I feed corn during rifle season, But this next season will be the first year I will feed year around. What is the best and most economical feed to put in feeders during the off season?

I mix a couple of bags of soybeans in with my corn. Cost about $5.00/sack. Soybeans contain around 30% protein, which is more than most pellet feeds. Not only do the deer eat 'em, but the quail and turkey love them. Another benefit to using soybeans is that they are easily thrown from an automatic feeder and they will not swell in high humidity, unlike pellet feeds.

can I get soy bean from most feed stores???

I would think that just about any feedstore would carry them, if not, I get mine by the ton at the feed mill in Paris.

I was wondering the same thing and spoke to Dick Brousard, an employee at Wells Brother's in Plano TX.

This guy sounds like he's got a PhD in deer nutrition... Anyway, I was asking about soy and he said "yes, its true that its high in protein, but you don't want to feed it to your deer unless body mass is what you are looking for." He said it would pump up muscle mass but have no effect what so ever on antler... I can't go into the same detail that he did but just give him a call...

BTW, he sells soy so I didn't see any reason for him to be anything but up front...

Cheers...

Try a 15%-17% with a mix with corn and you will have much better results than using any type of split pea or soybean. The protein mix will have the necessary minerals in it that your deer require during this harsh time of year. Just straight soybeans and split peas will not do your deer much good at all.

In as much as antlers are predominately calcium wouldn't it make sence to feed foods high in protien and calcium?

The protiens would promote body mass, while the calcium would supliment antler growth.

I don't know of any dry feed that does both, and provides the other minerals they need, and I probably couldn't afford to feed it year round anyway.

Yes it does make sense to feed foods high in protein and other minerals as well. You will need a lot more than just calcuim. And its not just the mineral content but the adequate amount of minerals either in the feed or supplemented alongside it. Most people I hear have a hard time getting the deer to eat straight granular minerals without it being in the feed. On our place they eat the minerals at this time of year the most.