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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7586414 08/22/19 02:56 PM
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To each his own. Our 9000 acre low fence ranch is highly managed along with feeding cottonseed and protein along with having more than sufficient water available year around. We do not have too many deer due to aggressive culling. Our results tell us it ain’t broke so we are not going to try to fix it.


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: Trash Fish and Cull Bucks] #7586489 08/22/19 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Trash Fish and Cull Bucks
But, the fact is that the only time you would expect supplemental feeding to make a different at all is if nutrition is limiting to begin with. After all, deer didn't evolve eating protein pellets, lablab, etc.). If things are managed correctly, deer should be able to get everything they need from the native habitat. If nutrition is limiting, you're better off in the long run, from both economical and biological standpoints, to correct the problems (overgrazing, high deer/exotic densities, feral hogs, habitat issues, etc.) rather than makes things worse by artificially carrying too many animals with feeding. These days, people would rather just feed than actually manage their deer herd.

It nutrition isn't limiting, you'd wouldn't even expect to see much use of the feed. How many times have you seen deer stop using feed after adequate rains, or after a prescribed burn, or when acorns fall? But, many folks will proudly state how much feed they go through a month, which is just another way of saying their habitat is in such poor condition (usually through excessive deer/exotic densities, overgrazing, or both) that the deer are forced to eat the feed.

Why do weight lifters and body builders take supplements?

Sure the deer are there and they are fine, but in attempts to maximize their body and antlers, you can provide more for them than mother nature does.


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7587732 08/23/19 09:16 PM
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Anthropomorphic.

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7587884 08/23/19 11:30 PM
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I forgot who above said protein is supplementing what nature gives you. But, nature is a fickle beatch. Some years you'll get good moisture during the winter and have a ton of forbs...some of the highest protein natural stuff out there. But those winters are somewhat rare. Spring, with new growth is great for protein in the plants. But as the year goes on towards hunting season most of that good natural stuff's protein levels fall as the fiber content increases. In the last quarter of the year what grows naturally is mostly fiber, not protein.

Another point for supplemental feeding is that most reputable proteins have the correct balance of minerals the deer need for body and antler growth. Not all minerals are distributed equal on all ranches.

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: elkhunter93] #7587892 08/23/19 11:48 PM
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Originally Posted by elkhunter93
Anthropomorphic.


https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anthropomorphic

for your 8th post ever on here this was very prolific! NOT

I smell a troll


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: tlk] #7588024 08/24/19 03:14 AM
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Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by elkhunter93
Anthropomorphic.


https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anthropomorphic

for your 8th post ever on here this was very prolific! NOT

I smell a troll


I usually learn so much on this forum--especially improves my vocabulary with big words like anthrowhateveritis. Even with the link to the definition and putting it in context with the thread im still lost. Wasn't this about protein? How much longer till deer season?


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7589382 08/25/19 11:24 PM
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protein matters. I've seen some deer at their largest during drought years when the browse was horrible, and they were basically forced into a higher protein feeder diet. several deer we watched over the years turned into absolute feeder hogs, and consequently, had bigger jumps in antler from year to year.

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: freerange] #7589428 08/26/19 12:03 AM
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Originally Posted by freerange
Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by elkhunter93
Anthropomorphic.


https://www.dictionary.com/browse/anthropomorphic

for your 8th post ever on here this was very prolific! NOT

I smell a troll


I usually learn so much on this forum--especially improves my vocabulary with big words like anthrowhateveritis. Even with the link to the definition and putting it in context with the thread im still lost. Wasn't this about protein? How much longer till deer season?



Yeah the guy is trolling for sure - he is clueless IMO but he wanted to stir things up - waste of my typing abilities to even respond! Lol


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: tlk] #7590067 08/26/19 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by tlk
To each his own. Our 9000 acre low fence ranch is highly managed along with feeding cottonseed and protein along with having more than sufficient water available year around. We do not have too many deer due to aggressive culling. Our results tell us it ain’t broke so we are not going to try to fix it.


Are you feeding cottonseed year-round? I've heard some say to get the bucks off of it when they lose the velvet due to the gossypol. Our deer did not really take to it when introduced this year but we put it out at the same time as protein. Seems as though it's fine as long as it's not their primary food source. We're going to try it again late/post rut, before we resume protein and see if they acquire a taste for it.

Last edited by soonersorlaters; 08/26/19 06:23 PM.
Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: soonersorlaters] #7590265 08/26/19 10:03 PM
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Originally Posted by soonersorlaters
Originally Posted by tlk
To each his own. Our 9000 acre low fence ranch is highly managed along with feeding cottonseed and protein along with having more than sufficient water available year around. We do not have too many deer due to aggressive culling. Our results tell us it ain’t broke so we are not going to try to fix it.


Are you feeding cottonseed year-round? I've heard some say to get the bucks off of it when they lose the velvet due to the gossypol. Our deer did not really take to it when introduced this year but we put it out at the same time as protein. Seems as though it's fine as long as it's not their primary food source. We're going to try it again late/post rut, before we resume protein and see if they acquire a taste for it.


We have cottonseed out from January to September (it is for post rut weight gain) - the only sterilization from cottonseed with deer come in settings where they are pen raised and eating it full time. We have fed it for 6-7 years now and our deer do great on it. Our live body weights typically go between 225 up to 250 plus

It can take them awhile to get on it but they hammer ours now. We go through 50 tons per year


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: tlk] #7590313 08/26/19 10:55 PM
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Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by soonersorlaters
Originally Posted by tlk
To each his own. Our 9000 acre low fence ranch is highly managed along with feeding cottonseed and protein along with having more than sufficient water available year around. We do not have too many deer due to aggressive culling. Our results tell us it ain’t broke so we are not going to try to fix it.


Are you feeding cottonseed year-round? I've heard some say to get the bucks off of it when they lose the velvet due to the gossypol. Our deer did not really take to it when introduced this year but we put it out at the same time as protein. Seems as though it's fine as long as it's not their primary food source. We're going to try it again late/post rut, before we resume protein and see if they acquire a taste for it.


We have cottonseed out from January to September (it is for post rut weight gain) - the only sterilization from cottonseed with deer come in settings where they are pen raised and eating it full time. We have fed it for 6-7 years now and our deer do great on it. Our live body weights typically go between 225 up to 250 plus

It can take them awhile to get on it but they hammer ours now. We go through 50 tons per year

100000 pounds of cotton seed. WOW How much protein do you feed in a year? How many trophy type Bucks do you take off the place a year? How many management type average per year?

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: don k] #7590328 08/26/19 11:14 PM
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Originally Posted by don k
Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by soonersorlaters
Originally Posted by tlk
To each his own. Our 9000 acre low fence ranch is highly managed along with feeding cottonseed and protein along with having more than sufficient water available year around. We do not have too many deer due to aggressive culling. Our results tell us it ain’t broke so we are not going to try to fix it.


Are you feeding cottonseed year-round? I've heard some say to get the bucks off of it when they lose the velvet due to the gossypol. Our deer did not really take to it when introduced this year but we put it out at the same time as protein. Seems as though it's fine as long as it's not their primary food source. We're going to try it again late/post rut, before we resume protein and see if they acquire a taste for it.


We have cottonseed out from January to September (it is for post rut weight gain) - the only sterilization from cottonseed with deer come in settings where they are pen raised and eating it full time. We have fed it for 6-7 years now and our deer do great on it. Our live body weights typically go between 225 up to 250 plus

It can take them awhile to get on it but they hammer ours now. We go through 50 tons per year

100000 pounds of cotton seed. WOW How much protein do you feed in a year? How many trophy type Bucks do you take off the place a year? How many management type average per year?


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7590340 08/26/19 11:21 PM
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we spent around 55K last year on protein cottonseed and corn - will have to go back and look at how many lbs of protein but it was a lot - mind you we are on 9000 acres and have 25 plus protein pens - so around one pen per 300 acres

one of our 'secrets" is water - ranch owner ran water pilas all over the ranch so we never go dry even in the worst of droughts (which we have experienced) - I think another thing we do that may be different is that we put the cottonseed inside our feed pens but we also have cottonseed feeders out in the open in the pasture - that way our fawns can get to it and are not penned out - I think it makes a huge difference in fawn survival because they have a food source even during drought plus they have water available at all times


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7590919 08/27/19 03:51 PM
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Last year, we started feeding cottonseed in addition to our protein "program" of ten plus years. We have gotten over our initial fears for sterilization, but do stop the cottonseed about this time of the year. It might sound odd to feed both, but we have found the deer prefer pellets some of the time and then switch over more to the cottonseed at other intervals.

We have seen fortified cottonseed products on the market and find ourselves wondering if anyone has success with using this instead of pellets?

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: Hudbone] #7591338 08/27/19 10:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Hudbone
Last year, we started feeding cottonseed in addition to our protein "program" of ten plus years. We have gotten over our initial fears for sterilization, but do stop the cottonseed about this time of the year. It might sound odd to feed both, but we have found the deer prefer pellets some of the time and then switch over more to the cottonseed at other intervals.

We have seen fortified cottonseed products on the market and find ourselves wondering if anyone has success with using this instead of pellets?

Originally Posted by Hudbone
Last year, we started feeding cottonseed in addition to our protein "program" of ten plus years. We have gotten over our initial fears for sterilization, but do stop the cottonseed about this time of the year. It might sound odd to feed both, but we have found the deer prefer pellets some of the time and then switch over more to the cottonseed at other intervals.

We have seen fortified cottonseed products on the market and find ourselves wondering if anyone has success with using this instead of pellets?



Feeding both makes sense - our deer hit protein hard and then hit the cottonseed hard. Also the cottonseed outside of the pens is available to the fawns - IMO it helps with your fawn survival during drought


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7591968 08/28/19 04:09 PM
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Creep Feed

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #7595895 09/02/19 05:22 PM
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double down deer feed. buy the best


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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: don k] #7596307 09/03/19 01:13 AM
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Originally Posted by don k
Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by soonersorlaters
Originally Posted by tlk
To each his own. Our 9000 acre low fence ranch is highly managed along with feeding cottonseed and protein along with having more than sufficient water available year around. We do not have too many deer due to aggressive culling. Our results tell us it ain’t broke so we are not going to try to fix it.


Are you feeding cottonseed year-round? I've heard some say to get the bucks off of it when they lose the velvet due to the gossypol. Our deer did not really take to it when introduced this year but we put it out at the same time as protein. Seems as though it's fine as long as it's not their primary food source. We're going to try it again late/post rut, before we resume protein and see if they acquire a taste for it.


We have cottonseed out from January to September (it is for post rut weight gain) - the only sterilization from cottonseed with deer come in settings where they are pen raised and eating it full time. We have fed it for 6-7 years now and our deer do great on it. Our live body weights typically go between 225 up to 250 plus

It can take them awhile to get on it but they hammer ours now. We go through 50 tons per year

100000 pounds of cotton seed. WOW How much protein do you feed in a year? How many trophy type Bucks do you take off the place a year? How many management type average per year?


the 100000 pounds of cottonseed is just from mid January to September . 70 tons of protein per year on average ........... 3-4 trophies per year out of 12 hunters and 9000 acres. Management bucks probably 15-20 depending on range conditions. Some culls and does - we have taken anywhere from 10-20 does up to over 100 does again depending on range conditions and fawn survival

Last edited by tlk; 09/03/19 01:20 AM.

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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: flatnasty] #7598124 09/04/19 09:31 PM
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Originally Posted by flatnasty
double down deer feed. buy the best


Outside of seeing the bucks that the Double Down guy posts on another site...I am curious if it really is that good? Also, I see some feed protein year round...is it worth it?

Last edited by RiverRunner; 09/04/19 09:31 PM.
Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: RiverRunner] #7598851 09/05/19 05:12 PM
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We buy at Dilley, but we purchase RHR which is about $3.00 less per bag. Doesn't have vitamin K in it (I Believe) which is to help with digestion. Deer on bigger places or low fenced places don't need hep with digestion. Whatever the reason, we feed the lower priced product and are extremely pleased with it.

Just a note and from an old deer hunting sage with too many trophies to count, pick a feed and stay with it. Deer don't read labels. Don't buy this now and something else the next time. Deer will get used to whatever you make available and you DO NOT want them to get used to something new every time around.

We will shoot deer in excess of 200 pounds dressed this year, but that's primarily because of the beneficial spring rains. Our best horns, for whatever reason, are typically on deer weighing just over and just below 170 pounds dressed weight.

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: Hudbone] #8583933 04/23/22 12:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Hudbone
We buy at Dilley, but we purchase RHR which is about $3.00 less per bag. Doesn't have vitamin K in it (I Believe) which is to help with digestion. Deer on bigger places or low fenced places don't need hep with digestion. Whatever the reason, we feed the lower priced product and are extremely pleased with it.

Just a note and from an old deer hunting sage with too many trophies to count, pick a feed and stay with it. Deer don't read labels. Don't buy this now and something else the next time. Deer will get used to whatever you make available and you DO NOT want them to get used to something new every time around.

We will shoot deer in excess of 200 pounds dressed this year, but that's primarily because of the beneficial spring rains. Our best horns, for whatever reason, are typically on deer weighing just over and just below 170 pounds dressed weight.


It might be strange to write in this thread after three years, but why not? I agree with you. And this rule works for all animals. Cats, dogs, deers must eat one type of feed

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: tlk] #8584046 04/23/22 04:56 PM
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Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by elkhunter93
Sorry to rain on all of your alls theories, but Mr. Eddie Walker is absolutley correct @ feeding free range deer. You are wasting your time and your money feeding protein. Serves no purpose, except to line the pockets of feed producers. I have been managing wildlife, high fence and free range for over 40 years and when you have controlled environments vs. Natural, then you will know as well. Protein will not change genetics. Anyone's free range deer will represent the genetic base of their area. Protein will not make a genetically predetermined 120, 130, etc., inch deer into a boone and crockett. Save your money. Feed an attractant like corn. P. S.- protein is not the magic, fat is. No feed manufacturer incorporates enough fat into their feed products. I'm talking 30% or more to do any good. In almost any environment there is already enough protein levels present in the natural occurring food base.
Now flame away.

Of course protein does not change genetics. But it does enhance and maximize the genetics that are already present especially in drought years. Natural browse is the main staple for deer. In good rain years it is what has the most impact on horns. Where your theory is wrong is that in drought years the natural browse is not there. That is when protein (SUPPLEMENTAL FEED) pays for itself. It helps provide the replacement for the lack of natural browse. I have also been around high and low fence deer for over 40 years - I have personally witnessed the impact that cottonseed (fat) PLUS protein can have on a herd. Our results are not theory - they are real.


This!

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #8584146 04/23/22 09:56 PM
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wow a three year old thread - it was kind of interesting to read it again

Last edited by tlk; 04/23/22 09:58 PM.

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Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: David Maas] #8584358 04/24/22 01:25 PM
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In my region, there are some problems with supplying feed, that's why I'm buying a lot of feed and feeding the deer the same. Unfortunately, supply chain management is bad here. In my opinion, it's easy to fix because of many resources with general and additional info on that point. But I think no one is interested in it.

Re: Best protein pellet for the money? [Re: sirumaldy] #8584531 04/24/22 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted by sirumaldy
In my region, there are some problems with supplying feed, that's why I'm buying a lot of feed and feeding the deer the same. Unfortunately, supply chain management is bad here. In my opinion, it's easy to fix because of many resources with general and additional info[/url] on that point. But I think no one is interested in it.


And to be honest, it's easier than often changing the feed

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