What percentage of free range bucks in AL do you actually believe would measure 140" in a given season?

The does he was after were eating corn.

You've got to actually have 140s before you can kill 140s over corn and in AL that takes a level of commitment, dedication, and trigger restraint, that most dont have. Fact is, most of AL doesnt shoot 140s because most people dont have numbers of 4 yr old and older bucks on their properties in Bama, because they are all getting killed at 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 years of age. Not every deer over 4 yrs old has the potential to hit 140. In fact most don't. Probably only 20% of the bucks 5.5 yrs of age and older in AL have the genetics, nutrition, and soils to be able to put on that type of head gear. To have 140s or better, you've got to get almost all of your really good 2.5's and 3.5s into those older age classes. That means that you've got to pass every single 2.5 or 3.5 yr old superstar 115-125" 8, 9, or 10pt when he walks out. Most people simply cannot do that. There's lots of mature bucks killed over corn or more precisely, killed near bait sites or over does coming to corn. We dont shoot based on rack size, we shoot based solely on age and dont, or at least try not to, shoot anything young. We've killed a couple right at 140, a couple a good bit over 140, and a bunch in the 20's and 130's. Brock and some others have seen the pics. Would we have done it without corn? Did we do it before corn was made legal? Yes we did, because trigger restraint and age is the key.

I still wish that corn was not legalized, and that there were enough wardens to really enforce the law and permanently shut down those hunting illegally over it. What legalizing baiting has done for us, is it has evened the playing field between us and all our neighbors who used to hunt over it religiously, even when it was illegal. Now our deer dont have to leave our property to get corn, if that's what they want, because we now feed them too. Doesnt mean they wont roam and still get shot off our properties but at least now, walking across the line is not the only option for them, if they want a bite of corn or rice bran, or are following a doe group that does. IMO, what corn is doing, is it is making a whole bunch more young 1-3 yr old bucks patternable and getting them killed, the majority of which might/probably would be, making it into older age classes, simply because they are young and stupid and will stick their noses in a feeder.

my buddy shot the biggest deer of his life a 140 inch 8 point over a corn pile in a greenfield on a 50 acre property. The key was pressure. he never hunted it if the wind wasn't right and he never shot any does or small bucks on the greenfield or corn pile. He kept a cell cam out and went only once every 2 weeks or so to replace the corn. He had pictures of the deer early season at night, once the rut got closer he started getting daylight photos of the deer but only real early in the morning and and last light in the evening. the day he shot it he got to the stand 45 minutes before legal light. the deer came into the field 15 minutes before legal light and he had to wait for legal light to be able to see through his scope to see it. He killed that deer 3 years ago and that is the only deer he has shot at on that property he keeps it VERY low pressure and is VERY selective.

Oldest deer I ever shot was killed at a feeder. He was 9.5

My wife and I have killed at least 10 near feeders, maybe more

Hence the reason I said 8 of em. I only know of 8 bucks 140” or more that were killed by someone I know. None of them were in Alabama. They were killed in Missouri and Texas. I was being silly as I knew there wasn’t going to be many that will admit to killing a 140” buck on their property much less over corn.

We’ve killed several mature bucks. None would score 140 though.

As stated, pressure and timing is key. Our deer do like it on the ground like 100 times better than from a feeder.

But leave that feeder up long enough, and they will get used to it.

Your probably right but I waited 3 months and the damn does wouldn’t even approach it. Went back to putting it on the ground and they were on it that evening.

Know some people with about 100 acres of 7 year old cutover coming back up in pines. The pines abut hay fields and they run feeders next to the new/thick pines. I was shocked at the deer they get coming into those feeders.

One. The thing about baiting is the excessive pressure and human scent that is left behind. The key is to put the bait out and stay out. Slip in when the wind is right to refresh the bait and don't touch anything if you can help it. I never used mechanized feeders or cameras near the bait. Also, where you bait is important. Put it near a known buck bedding area where the bucks are already using. If you are only seeing does and young bucks, you either don't have any mature bucks around, are disturbing the area too much, or are in the wrong spot.

I don’t know about 140’s but people kill older bucks over corn ALL the time. Its not something that’s rare. A lot of the older bucks being shot over corn are shot where its just been spread out on the ground in the woods. Old bucks aren’t scared of corn, they’re scared of feeders in areas where deer are being shot off of them…… It only takes one time for a deer to form a negative association with something.….like a dog becoming gun shy…….And just because you yourself may not be shooting deer off of your feeders…..that doesn’t mean that the bucks you’re hunting have never been around other feeder locations where it HAS been occurring.

I agree, in my limited use of corn and a feeder, I get a whole lot more pics of deer in general when I just spread it out on the ground, I put up a feeder for a little while this year and only had pics of does and a few young bucks, no shooters at all......I have been using the broadcast method for years and just don't do it often just to keep my scent out of an area......

Every one on our farm will go to a feeder

Our deer will eat 200lbs per spot per day if I put it on the ground
Got to have a feeder or it gets real expensive real fast

i could pour two buckets out ever evening and the ground be clean next evening here . used to at the end of season id pour out corn and set my cameras up,,,, before i could put feeders up legal

Most small bucks on our farm will hit the feeders too.... I'm talking about a 140 inch class deer. Most of those won't. The reason = if they did they would have been killed already. If they do they don't get any bigger and we are usually shooting these trophy deer within the first few weeks of rifle season, usually. It's usually their 1st rack of this class prior year we let them walk and they got lucky and made it. This year 140. That's the picture painted as best I can.

Different Topic = I don't have a 140 inch deer.

I don't think every place in Alabama can produce a 140 inch deer. But I think most can. Why?

There are 140 inch deer in the suburbs of Birmingham everywhere. There are 140 inch deer in the suburbs of Huntsville everywhere. This is not an elusive number look at the pictures each season on the Internet. Why?

They don't get killed young that's why. They don't make 140 getting killed at 2.5 years old. And the truth of the matter is that on most properties that are not private the deer with the potential to make 140 get killed young. 90% of the time that's the real issue and if you stop shooting deer they will magically appear. It's just going to take about 5 years. Most can't do this or won't it's really only a realistic option for private land in most cases. Given the lax rules in AL I have seen maybe a handful or "clubs" or leased property be able to do it and get everyone on the same page.

Put out A LOT, in or near thick cover , stay away till it's time and wind is right and go shoot one. Nothin' to it, if you have 140s.

Two, but both were in Kansas. One green scored 145", the other green scored 174". One was an 8, the other a 10.