![]() Some have a single tube or chute others have multiple tubes and are elevated off the ground with legs. When deer eat that available food, more falls down the tube. Feed falls from the container and stops at the bottom of the tube. Gravity feeders are little more than boxes or buckets with tubes or chutes extending downward. Not all types of pellets work in all types of feeders, though. ![]() Some hunters use manufactured pellets made from pressed alfalfa and other ingredients. Generally, dried, shelled corn is the most popular bait and is ideal for use in both gravity and broadcast feeders. Bait draws deer into the open and gives hunters time to evaluate them before pulling the trigger. Others provide high-quality, protein-rich feed year-round in an effort to increase animal health, antler size and the overall quality of their deer herd.īaiting is the act of luring game animals to a specific location for the primary purpose of hunting. Some hunters set up a feeder prior to hunting season and place a trail camera near it to take an inventory of their deer herd. It is a popular practice in the winter in northern states when natural foods are scarce. Feeding deer is just that: providing food that deer and other wildlife would not have access to otherwise. Should you sell a product your customers can’t legally use? Basics of Feeding, Baitingįirst, though, it is important to understand what hunters are doing with the products you sell. Of course, that presents an ethical issue. Neither is selling corn or any other attractant. A few states have local or regional restrictions, while others, like Texas, have virtually no limits at all on feeding or baiting.Įven where the use of bait and feed is against the law, selling feeders typically isn’t. Other states prohibit feeding year-round - that is, hunters can’t use any type of feed or bait ever. In some, it is illegal to hunt over bait, but it is perfectly legal to provide supplemental feed when hunting season is closed. First, Check Your Lawsīaiting or feeding deer is legal in at least 28 states, but laws can vary. Texas hunters bought 6 million 50-pound bags of corn in 2000, according to a Texas A&M survey.Īlthough there is no hard data on the number of feeders sold or the total value of those feeders, one thing is certain: Adding them to your inventory can get more people in the door and raise your bottom line. Not only do those hunters buy lots and lots of feeders, but they also buy such things as corn and protein pellets to go in them. It’s even bigger business in Michigan, where bait and feed generated at least $30 million in retail sales, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.įrom a retailer’s perspective, that’s a gold mine. All told, South Carolina hunters spent $18 million on feed alone. Most did both, providing food nearly eight months out of the year. A 2006 survey conducted by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources found that 94 percent of respondents used bait for hunting or to feed deer during the off-season. Feeding and baiting deer and other game animals is wildly popular where it is legal. There’s no telling how much of that came out of hunters’ pockets, but it’s a safe bet they spent a lot of money. Americans spent nearly $5 billion on bird and other wildlife food in 2016, according to the U.S. Baiting and feeding wildlife is big business.
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