Feeding Roe in wintertime

HIGHSEATMAN

Active Member
Hi all

has anyone had success feeding Roe over the wintertime.If so on what? any tips on types of feeders?
some of the does we shot last year were in pretty poor condition,also a lot of does this year with single fawn at foot,some with none.

rgds
 
Might be time to look at your management plan again, perhaps increase your doe cull if the ground can't support them
 
Might be time to look at your management plan again, perhaps increase your doe cull if the ground can't support them

But also bear in mind that fawn mortality seems to be on the increase with Roe in certain areas. An interesting article in Deer magazine recently is suggesting climate change and Roe not being able to adjust birthing time to the earlier onset of spring vegetation growth. I have a few questions about this myself but it is worth thinking about. Less deer overall might leave more food to go around but over culling combined with increase mortality of kids may leave the population struggling to recover. Depends on your ground and surrounding areas as well though.
 
I made one using one of these http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Roo...niversal+Gulley+Trap+110mm/d250/sd2868/p82113

and an off cut of the black corrugated pipe used for burying cables in. That I got from some council contractors as an offcut for free and made a lid from an old plant pot. Not the smartest but it was the cheapest.

The only downside I have found is that squirrels love eating the corn but rather than sit on the funnel and eat it they choose to chew through the lid, the sides, anything just to ruin it. At least it gives me some fun with the HMR though, picked off 5 in an hour last time I was out.
 
Hi Double four, I'd love to find out some more about these feeders, they look great. Do you have anymore details? Cheers

WH
W

White Hart these were made out of large bore drainage pipe fittings mainly for reds so I can use a variety of foods without blockages, plus the extra width means they are lower and easier to top up.

-
 
W

White Hart these were made out of large bore drainage pipe fittings mainly for reds so I can use a variety of foods without blockages, plus the extra width means they are lower and easier to top up.

-

thanks for the info. I put a few salt licks out aswell, so with your system I could mount them on the back of the post too.

Much appreciated

WH
 
Ive made a few wooden feeders and dug over the soil around the base of the posts they are on so I can monitor whats visiting them. I have filled them with poultry corn mixed with aniseed powder. The feeders have been out for a couple of months now but the deer dont seem to be using them yet, I just seem to be feeding everything else!

What does everyone else fill there's with???
 
Whole maize is cheapest and seems to work along with mixed corn, about £8 a bag but the squirrels love it too and can empty a feeder surprisingly quickly but as I said previously it's good fun and satisfying spending a couple of hours watching over the feeder and picking the little buggers off with a Rimfire.
 
I guess its just a waiting game now. How long did it take for the deer to start using the feeders you put out?
 
I'm finding that my pheasant feeders are doing plenty of supporting of the roe deer population at the moment! Normal barrel and spring type jobs. Will post a video up when I get a chance. Two of them nibble at it from either side and empty it in a few days. Time to get the fencing around it.
 
I guess its just a waiting game now. How long did it take for the deer to start using the feeders you put out?

it depends a lot on the weather, last winter it was so mild they didn't really use them at all but the winter before they were on them loads for quite a few weeks. I had good results during the spring just scattering a few handfuls in the woods and quite a few fallow bucks were there while their antlers were growing so bet they appreciated the extra food.
 
View attachment 50646Feeder 3.jpg

Couldn't post a video so here is a couple of stills. Theres about 4 of them on it (I think!). Usually 2 or three at a time. This is a small chutney barrel feeder filled with wheat and gets emptied in a week by this lot.
 
I made 5 feeders from those small chutney barrels but the squirrels destroyed them completely within a season.
 
Back
Top