Indeed, the price of deer feed/bait keeps going up and up. Corn will never come back down to the price it should be, and the other 3 of the big 4 (apples, sugar beets, and carrots) are following suit. It's almost becoming economical to grow food plots instead. Almost. Fertilizer and seed are on the rise aswell. There are many scent type food attractants that work well. Buck Jam and the like have done well for me. Another option that works great is to rent an acorn rake for a day, and visit neighbors, friends and family that have a 'problem' with too many acorns in their yard. They usually say take all you want and ask if you'll come back for more! A days work under a few giant, heavily producing oaks, can yield a seasons worth of a deer's favorite food. About $16 will get you an acorn rake for 24 hrs around here.