders are even powered by solar cells, meaning that you don’t have to worry about recharging or changing batteries. The main drawback of using a deer feeder is the cost; but if you’re an avid hunter or rancher an automatic deer feeder may save you more money in the long run, since automatic deer feeders don’t overfeed your herd and optimize your feedings.

For seasoned hunters, however, using a high quality feeder like Sweeney Feeders can easily pay for itself within a season or two as it helps build up a local herd.

Need more advice about automatic deer feeders? Contact Sweeney Feeders for quality, durable deer and wildlife feeders.