I've been feeding corn year round the last 2-3 years, but thought I'd add some protein feeding this year as well as several food plots.

I have read that when it comes to protein, it's best to feed as much as they'll eat. With that thought, I realize my corn feeders aren't going to work for this purpose.

In looking at some protein feeders online, I'm wondering if it's best to get a gravity feeder that would just pour it out as they eat it.

Anyway, I'm just looking to hear some reports from others on what has worked. I'm lowfenced and a relatively small peice of property, but we seem to hold most of the deer for our area and I'm aware that, at least in part, I may be throwing good money after bad.

Any responses would be appreciated, positive or negative.

Thanks.

Two schools of thought

first is 1 free choice feeder for every 200 acres

Second is figure out the approx. number of deer you have and figure 3 pounds a day and set up a timed trough protein feeder close to that number.

not all deer are protien hounds, but some will eat you out of house in home.

I use 4inch PVC pipe about 4ft. long with a 90 u-bend at the bottom, 2 of these hold a 50lb. bag of feed, i use cattle creep feed in mine, i belive its 18% protien if im not mistaken. cheep set-up and it works GREAT!!!!

If it's a small piece of property save your money unless you have a group of "NUNS" for neighbors and they don't hunt.

kinda agree with don k....if its not 200 acres don't even bother, even then don't put more than one out

We use both and have good results with both. Also they will need water available.

I have poured piles on the ground by my auto feeder and have pics on cam of deer layin right by the piles and eating their fill.

I have heard 2 differnt theories on protein.

1) Protein feed to deer is like candy to humans. So use sparingly.

2) Feed 24 hours a day year round.

What I do is mix a 50# bag of protein pellets and a 50# bag of sweet feed and put it in gallon ziploc bags and carry a couple of them to the stand with me. Deer seem to love it, unfortunately so do the damn hogs!

No, spin feeders will not do the job. Protein will also shorten the life of your motors. It's much "dirtier" than corn and the fines and dust will get into the shaft area. Even on a 30 second spin a corn feeder will not throw enough protein pellets to do much good for even one deer.

The corn feeding year around has helped hold them in your area. Protein works best when offered free choice. And as mentioned access to water.

Even on a small piece of property it will help the deer herd in your area. Yes, the deer are going to wander, but since you are low fenced they can wander in as well as wander out.

Consider talking with your neighbors about some sort of coop and or trying to get everyone on the same page as far as generating a quality deer program. In other words don't kill the young ones.

The best free choice feeders I have come across are the Bossbuck Non-typicals. They come in two sizes right now. 350 lbs (corn capacity) will hold about 250 pounds of pellets and a 1,200 lb unit (holds about 1,100 lbs of pellets). They are coming out with a 600 lb version in the Spring that has been endorsed by Dr Kroll. I sell the Bossbuck line and do it because they are the best at keeping moisture out of the protein and still feeding.

Feeding works, but it takes time and you have to stay with it. It becomes expensive. Do not expect to see a 120 class deer turn into a B&C candidate in one antler growing season.

Protein feeding is also likely to generate more deer than your habitat can hold after awhile. It also tends to put more pressure on the natural vegatation in the area around the feeder. They will browse going and coming.

Overall, for most people there are more pluses than minuses to supplementing, which is the proper word. Your are supplementing what nature is giving you, not substituting for it.

www.bossbuck.com

Thanks for the comments guys. I've got about 500 acres, surrounded on two sides by other pretty good sized places, then several small places around the other sides. I have a bit of an odd shaped place, kind of like a big "Z" or "S". A couple of the much smaller places do alot of shooting and don't seem to care about the deer herd. That said, I think most of the mature deer know it as they complain about not ever seeing any "good" deer (at least that's what other neighbors have told me).

The upside is the land I share the most of my fence-line with isn't hunted at all. Other than one 50 acre place that borders me in one corner, I feel pretty good about the deer not getting much pressure. Of course, there's the road hunters, but that's another issue all together and a situation that is improving.

This place borders a big change in the terrain. To the east, it becomes a bunch of open plains with little cover. We have a big terrain drop becoming a river bottom. Lots and lots of cover, but with some pasture land in between.

We used to have some pretty big deer, but a guy we leased too took advantage of us and wiped out alot of the deer. In the 5-6 years since then, we've just kind of let them grow. In doing so, we're seeing some very good deer, in larger numbers than we did before.

In the last couple of years, I've gotten more excited about seeing the deer grow year-to-year and checking my cameras than I have about shooting them.

I'm not expecting any miracles, but I have seen the results that friends have had and would hope to see similar results. Like everywhere, we have alot of 120 inch deer. But, I've seen a couple in the 145 range and one that might push 170. My goal is to simply have more deer get in that 150+ range over the next few years.

Maybe it isn't that simple, but I have a 150+/- 4.5 year old that was a 110-120 inch 2.5 year two years ago. This year I have a few more who look just like he did 2 years ago and would like to help them grow like he has. He got that way eating just whatever grows naturally around us and corn. I figure some new food plots, combined with some protein supplimenting will help do just that. Though it's really up to mother nature in the end.

We have plenty of water, so that isn't an issue. Our deer numbers seem to increase a good bit during drought years as several of the neighboring properties don't have any water at all.

Sounds like you have a winner on your hands. If you feed it needs to be as consistent as possible and do your darndest to stick with it for at least 3 years. Measure your harvested deer for at least base circumference, beam length, and spread. Then expect to see incremental improvements over the years, your averages will go up and even a dry year should have you at least pretty much the same as the year before. Let them get some age on them.

In an average year I suggest feeding at least 17% pellets, in a dry year bump it to 20%. Anything over 20% is a waste of dollars. Try to get a feed with a lot of vitamins and minerals in it. Those, when you cut through all the bovine scat, mean more than protein percentage.