Ask The Biologist

Just Like Clockwork

Just Like Clockwork

By Bob Humphrey

When using a feeder for hunting, it matters when the food is available.

QUESTION: What times should I set my deer feeder to go off during this season? I’m in Oklahoma.
— Michael Q.

ANSWER: Seeing you’re in Oklahoma, I’d recommend you set it for Central Time. (Just kidding) Let’s look at this logically.

You’re trying to attract deer when you can hunt them, so you want the feeder to go off during daylight, but not just any time. Deer are most active around dawn and dusk, regardless of whether there is a feeder or not, so the closer you set your feeder to that time, the more effective it will be for hunting.

You want it to go off late enough that the deer will be more likely to visit it, but early enough that you still have sufficient light to identify your target.

Every situation is different but if you really wanted to pin me down to a specific time I’d suggest shortly after first light in the morning and an hour before the end of legal shooting hours in the evening.

— Recent Ask the Biologist Question:

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