I see Walmart and assorted hunting shops are starting to sell big bags of deer corn in preparation for hunting season. One of the stores here has a 40 lb bag for under $4.00 which seems like it might possibly be a good deal. Does anyone know if the deer corn is treated in any way that makes it unsafe for human consumption? I realize it is field (dent) corn, not sweet corn, but it can be ground into corn meal for masa.

I am assuming that it is a hybrid corn and so it will not be plantable, if someone has information to prove me wrong on that aspect I'd also be greatly appreciative.

Thanks in advance.
-Blast

Aflatoxins are produced by fungi that grow on grains. (Toxic stuff that is naturally occuring.) Think liver damage at high levels and cancer at low levels over the long term. Toxic levels are measured in parts per billion.

Grain that is used for human consumption is tested for aflatoxins. A few parts per billion will condem grain for human consumption. I do not know the levels right off, but FDA has standards on what is acceptable.

Livestock feeds are also regulated since they go into food animals. A higher level of aflatoxin is acceptable for livestock feeds. Depends on the animal. Dairy cattle feed is one of the more strictly regulated, since aflatoxins affect milk.

Deer corn? Deer corn does not have to meet human food standards. Depending on your state regulations, it probably does not even have to meet livestock standards since deer are not a food animal. By that I mean they are not subject to inspection and the meat is not sold commercially. They are not regulated by FDA or USDA.

I do not know the state regulations where you live, but "Deer Corn" probably does not have to meet any standards as long as it is corn.
I am sure it would not have to meet human standards. It could be bagged from the same supply as livestock feeds or it could be corn that has been rejected for livestock feeds.

To make a long answer short: I would not eat it. The quality could be excellent, but you just do not know.

Isn't real Masa or corn meal cheap enough? Why go with such low quality?

Ah, my thrifty nature...40lbs of corn for under $4.00? Nice!
Luckily y'all kept me from poisoning me and the family.

I figured raw corn would store better than masa plus I'd have the option of planting some if needed.

-Blast

I was going to say that it probably was feed-grade, but that is becuase who would make a bait that kills the ones that aren't taken by hunters. That being said, the part of my brain that stores trivia kicked me, so I started looking around before I said anything....

Someone needs to do thier homework.

This is just dumb! Someone screwed up. But keep in mind that this is a 2002 document, not a 2005 or '06, so things might have changed. But there is also a 1998 Texas ag-dept warning about this, so I guess these clowns really don't care if they put themselves out of business.

You know, it's hard for me to say this, but capitalism seems to breed stupidity. I mean, I hunt, and I for ************ sure wouldn't use bait I can't eat myself. (OK, so baited hunting is illegal in VT, but you know what I mean.)

Did a little checking and it seems that Texas does now have regulations on what can be sold as wildlife feed. It must contain < 50 ppb aflatoxins to be sold retail as wildlife feed in Texas. Human standard are < 20 ppb for grains.

The <20 ppb max is a FDA regulation. Any regulation for wildlife use would be made by the state. Lots of states have no regulations for wildlife use.

Anyway, I stick to my story. If you are people, you need to stick to eating people feed.

A bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds, and the purchase price, delivered to the elevator, is almost always $2.20 to the farmer.

Milling quality corn runs a nickle a bushel premium over bin run.

2 five gallon buckets is close to a bushel of corn in volume.