How Much Corn Does a Deer Feeder Use Per Week, For Real.
Most deer feeders burn 20 pounds to 80 pounds of corn per week.
If you run a typical 2-times-a-day schedule, plan on about 40 pounds per week per feeder.
I have run feeders and watched buddies run feeders from East Texas to Pike County, Illinois, and the number one mistake is guessing.
I grew up poor hunting public land in the Missouri Ozarks, so I still hate wasting corn and money.
The One Decision That Controls Your Weekly Corn Use.
You have to decide if your feeder is for patterning deer or just inventory on camera.
If you are trying to pattern deer, you will feed more corn, and you will also educate more deer if you do it sloppy.
Here is what I do on my Pike County, Illinois lease when I want steady daylight pictures without burning a 50-pound bag every other day.
I set the feeder for 2 short throws a day, and I keep it boring and consistent for 14 straight days.
My Actual Weekly Corn Numbers From Different Setups.
I hunt 30-plus days a year and I pay attention to feed because it adds up fast.
These are real-world ranges I have seen, not brochure math.
A “light” setup is 2 feeds per day at 3 to 4 seconds per feed with a standard spinner plate.
That usually lands at 15 pounds to 30 pounds per week.
A “normal” setup is 2 feeds per day at 5 to 7 seconds per feed.
That usually lands at 30 pounds to 60 pounds per week.
A “heavy” setup is 3 feeds per day at 8 to 12 seconds per feed, or any setup where raccoons find it.
That can hit 70 pounds to 140 pounds per week and you will hate your life refilling it.
Back in 2016 when I was hunting East Texas with a buddy, his spinner ran 3 times a day for 10 seconds.
We were dumping a 50-pound sack every 3 days, and the hogs were the ones gaining weight.
Stop Trusting “Seconds.” Measure Pounds Per Throw.
The biggest tradeoff is speed versus accuracy.
Seconds on a timer do not mean anything unless you weigh what comes out.
Here is what I do in my garage with a 5-gallon bucket and a cheap fish scale.
I run one 6-second throw into the bucket and weigh it, then I do it 3 times and average it.
Most common spinner feeders I have used throw about 0.6 pounds to 1.2 pounds per 6-second throw.
If your feeder throws 1 pound per throw and you feed twice a day, that is 14 pounds per week.
If you bump it to 8 seconds and it throws 1.4 pounds per throw, you are at about 20 pounds per week on the same schedule.
The Mistake That Makes You Think Deer “Ate” 80 Pounds.
I learned the hard way that deer are not the only mouths on a feeder.
Raccoons, squirrels, birds, and hogs can double your weekly corn use.
Back in 2007 in the Missouri Ozarks, I watched a raccoon hang off the spinner at 11:30 p.m. and clean it out like a vending machine.
The next morning I blamed deer, then I saw the muddy little handprints all over the lid.
If you are hunting thick cover like the Missouri Ozarks, forget about long feed windows and focus on short throws that hit the ground and stop.
Short throws mean less time for a raccoon to camp on your spinner.
How Deer Density Changes Your Weekly Corn Bill.
You need to decide if you are feeding 5 deer or 25 deer.
In Pike County, Illinois, deer numbers can be high around ag edges, and corn disappears faster than you think.
In big woods places like the Upper Peninsula Michigan, you might have fewer deer hitting the site but they may be hungrier if snow is deep.
My buddy swears by “feed heavy so they stay,” but I have found heavy feeding just creates a midnight buffet and a refill chore.
Here is what I do if my camera shows more than 12 different deer in a week.
I keep the schedule the same and I move the feeder 60 yards off the main trail so it is not a social hub.
Weather Can Double Corn Use, And It Is Not Always Cold.
You have to pick whether you will change feed based on weather or stay consistent.
Cold snaps can increase feeding, but rain and mud can also waste corn fast.
When I am trying to time deer movement, I check feeding times first.
This connects to what I wrote about how deer behave in wind.
Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, the morning after a cold front was 28 degrees at daylight.
That was the sit I killed my 156-inch typical, and the feeder had way more daylight activity than the warm week before.
If conditions change to 3 straight days of rain, expect more spoiled corn and more birds sitting on it.
That is when I shorten throws and raise the feeder a few inches if bears and hogs are not an issue.
My Quick Rule of Thumb
If you are feeding twice per day for 6 seconds, plan on 30 pounds to 60 pounds of corn per week.
If you see raccoon tracks and a licked-clean spinner plate, expect your corn use to double within 7 days.
If conditions change to a hard cold front after a warm week, switch to shorter throws and keep the same times to catch daylight movement.
Feeder Type Matters, And Some Designs Waste Corn.
You have to decide if you want a spinner, a directional feeder, or a gravity setup.
Spinner feeders are common, but they can fling corn into grass where it molds or gets eaten by birds.
Directional feeders can tighten the pile and waste less, but they cost more and still attract the same freeloaders.
Gravity feeders feel “efficient,” but they can turn into a 24-hour snack bar.
I learned the hard way that “always available” corn makes deer visit whenever they want, not when I can hunt them.
The Schedule I Use Most, And Why I Stick To It.
Here is what I do 90 percent of the time if I am using a feeder to help camera inventory.
I feed at 30 minutes after sunrise and 30 minutes before sunset.
I start at 4 seconds per throw for 7 days, then I look at pictures and corn level.
If the site is emptying too fast, I do not jump to 10 seconds.
I add 1 second per throw, then check it again in 7 days.
If you are hunting pressured public-style deer like Buffalo County, Wisconsin hill country, forget about blasting corn at noon and focus on low-impact evening pulls.
I have sat freezing in Wisconsin snow and watched deer skirt the loudest, most obvious setups.
How Many Bags Per Month Should You Budget.
This is the part guys get mad about when they see the receipt.
If you run 40 pounds per week, that is about 160 pounds per month.
That is roughly 3 to 4 bags per month if you buy 50-pound bags.
If your local price is $13 per 50-pound bag, you are at $39 to $52 per month per feeder.
If corn is $19 per bag, you are at $57 to $76 per month.
That is before you count wasted corn, hogs, or the neighbor kid shining it at night.
I Wasted Money On Gadgets Before Learning What Matters.
I wasted $400 on ozone scent control that made zero difference at the feeder.
What mattered was wind, access, and not walking right past the corn pile at 4:00 p.m.
This ties into why I tell people to read are deer smart before they assume deer will tolerate pressure.
Here is what I do instead of buying another magic box.
I approach from downwind, I wear knee-high rubber boots, and I do not linger.
A Real Feeder Example I Have Used, And What Broke.
I have run a Moultrie Pro Hunter kit on a drum setup, and it threw corn fine.
The timer started acting up after one season, and it would skip a feeding about once a week.
That matters because inconsistency makes deer check it at random times.
If you buy a kit like that, budget for a spare timer or be ready to swap batteries more than you think.
Find This and More on Amazon
One Cheap Upgrade That Actually Helps Control Weekly Use.
You have to decide if you want to control waste or just dump more corn.
The cheapest fix I have used is adding a varmint guard and keeping the throw tight.
I also like building a simple plywood skirt around the base if birds are vacuuming it.
Back in 2018 on the Missouri Ozarks public edges, I watched birds pick a pile clean by 9:00 a.m.
I moved the feeder under thicker cover and my weekly use dropped by about 25 percent.
How I Use Cameras To Set Corn Amount, Not Guesswork.
Here is what I do with trail cam data so I do not overfeed.
I count unique deer for 7 days, then I match corn to that, not to my hope.
If you are new to deer basics, start with my breakdown of deer species so you know what you are actually seeing on camera in different states.
If you want to judge body size on pictures, it helps to know how much a deer weighs by region and season.
If I see mostly does and fawns, I expect more frequent visits and a steadier drain.
That is also why I point people to what a female deer is called and what a baby deer is called if they are trying to label camera data right.
The Ethical And Legal Tradeoff You Need To Decide Up Front.
You have to decide if baiting is legal where you hunt, and if it fits your own rules.
Some states and some counties change regs fast, and I have seen guys get burned.
I am not a guide, and I am not telling you how to feel about bait, but I am telling you to read your regs twice.
If you are hunting Ohio straight-wall zones or any place with tight rules, forget about “my buddy said it was fine” and focus on what the book says.
FAQ
How much corn does a typical deer feeder use per week?
A normal 2-times-a-day spinner setup usually uses 30 pounds to 60 pounds per week.
If raccoons or hogs find it, you can hit 80 pounds to 140 pounds per week fast.
How do I figure out my feeder’s corn use without guessing?
Run one throw into a bucket, weigh it, and multiply by how many throws you do each week.
I do three test throws, average them, then I set my timer based on pounds, not seconds.
Is it better to feed once a day or twice a day?
Twice a day keeps it consistent and usually spreads deer visits out better.
Once a day can work for inventory, but it often turns into one big nighttime rush that burns a pile fast.
Why is my feeder using way more corn than last week?
Most of the time it is raccoons, birds, hogs, or a timer that is glitching and running extra.
Check tracks, check your spinner for chew marks, and watch it run one cycle in person.
Will a feeder make deer come in during daylight?
Sometimes, but pressure matters more than corn.
If you walk in sloppy or hunt it wrong, deer will still show up at 1:00 a.m. and you will just be feeding them.
How far from my stand should I place the feeder?
I like 20 yards to 35 yards for bow setups if legal, with a clear lane and a safe backstop.
If the wind swirls there, I move it or I do not hunt it, because deer will peg you fast.
What I Want You To Take From This, And What I Actually Do.
Most feeders do not “use corn.” People and critters waste corn.
If you plan for 40 pounds per week per feeder and you measure your throw, you will stop getting surprised.
Here is what I do before I ever buy more corn or touch the timer.
I weigh one throw, I check for raccoon sign, and I pull my camera card after 7 days.
I learned the hard way that the cheapest “fix” is not more seconds.
It is less waste, less pressure, and fewer reasons for deer to show up after midnight.
Back in November 1998 in Iron County Missouri, I killed my first deer with a borrowed rifle, and we did not have feeders.
We had fresh sign, a decent wind, and we sat still.
That has not changed, even with timers and cameras and corn prices that make you cringe.
If you want better odds without burning cash, keep it simple.
Make your feeder predictable, then make your access invisible.
If you want help on the shot end of it, this connects to what I wrote about where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks.
And if you do make a bad hit, do not repeat my 2007 mistake of pushing too early and losing a deer you should have found.
I still think about that doe, and I still slow down on the track job because of it.
If you keep your feeder honest and your hunting cleaner than the next guy, you will see more deer in daylight.
And you will stop wondering where that whole 50-pound bag went in three days.
