Have you ever dumped a bag of corn in the woods then asked yourself, can deer smell this? Will they even find this corn? I’ve been reading through boring research papers and talking with biologists to find out absolutely everything about it.
Deer can smell corn very well. Their noses can pinpoint corn two feet under the snow, and smell a pile of corn from over 100 yards. A deer’s sense of smell is about 1,000 times more powerful than a human’s and they use this to help locate food.
Will Deer Come to the Smell of Corn?
Deer love corn and if they smell any during their grazing, they will go right for it as long as doing so doesn’t make them feel unsafe. According to a local game biologist, deer will restructure their entire routine around an area with good food like corn.
Feeding and baiting deer is illegal in my home state of Michigan. But, when it was allowed, I sure used a bag of corn now and then. Most of us did at one time or another. I used to go out into the woods with my bow, and in my backpack was 20 pounds of corn to donate to my local deer population.
I can remember one time when I was just old enough to go hunting on my own. I hadn’t had luck where I was so I found a new spot and unloaded the corn in my backpack in the new location, 40 yards from the large oak I was sitting next to. Within 2 hours, a doe came right over to the corn. I was pretty impressed.
I had a good conversation with a game biologist about deer habits. I learned something new. about the time that the cornsilk starts to go brown, deer begin to change their daily routine to swing by the cornfield. I guess it makes sense.
That’s when the sugar content begins to stack up in corn and they can smell it getting sweeter. When corn is completely mature and dried, it doesn’t smell as sweet because the sugars are turned to more of a starch and it’s just not as fragrant.
Deer can still smell dry corn. if you’ve ever opened a bag of corn, you should be able to recognize the smell of dried corn yourself. Now, remember, a deer has a much more acute sense of smell than we humans do.
How Far Away Can a Deer Smell Corn?
Deer can smell food up to a mile away under the right conditions. Their sense of smell is outstanding at helping them locate a good meal. The limiting factor is usually not whether or not they can smell it, but if they think it’s worth the trip to get to where the food is.
The nose on a deer is an outstanding piece of biology. Deer can detect a smell at dilutions 1,000 times that of humans. That just means their snouts are way more sensitive than ours. A deer should be able to smell most things within 500 yards without an issue. But just because they smell it doesn’t mean they will react to it.
Deer are animals. Their behaviors are ruled by pure carnal instinct. A deer may be able to smell food in the distance, but if the smell is too weak, it will not override the smell of leaves and grass right in front of the animal. Just like other animals, deer are as lazy as they can get away with being.
It’s the same as a deer getting a very slight whiff of a human. They assume that it’s just a far-off person and continue on with their lollygagging and browsing. Think of a deer kinda like a 3-year old. You really have to get their attention if you want to draw them away from another task.
I could have a deer walk 500 yards from a corn pile. He might know that there’s corn over there, but it just doesn’t smell good so that it takes him away from his current mission. But, if he walks within 50 yards, suddenly he can’t resist the stronger small of corn because it finally caught his attention.
What Food Scents Attract Deer The Best?
Any scent that a deer associates with food will work to draw them in. Concentrated apple is a common scent that people use to catch the attention of a deer. It’s strong enough to be noticed at a much farther distance than plain corn. You can use apples or add apple flavor directly to your corn.
Sweet foods can help draw in deer. Molasses is a common sweetener for deer corn. Once they get a taste for molasses, the smell of molasses alone can draw them in. Basically, give them something tasty that they can’t get anywhere else. give them a good reason to come to your spot.
Is Corn the Best Bait for Deer?
Corn is arguably the best food-based attractant for deer. It’s cheap, doesn’t go bad in rain, and the bright color helps to draw in shy deer. Technically, corn is bad for a deer’s gut, but they don’t seem to care and frequently gorge themselves on it.
How Far Away Can A Deer Smell Humans?
According to research, deer can smell a human from at least 600 yards away. However, if the scent isn’t very strong, a deer will assume the human is far off and won’t be concerned about it.
Tips on Getting Deer to Find Your Bait.
Placing your bait in a place deer frequent will allow them to find it faster. Ensuring that your bait is clearly visible will help draw a deer with visual stimuli. Adding a concentrated scent like