It works
We use protein, corn and deer golden nuggets

Deed will ignore the corn when the acorns are plentiful but will come to the others.

I prefer not to hunt over a protein feeder, just like it in the area to draw in deer.

We will put out several hundred lbs of the golden nuggets when we first get to the lease, that will draw and hold deer in for a few days.
We place it down shooting lanes strategically.

We will also put out protein as well sometimes on the ground

I think that the way you feed protein can be different for everyone. You just have to try different methods and see what works best in your area.

When I first started feeding protein I had 4 300lb protein feeders put in safe areas away from my corn feeders. I had plenty of pics of deer at protein feeders but hardly anything at corn feeders. I stopped feeding protein Oct. 1 still did not see many deer.

I then moved my protein feeders inside the pens with hog panels where my corn feeders were. Saw plenty of deer eating mostly protein. Stopped feeding Oct. 1 and deer sighting dropped dramatically.

This year I decided to keep feeding protein year around including during deer season. We have seen a lot more deer and have taken 3 good quality bucks so far, 11pt 175lbs on hoof, 11pt 155lbs on hoof and 8 pt 150 lbs on hoof. All with nice heavy horns.

I will definitely feed protein for as long as I can afford it. I think that feeding free choice protein is much better than mixing with corn in a spin feeder. I also have 3 food plots on my place too.

The only downside I am seeing is the price, and it definately looks worth it!

I think the protien feeders are good, but the food plots seem a more natural and readily available way. I have 4 food plots and the activity seems to be greater at them than the protien feeders, and the plots don't run out in the middle of the month.

What do you plant?

When Mother Nature is in a good mood, the wildlife on my ranch have plenty of groceries. Wheat seed was hard to come by and I planted oats and rye this year. Will see how it turns out. The protein is strictly a supplement. It is there if they need it and there are definitely times that it is beneficially. When you have four inches of show/ice on the ground, it is 12 degrees at daybreak and the temp hasn't been above freezing in a week, that doe is going to be using up a lot of her body just trying to survive. Same with the buck that is pulled down after a season of "the chase", and that youngster who may be your trophy buck in a few years...you get the idea. I try to manage for the general good health of the herd. Works for me!

Let them eat all they can get. You will see more deer and better looking deer food,water,age= big deer. You hear guys say Mother Nature is best but put out the protein and see which one they like. If there is a lot of green your feeder will last longer but keep it out they will eat it.

I plant oats, wheat, rye, winter peas and turnips for winter. In the spring I will plant LAB LAB, high gear, black oil sunflowers, soy beans and peas. In saying that if i could afford it I would have a protien feeder. Its just not economical for me to have both since i can't get down to my place on a regular schedual, and access can be limited if its raining.

Yeah I know what you mean. What are the sizes of your plots?