This year I have some deer that got into a pasture where I rotated Ibex in and out. I decided to feed the deer protein and see how they would do. I have other deer where I just have some Ibex males that I just feed once a day. The deer just usually get what the Ibex don't eat which is not very much. Also it is a textured feed called "Beef Grower" from Lindner in Comfort and Purina goat chow mineral. The Protein for the others is 18% deer pellets from L&E. I actually think the deer that are just getting the natural browse and the scraps from the Ibex have better antlers.

Seems there are a lot of unknowns to basically say protein is worthless. What are the age of the deer that received protein. If your looking at 2.5 year olds getting protein compared to 4.5-5.5 yo bucks not getting protein it's really not apples to apples. Also what is the availability of water inside the pen vs outside the pen or pasture. Could the deer have also gotten out of the pasture since they got in? Could others have gotten in? What is the native browse composition and availability inside that pasture compared to outside? What is the cover avaialability inside verses outside that pasture.

It could be the goat minerals calcium to phosphorus ratio of approx 1.25/1 instead of the usual 2/1. The Hill Country is phosphorus short, in most places, a supplement with an ideal ratio of 2/1, will not make up for the shortage in the rest of their diet.

I did not say protein is worthless. I am just wondering in a year like this that feeding protein is not worth the extra expense. I can see when range conditions are as good as they have been this year and a person is not overstocked if it is really worth feeding protein. Are deer like other animals and humans when they get used to a free lunch do they quit looking and just stay around the feeder waiting for a handout? All I know that the deer in the pasture that get the free lunches are no better than the ones that have to actually work for it. And yes there is plenty of water and browse in both pastures. It would be very difficult to say which one was better. I did not to pick and chose which ones got into the protein pasture. Maybe they were all runts to start with. All I was wondering if in a year with good conditions is feeding protein really all it is cracked up to be.

"Are deer like other animals and humans when they get used to a free lunch do they quit looking and just stay around the feeder waiting for a handout?"

The deer at the ranch that I live on prefer natural browse over protein. I have free choice protein and up until last month I'd only had to fill the protein feeders twice. I'm now filling them once a week, which is typical for the lat spring to early fall time frame on an average rainfall year.

I haven't put a pen to it yet, but the rains this year saved me quite a bit of money.

Almost all of my spikes have some really nice headgear!!

This year I have seen alot of new growth vegetation I had not seen before. I think new growth forbs are where the protein lies, same with grasses. This year our rains were spread out enough that we put out minimal protein. I learned along time ago that the Good Lord can put more feed out with a couple inches of rain than I can with a trailer.