Just recently set-up my two 85 gallon tripod feeders and the volume difference when filling with corn vs protein is obviously different. I haven't filled either feeder completely so I'm not sure yet what the capacities are. Anyone know the % drop off from corn to protein in terms of pounds?

10% less for protein than corn capacity. 85 gallon barrel capacity should be around 500 lbs of corn/450 lbs of protein and depending on how the funnel is mounted it could be more or less than that.

From filling our feeders with corn vs. protein we see a little over 15% reduction in carrying capacity. They hold about 15% less weight in protein than corn.

Thanks fellas. Looks like I'll be making more filling trips than I originally thought and not just because the poundage difference. My protein feeder was empty of 300 pounds after 3 weeks and I'm not even sure how long it had been empty.

we have some of the tx hunter 300lbs barrel protein feeders. they will hold 250lbs max on protein. and if the deer are eating it....they will be empty in roughly 2wks time. we fill 4 of these plus some feed in a larger feeder .

"and if the deer are eating it" Do they more or less at certain times of the year?

Do they have a funnel in them? I have 300#(corn cap)feeders with the funnel under the hopper and they will hold 275# protein.

I fed around 11,000 lbs of protein last year out of 3 protein feeders. That was year round without stopping. When it was the driest last year one feeder was empty every 7 days the others were lasting about 2-3 weeks on 250#. I bought a ton of protein right after Jan 1st this year and still have 10 bags in the barn and the feeders have some in them also. Rainfall has helped keep the feed consumption way down. I figured consumption around 1.5-2 lbs per hd per day last. I did not have 100% of the deer eating protein either. When it rained last year they backed off. When it was dry they hit the feeders more. They hit the feeders for about 3 weeks in Jan then have really not hit them much at all till about 2 weeks ago they started to eat a bit out of 2 of them. Now with the recent rains they are backing off again. I also have Lab Lab and Soybeans in food plots this year they are hitting some in the past 2-3 weeks now.

That's some good info STX. Are there any exotics eating from your feeders in addition to the whitetail? I won't know what's coming to my feeders until I pull my memory card this weekend. Didn't appear to be any sheep turds inside my pen so hopefully my 34" panels did the trick.

That was only whitetails eating out of my feeders.

With all the rain if you went through it that fast sounds like the coons are probably feasting on it. I would bring some DP traps to set out if I were you.

Could they really eat that much protein in that short of time? I'm thinking the Axis and/or Auodad are hitting it, but won't know for sure until I pull my memory card.

Yes they can. Ask SniperRAB. He would nuke them all if he could.

Someone once told me 20 yrs ago that a coon can eat the same amount of protein as his body weight per month. 15 coons can add up quickly. My guess is if you have exotics then I would bet money on aoudad.