I started feeding protein in late Jan for first time at my property in Denton Co. Im suprised that they took to it right away and im very pleased that despite great range conditions they've been pounding the protein every night since introducing it. I've been filling with 1/2 16% protein pellets and 1/2 roasted soy. Do I need to scale back on the soy to prevent foundering?

Healthy looking deer there Snake...I would continue what you're doing, the deer will stop if need be.

I would make sure that they are not eating more than 30-40% of their diet in the mix. What does your browse look like? What is the fiber content in the pellets in the mix?

Habitat consists primarily of post oak/cedar elm/hackberry/mesquite tree canopy with understory dominated by persimmon/lotebush/smilac/greenbriar/blackberry species. Dominant grasses are little bluestem and native three awns and tridens throughout.

5 acre plot planted in cowpeas, soybeans, lab lab and sorghum 3 weeks ago just beginning to grow.

Not sure about pellet composition.

Looks real good Redsnake! You're doing something right!

We put up our first protein feeder at our ranch in Atascosa county 3 weeks ago and nothing is hitting it yet. Deer are eating corn from spincast feeder but no protein. We mixed the protein with corn also. Hopefully they eat it soon. Glad to hear they eat yours.

I began feeding protein last fall and plan on doing so year round. Sometimes they hit it hard, other times, not so much. I believe it is 16%. This is in Mills County and is the first spring in a few years with decent browse. I hope it pays off in November.

Our hill country deer are sucking it down like crazy.

do raccoons go after the protein ?

Do ducks like water?

Not if you leave it locked in the barn. Other than that they will eat it till they can't eat no more.

do the carpet tack strips on leggs work or is there something better? Thanks

If it is coon proof it is deer proof for the most part, since coons are smart enough to figure a way around any proofing of a feeder you try. Trapping is the management solution to a coon problem. I use Duke Dog Proof coon traps and do not have a problem with coons at my corn or protein feeders. I have caught 63 coons since last July.

Leave it in the barn too long and the rats get it

Just wondering what you guys thought. The deer ate a little over 1000# of protein in a month is that about average? I am hunting in sothwest shackleford county.

Sounds like a good amount to me, how many feeders, what flow and how large a place? Did you have any cameras on the feeders to make sure critters (raccoons) weren't helping you out?

1200 acre. One free choice feed site. he cams didnt have any coon pica jist deer.

I am about 10 miles south of you and this little area is like the Sahara Desert this year. I've had almost a half-inch of rain over the last 7 weeks and everything is gone. Hitting the protein is an understatement. It ain't good!!

Sounds like they're eating what they need to.

We are in the same area, just west of the wx ball on the moran highway and our big tank is the lowest its been in 50 years according to the locals. theyre emptying one 2k lb feeder per 350 acres every 8 weeks. and our habitat is pretty good as we have ag fields and hubbards creek cuts right through us. was good to see the creek flow over memorial day for the first time in ahwile, but im pretty sure that was all runoff from well upstrea.

It all depends on what you want to get out of it. They don't need any protein. We feed 1000 lbs a month on 300 acres, they don't get more than that, but they eat it like clock work in 3-4 weeks unless it is incredibly favorable range conditions then they will slow up on the feed.

I think your 1 feeder is limiting what they eat, if you had a few more feeders they would likely eat a lot more.

Talked to DQ Kid on the way back from lease today. I was last out in late April and the deer are crushing the protein. I'm on a 320 with 240 acres of cover and the deer have eaten almost 1000 pounds. Glad to see it that's what it's there for. Will be back out to fill in a couple of weeks.

Usually once they get use to eating it they will eat as much as you can feed um... if you have pigs and no fence they will clean you out fast also

Nope mine are nice and safe in pens.

Buddy
Outdoorsman

Registered: 09/01/04
Posts: 97
"do the carpet tack strips on leggs work or is there something better? Thanks"

We've been using 3 inch sections of PVC pipe attached to the feeder legs at the top with a section of wire to allow the pipe to rotate as the coon attempt to climb. We have monitored game cams and watched them spin and fall off the legs unable to reach the spinner plates....... Works great for us. We also use the "eliminator" spin plates on the feeders. Works on squirrels to.