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feeding free choice protein #6075419 12/09/15 10:22 PM
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rickym Online Content OP
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I've been thinking about starting to feed free choice but I have a few questions. How difficult is it to keep Coons off a free choice feeder? And does anybody feed protein or a protein corn mix in north east Texas? Is it worth spending the extra money?



Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6075501 12/09/15 11:14 PM
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All I know is if you feed free choice and have a lot of deer you best have deep pockets.

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: don k] #6075513 12/09/15 11:21 PM
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lots of different factors - you can buy feeders that make it hard for coons to reach the feed. Depends on size of your property, neighbors, etc. if it is worth the money. You have more details on where you are hunting?


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Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6075525 12/09/15 11:34 PM
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don't waste your time mixing protein and corn

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: SingleShot85] #6075602 12/10/15 12:28 AM
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Originally Posted By: SingleShot85
don't waste your time mixing protein and corn


Disagree. If the deer are used to corn but not free-choice pellets, a 50/50 mixture, then 75/25 protein/corn followed by 100% protein on the third filling of feeders is an excellent way to start deer on free-choice protein. And this time of year, when deer require more carbs in their diet, is the best to begin that process. Whether it's worth your money depends on your expendable income, your acreage, deer density and your neighbors (assuming low-fenced).

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: SingleShot85] #6075613 12/10/15 12:34 AM
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I have 3 300 pound free choice protein feeders on my place in NE Stephens county and the deer absolutely love it!! I have a corn feeder and a protein feeder both in the same area with hog panels around them. I have raccoons, but have never had a problem with them emptying the protein feeder, but the hogs were really bad before I put up the hog panels a few years ago.

When my deer are really hitting it, they can empty all 3 feeders in 30 days. It does get expensive, but in the last few years my deer have really benefited from it by size. The largest buck we have taken field dressed at 150 and was 11 pts with the smallest field dressing 135 with 8 pts.

I put 4 sacks of Purina Antler Max and 2 sacks of corn in each feeder. I start out with about 1/2 sack corn, then 1 protein, then 1/2 sack corn then 2 protein and so forth until full.

When I first started this about 6 years ago, the deer would not touch the protein at first. After about 45 days they started eating it and haven't stopped since.

Like I said, it does get expensive, but it really works on my place. The deer come to the protein feeders more than the corn feeders.

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076145 12/10/15 05:44 AM
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Cass county, 100 acres with alot of water, fairly low numbers and no fence for a few miles around



Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076166 12/10/15 06:34 AM
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The question for me is will the bucks feed off of the free choice protein feeder after dark and be satisfied, or will they still show during daylight. I haven't filled my protein feeder since 10.27.15 but I still saw several bucks come to protein feeder but no feed so they wandered off. Are your bucks coming to protein during daylight hours?


https://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj570/mathp/9542e851.jpgIMG]http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj570/mathp/LlanoBucksdownsized_zps6632cebe.jpg[/IMG]
Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: Mathp] #6076175 12/10/15 06:54 AM
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There is a lot of night time activity for sure, however, when it gets close to the rut I am seeing good bucks at the protein feeder either very early in the morning, right at sunrise or very late in the afternoon, right at sunset. Some smaller bucks in the daytime along with does. You just need to get there early and be watching and stay late and be watching. Sometime a big buck will show up in the middle of the day, but most of the big ones this year have been later, right before dark.

Last year I shot a big 10 pt at 8am.

I have a Bushnell Trophy Cam wireless that emails me photos so I know exactly what is showing up and when. It works great.

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076256 12/10/15 12:21 PM
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I have a lot of coons at my feeder pen, but they focus on my broadcast corn feeder 90% of the time. Most of my mature deer action at the free choice protein seems to be 10pm till midnight



Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076263 12/10/15 12:30 PM
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we feed protein and cottonseed from January to October and then stop totally during the season.


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Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076316 12/10/15 01:38 PM
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tlk. Is that the norm? Thats what an owner of a local feed store told me. Why? just curios. He mentioned that the larger lease members or landowners come in around october and order 15 tons of corn and they will feed corn till january then order protein. thanks

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076463 12/10/15 02:41 PM
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Would feeding free choice be beneficial (would you see results) on a 400 acre LF place? Would it be worth it? Not in AR county.

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: tlk] #6076486 12/10/15 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted By: tlk
we feed protein and cottonseed from January to October and then stop totally during the season.


This is what I have done as well. Protein from February through September - Corn from late August through early February.

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076523 12/10/15 03:01 PM
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It can pull some good bucks to your property that may not normally travel through it. You'll just have to figure out where they bed and intercept them.

As to coons, they are less of a problem with the vertical down spout style feeders. Duke traps will be your friend.

We used to feed it on 425 acres and found it worth it.

Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6076758 12/10/15 05:02 PM
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I feed free choice Feb thru Oct..

But went to timed protein last year to control my flow and condition my Deer...Same Amount just timed...


Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: SniperRAB] #6076776 12/10/15 05:07 PM
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Originally Posted By: SniperRAB
I feed free choice Feb thru Oct..

But went to timed protein last year to control my flow and condition my Deer...Same Amount just timed...


I've got a few questions for you if you don't mind.

How many pounds per day?

One timed release or multiple?

Do you feed night or day?

How many different deer do you think utilize the feed?

How many deer can eat from it at one time? (assuming it's a Lamco)

I'm going with a Lamco next season so need a little insight



Re: feeding free choice protein [Re: rickym] #6078243 12/11/15 02:44 PM
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We have a 400 hundred acre place in south west Hamilton Co. and have 2 free choice feeders that hold 2200lbs a piece. We feed protein year round. We've seen awesome results over the past 10 years. It can get expensive, but it's worth the cost in my opinion. 22-250 works great on the coon problem during the off season!


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