Anyone using mineral licks or putting out protein in one way or another since it's about to be prime growing time for those antlers?

Purina goat mineral, alfalfa hay and "Lindners beef grower"

If you are just going to start now to feed you are a little late for protein. Deer have been growing antlers for a couple of weeks now at least. Minerals are in the protein pellets I feed so I do not try to feed mineral. Lyssy and Eckel deer feed is what I use year round.

we are using the same thing.

Wish I could get L&E here but no dealers close and I don't buy enough to get it in bulk. I've been feeding Red Chain 17% for years but this year I went up to 20% to see if it would help more. 17% seem to do ok but I see where it could be better. Read somewhere that anything over 17% just went thru them but I'm not convinced, we'll see what 20% does. I have gone thru 750# in the past 13 days in 3 feeders. One thing is for sure, they like it.

Phasing out of 22% and going to the 16% the next fill up. I try to leave protein out year-round. Recently, have been using one made in DeLeon, TX called DEER GENERATION.

20% protein pellets free choice,alfalfa,deer blocks, and corn.

X2

We feed the protein from Feb. through Oct.

I have some mineral I buy from the Amish up in Missouri that I like really well. It's not out at this time as I am still looking for a lease.

We have been feeding 20% protein for the last several months and will switch to 16% in a month, when the weather gets warmer,
We feed protein 9 months of the year and corn year around.
We begin our protein feeding first of the year and stop all protein end of September.

I feed alfalfa year round plus 24% protien blocks. I use the general purpose mineral blocks from TS.

20% L&E protein + water stations on a float switch in the protein pens + 5 other mineral stations (that are away from protein)

feeding 4000# every 5-6 weeks via 5 feeders

trapped 6-7 coons in protein pens

As has been said, the past several months were the prime window for feeding protien. I feed year round, but since about February I can hardly keep my feeders filled. The drought has not helped any, with a real lack of natural forage. Hopefully the recent rain will push up some green shoots and the deer will ease up on my wallet just a bit... Good news is that since I'm providing what they need, I'm drawing in a lot more wildlife than in years past, including a number of wall-hanger Axis...

Minerals are in the protien, but its an easy deal to put out deer mineral blocks. I put out enough so mine last about year, so its not a constant hassle.

So would it be worth it to put something out right now that could actually see results this coming season or is it pretty much too late like some have mentioned?

Protein feeding is a long term deal. It was for me anyway. Been doing it since 02 and the first year I saw some improvement but it took 3 years to see the full benefits. So IMO start now because it going to take a little time.

same here.

Another thing I can tell you that happened to me. When I started feeding protein I started with 20%. Some years back I went to 17% and the improvement seemed to halt at a certain point. Started back with 20% this year to see if they start improving again.
Also I use to stop feeding protein about the end of Sept and restart in Jan, I did this for 2 years only feeding corn during season. I noticed by bucks were disappering but they would return in Jan when I started feeding again. Talked to my neighbor about it because he fed protein year round at the time. He showed me pics of my bucks at his protein feeders during season. They were leaving my ranch and heading to his for protein. I started feeding year round and started holding my bucks and even having new ones show up.
I was afraid that the deer wouldn't come to corn if I'm feeding protein during season and it was the opposite. By feeding protein during season I held my bucks and my neighbors too, actually I see a lot more deer this way and once they find the protein they usually hang around for good..These are my observations on my ranch. Others may have a different outcome.

If you are going to do a year round feeding program then right now is the next best time to start. The doe and bucks you get on feed now will benefit in years to come. The doe that are on feed when they fawn will teach the fawn to eat it right away. Those fawns are you future the higher the surival rate the more bucks you put into the herd. When starting programs in the late winter I have seen tremendous results in 18 months on feed. The right deer on feed will make some huge gains and you can see those gains in 18 months. Impacting bucks for this season is not going to happen but it getting them on feed will help them survive the hunting season and rut this fall. Your feeding now will make your management goals much easier to achieve in the future.

Good to start now, but realize there are short term and long term gains.

Short term / immediate benefit is the possibility of attracting and holding game in your area, particularly if all your neighbors are not feeding protien too.

Long term benefit is improvement in the quality of the animals, and that may take a few years.

I recommend feeding it year round, but use a feeder pen, and put pvc pipes on the feeder legs. No benifit in feeding coons, hogs and exotic sheep, and they will empty your feeder incredibly fast and your wallet will feel it.

Oh, and minerals, so easy and cheap to set out a few blocks I can't see a down side...

We are feeding/selling Pro Antler 20% and the Antler Builder Deer Mineral. Both are new products in a new brand, but they show lots of promise with very high consumption rates.

We are feeding Alfalfa and 20% protein blocks that have minerals in them. We are on our second year of this and our herd looks exceptionally healthy even during this drought. We have not been feeding long enough to see drastic antler benefits yet, but you can definitely tell a difference in body condition.

what is a good decient priced feed is all stock feed better than straight corn maybe mix in a little calf manna

Livestock feeds have to be an all natural based protein to use for deer. Calf Manna is going to be expensive and more per bag than deer pellets.. If you can find an all natural range cube in a 3/8" size cube it will work for deer but may not be as cheap as some lower end deer pellets. Anything you buy now is expensive due to drought and demand. Corn is almost as much as protein in some markets.

Using 20% protein and plan on feeding year round if range conditions don't improve much.

Red Chain 20% Deer Pellets
Deer have been hitting feeders hard.
Feed year round.