Turkey season is fast approaching and I’ve already seen one hunting goods brand encourage followers to set traps next to corn feeders to catch nesting predators. While the point they are making is a good one, I believe they missed the boat entirely. 

The best way to manage for more poults is to manage habitat for better nesting and brooding cover, remove supplemental feed from the landscape and then target predators. Studies have shown that supplemental feed allows for mesopredators such as raccoon populations to flourish. Additionally, half of the corn you are putting in a feeder never makes it to deer. Mississippi State research found 50 percent of supplemental feeder visits were racoons. 

Feeders defeat any point of trapping and biologists would tell you habitat management is needed before trapping can make any local impact on predator and turkey management. 

Just this week, a gentleman approached the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks commission seeking clarification on feeders in regards to turkey hunting. Under state statute, hunting turkeys over supplemental feed or bait is prohibited and it does not matter how close one is to a feeder. At the same time, state law allows for people to feed deer all year around. 

MDWFP Executive Director Lynn Posey stated the department and commission were working to find a solution. My suggestion is simple, we need to ditch the feeders. Not only is this a clarion call for the commission to do what is scientifically recommended and restrict the use of feeders but it is a call to hunters, land owners and managers to prioritize habitat management over filling feeders with corn. 

It is time we, as in the hunting community, ditch the feeders. Supplemental feeders congregate predators and prey unnaturally on the landscape, increase the risk of disease and are not cost effective substitutes for habitat management. 

Mississippi State researchers estimated there are 118,000 feeders across Mississippi meaning there is a corn feeder for every 13 deer on the landscape. It is a statewide issue and one which needs to be addressed. MDWFP commissioners discussed a supplemental feed ban some last year but took no action. 

Some businesses will tell you that if the MDWFP were to ban supplemental feeding then it would negatively impact their business. To that, I would say there is no value you can put on healthier wildlife populations. Besides, if people spent less money on supplemental feed they would have more money to spend on equipment, herbicide and seeds to improve habitat. 

It might sound crazy but it is possible to kill deer without the use of corn. I killed two deer this year using nothing but woodsmanship and habitat management. 

I once bought a feeder from a cousin and one bag of corn before I learned more about habitat management and disease concerns. My feeder is now used to store tools and keep them out of the rain. 

If you truly care about the future of wildlife conservation I encourage you to ditch the feeders and manage your habitat. We are called to be good stewards of God’s creation.