I am very interested in starting to feed free choice protein as a supplement for tthe deer. I do have a few questions that i hope some of you guys with the experience can answer.

1. How do you get them to start eating out of the tubes? Bait with corn in the tubes or on the ground?
2. What size feeder? 55gal drum?
3. Is there an average amount of feed consumed per day or per month? To see if the Hip Pocket National can even afford the adventure!!!

I am sure i will have more questions but these are what comes to mind at the time. Thanks in advance!

It costs me about $1,000-$1,300 per year per feeder in feed, my deer density isn't all that high though.

They go through around 1,000 pounds per month and a half to 2 months.

To start them off I usually spread corn all around the inside/outside of the pen and then put a handful of corn in each tube.

I use boss buck 1,100 pound feeder because they are easy to work with...very easy to move if need be, and won't let moisture in.

Oh and we have definitely seen the benefits after 3 years!

The deer will find the feeder, but to get them used to the idea that protein pellets are food, the first fill-up or two you can mix corn with the pellets. Something else I do when starting a protein feeder in a new spot, I will scatter protein pellets on the ground around the feeder with some corn thrown in. Then I will run lines, almost like spokes on a wheel, of corn and protein mixed, from about 10 yards away from the feeder to right below the feed spouts.

This may sound harsh, but it is a neutral fact. Be ready to spend enough money to keep the feeder full 24/7. If you aren't ready to do that you will more than likely be disappointed in your results. And it will take time to produce results, plan on a MINIMUM of 3 years for the program to fully get going. That translates into a full generation of deer. But, if you can keep the feeders full, you will see results.

+1, on Bossbuck feeders. I sell them, but made that decision after filling just about every type of feeder known to man for my customers and seeing what works well and what doesn't. The 350 pound (corn capacity) feeders will hold at least 250 pounds of pellets. The 1,200 lb feeders will hold roughly 1,100 lbs. of pellets. Next month they are coming out with a 600 lb feeder which should fill the gap between the two sizes nicely.

For more information see: www.bossbuck.com.

Exactly what i was looking for, thanks guys.

Thought of a couple more questions.

We hunt some family land that is about 170 acres, how many protein feeders do you think i would need?

What is the optimum height that the feeder tubes should be at from the ground?

Then i guess my last question is the million dollar one... Which protein pellet do the deer seem to like the best?

One should be fine, where is the property...North, South, West, East?

I use whatever my local feed mill has...one is "deer ration" and the other makes their own.

40" is where my boss bucks are.

I put my protein feeder in pen with one of corn feeders, it didnt take deer long to start hitting it.

you dont have to feed protein year round just january through aug.

Thank you for the help fellas. The property is in Comanche County.

1 feeder will work for you, I have used alot of different brands. I suggest using one of the bigger companies...Purina,Record Rack,Lysse and Eckels etc. They do alot of research into their products and they have the right mineral packages and ratios. It usually runs around $10 a bag.

I've got a place in Eastland county, probably a real similar density. I've got 1 protein feeder on 260 acres...I could probably add another but I do cover all of the bucks I see on other cameras.

Also, I would feed all year. I just don't see the point in cutting them off when natural forage is the most scarce.

We have a deer density around a deer per 12 acres and we run 7 protein feeders. During the summer we will go through 1 ton every 2-3 weeks. Which would be around 12 bags a month for you. I would expect going through 108 bags from Jan-Sept. which would cost around $1000.

Eventually I would like to check into the cost of whole cotton seed. I think it would be cheaper but more labor intensive.

Forgot to mention that we cut off the corn feeders to save on cost during the off season. We might run 1 or 2 to keep the turkey around. Once you run protein, the deer will prefer it over corn anyways.

We use a feeder that holds 15 bags of protein. We fill it about every 4 months. The feed we feed is about $11 per bag.

Just set the protein feeder next to your spin feeder and they will hit the spot. Our deer dont hit the protein much from mid Nov to mid Dec, they hit the corn hard. But they come back in late Dec and start hitting it hard again.