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Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! #7918577 07/30/20 06:08 PM
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Any of you guys feeding cottonseed? Curious how this works...When, where and how???


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7918604 07/30/20 06:50 PM
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When-year round, or at least Jan-June
Where - anywhere, but if you have a feed station, locate there.
How - Feed it in bulk, make a round wire cage out of hog wire 15-18" in diameter. Fill with seed.

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Last edited by QuitShootinYoungBucks; 07/30/20 06:50 PM.

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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7918704 07/30/20 08:35 PM
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We started this yr. in Stephens Co. we put it out in Feb. just like you see in the pic above.but mixed some corn w/ it. Only difference is we put at metal trash can lid on it so the rain would stay out of it, at least keep it from running
down the middle of it. We had it in a feeder pen w/ both a spin-cast corn feeder and a protein gravity feeder. We only started feeding this when the protein feeder was about out (Read the article that Spring Creek Outdoors wrote about Feeding Cottonseed, Macy Ledbetter is an Old College Buddy of Mine). We still had the corn feeder going to continue to bring them in. It took a few days (Maybe a week) and the bucks were keying on it and they were trying it.
The (2) feed stations that we were doing this on, both were penned and had Cell Phone Trail Cameras on them, so we could see what was going on daily. The bucks and a few does stayed on it and ate about 1/3 of the feed we had out for them. It started raining and everything started to get green about mid/late March. We noticed that the activity sloooowed way down around that time (on the CS). They really have not touched it since around 1st of April. I know some people that deer hunt in Fisher Co. that use CS as a supplement and that they start in Dec. (Before X-mas) and they just throw it on the ground (around their feeders) - and they do not have to put up w/Cows., and they said they really eat it when its COLD. I am not going to get into the fact that i may make the bucks sterile, you will have to read more about that in the SPRING CREEK OUTDOORS ARTICLE, he explains it and also when and when not too feed CS to your deer. We are getting ready to clean up what we have and go back to Corn/Soybean mix and Gravity fed Protein and maybe save the 400 lbs we have of CS and try it again this Up coming Winter.
The reason(s) that we started using CS as a supplement was 1) No body around us is feeding it 2) the Price (If you go and get it straight from the Cotton Gin and we did) is about half of buying Protein by the bag. 3) If we did something DIFFERENT from everybody else, then we may attract and keep more and bigger deer around. I would say that the 1st year, we did not have Very Good Luck w/ it (Compared to some of the reports I have read of other people using it)......... But i have also read some reports of people having Good Luck w/ it AFTER the 2x or 3x time they tried it............ So w/ about 400 pds of CS left over, I guess will try to keep it dry and in good shape and will try it again. If you (Biscuit) have anymore questions (Or anybody else) just pm me. GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING!!!!!!!


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Aggiedukmaster] #7918725 07/30/20 08:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Aggiedukmaster
We started this yr. in Stephens Co. we put it out in Feb. just like you see in the pic above.but mixed some corn w/ it. Only difference is we put at metal trash can lid on it so the rain would stay out of it, at least keep it from running
down the middle of it. We had it in a feeder pen w/ both a spin-cast corn feeder and a protein gravity feeder. We only started feeding this when the protein feeder was about out (Read the article that Spring Creek Outdoors wrote about Feeding Cottonseed, Macy Ledbetter is an Old College Buddy of Mine). We still had the corn feeder going to continue to bring them in. It took a few days (Maybe a week) and the bucks were keying on it and they were trying it.
The (2) feed stations that we were doing this on, both were penned and had Cell Phone Trail Cameras on them, so we could see what was going on daily. The bucks and a few does stayed on it and ate about 1/3 of the feed we had out for them. It started raining and everything started to get green about mid/late March. We noticed that the activity sloooowed way down around that time (on the CS). They really have not touched it since around 1st of April. I know some people that deer hunt in Fisher Co. that use CS as a supplement and that they start in Dec. (Before X-mas) and they just throw it on the ground (around their feeders) - and they do not have to put up w/Cows., and they said they really eat it when its COLD. I am not going to get into the fact that i may make the bucks sterile, you will have to read more about that in the SPRING CREEK OUTDOORS ARTICLE, he explains it and also when and when not too feed CS to your deer. We are getting ready to clean up what we have and go back to Corn/Soybean mix and Gravity fed Protein and maybe save the 400 lbs we have of CS and try it again this Up coming Winter.
The reason(s) that we started using CS as a supplement was 1) No body around us is feeding it 2) the Price (If you go and get it straight from the Cotton Gin and we did) is about half of buying Protein by the bag. 3) If we did something DIFFERENT from everybody else, then we may attract and keep more and bigger deer around. I would say that the 1st year, we did not have Very Good Luck w/ it (Compared to some of the reports I have read of other people using it)......... But i have also read some reports of people having Good Luck w/ it AFTER the 2x or 3x time they tried it............ So w/ about 400 pds of CS left over, I guess will try to keep it dry and in good shape and will try it again. If you (Biscuit) have anymore questions (Or anybody else) just pm me. GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING!!!!!!!


The trash-can lid is a good idea. It will hold up decently under rain unless you get enough to keep it wet for extended periods, then it will form hotpockets and those areas will rot. I miss the days when you could get it delivered for $100-125/ton from the gins.


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7918784 07/30/20 09:46 PM
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We used the same feed stations as shown above last year. Started it in Jan or February and they just never took to it on our place. We had it in 5 different feed pens across @ 6,000 acres. I saw one pic of a deer with their nose in it.......once. Even once we let the protein feeders run out, they never took an interest. We were hopeful they would but I guess native browse was good enough for them or they simply didn't care for it on our place in Erath County.

Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7918986 07/31/20 12:33 AM
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We are in Val Verde and have been feeding it for 2-3 years. The deer freaking love it just as much as corn. We have the same setup as pictured and might try the trash can lid idea.

Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7919054 07/31/20 01:45 AM
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We tried it starting this year after season. Three set ups like pictured. We had cameras on it and never had a deer eat any. Contrary to popular opinion the pigs ate it though.
[Linked Image]


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: QuitShootinYoungBucks] #7919664 07/31/20 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by QuitShootinYoungBucks
Originally Posted by Aggiedukmaster
We started this yr. in Stephens Co. we put it out in Feb. just like you see in the pic above.but mixed some corn w/ it. Only difference is we put at metal trash can lid on it so the rain would stay out of it, at least keep it from running
down the middle of it. We had it in a feeder pen w/ both a spin-cast corn feeder and a protein gravity feeder. We only started feeding this when the protein feeder was about out (Read the article that Spring Creek Outdoors wrote about Feeding Cottonseed, Macy Ledbetter is an Old College Buddy of Mine). We still had the corn feeder going to continue to bring them in. It took a few days (Maybe a week) and the bucks were keying on it and they were trying it.
The (2) feed stations that we were doing this on, both were penned and had Cell Phone Trail Cameras on them, so we could see what was going on daily. The bucks and a few does stayed on it and ate about 1/3 of the feed we had out for them. It started raining and everything started to get green about mid/late March. We noticed that the activity sloooowed way down around that time (on the CS). They really have not touched it since around 1st of April. I know some people that deer hunt in Fisher Co. that use CS as a supplement and that they start in Dec. (Before X-mas) and they just throw it on the ground (around their feeders) - and they do not have to put up w/Cows., and they said they really eat it when its COLD. I am not going to get into the fact that i may make the bucks sterile, you will have to read more about that in the SPRING CREEK OUTDOORS ARTICLE, he explains it and also when and when not too feed CS to your deer. We are getting ready to clean up what we have and go back to Corn/Soybean mix and Gravity fed Protein and maybe save the 400 lbs we have of CS and try it again this Up coming Winter.
The reason(s) that we started using CS as a supplement was 1) No body around us is feeding it 2) the Price (If you go and get it straight from the Cotton Gin and we did) is about half of buying Protein by the bag. 3) If we did something DIFFERENT from everybody else, then we may attract and keep more and bigger deer around. I would say that the 1st year, we did not have Very Good Luck w/ it (Compared to some of the reports I have read of other people using it)......... But i have also read some reports of people having Good Luck w/ it AFTER the 2x or 3x time they tried it............ So w/ about 400 pds of CS left over, I guess will try to keep it dry and in good shape and will try it again. If you (Biscuit) have anymore questions (Or anybody else) just pm me. GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING!!!!!!!


The trash-can lid is a good idea. It will hold up decently under rain unless you get enough to keep it wet for extended periods, then it will form hotpockets and those areas will rot. I miss the days when you could get it delivered for $100-125/ton from the gins.

+1


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7919782 07/31/20 09:38 PM
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we have fed it for around 7-8 years on our 9000 acre lease. The deer hammer it - better to have it inside a feed pens to keep pigs off of it. It is primarily useful for keeping body weights up during and after the rut. We go through 100,000 pounds per season (January to September). Mixing corn in with it when you first put it out can help the deer get on it. For us it has helped our body weights and overall condition - we have live weights up to 250 plus


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Last edited by tlk; 07/31/20 09:49 PM.

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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7919903 07/31/20 11:35 PM
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I believe it helps if you are in cotton growing area. On the west fence line we have cotton being raised every other year, and the deer worked the cotton seed more when it was in cotton than when it was planted in milo.


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: dogcatcher] #7919951 08/01/20 12:36 AM
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Originally Posted by dogcatcher
I believe it helps if you are in cotton growing area. On the west fence line we have cotton being raised every other year, and the deer worked the cotton seed more when it was in cotton than when it was planted in milo.



not arguing but we do not have cotton fields within 200 miles of our ranch and they hammer our cottonseed -


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: tlk] #7919996 08/01/20 01:32 AM
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Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by dogcatcher
I believe it helps if you are in cotton growing area. On the west fence line we have cotton being raised every other year, and the deer worked the cotton seed more when it was in cotton than when it was planted in milo.



not arguing but we do not have cotton fields within 200 miles of our ranch and they hammer our cottonseed -

There are 2 cotton gins in Batesville. But I agree that cotton fields close by do nothing as to how deer eat or take to cottonseed in any area.


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: stxranchman] #7920020 08/01/20 01:57 AM
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Originally Posted by stxranchman
Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by dogcatcher
I believe it helps if you are in cotton growing area. On the west fence line we have cotton being raised every other year, and the deer worked the cotton seed more when it was in cotton than when it was planted in milo.



not arguing but we do not have cotton fields within 200 miles of our ranch and they hammer our cottonseed -

There are 2 cotton gins in Batesville. But I agree that cotton fields close by do nothing as to how deer eat or take to cottonseed in any area.

Originally Posted by stxranchman
Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by dogcatcher
I believe it helps if you are in cotton growing area. On the west fence line we have cotton being raised every other year, and the deer worked the cotton seed more when it was in cotton than when it was planted in milo.



not arguing but we do not have cotton fields within 200 miles of our ranch and they hammer our cottonseed -

There are 2 cotton gins in Batesville. But I agree that cotton fields close by do nothing as to how deer eat or take to cottonseed in any area.

Originally Posted by stxranchman
Originally Posted by tlk
Originally Posted by dogcatcher
I believe it helps if you are in cotton growing area. On the west fence line we have cotton being raised every other year, and the deer worked the cotton seed more when it was in cotton than when it was planted in milo.



not arguing but we do not have cotton fields within 200 miles of our ranch and they hammer our cottonseed -

There are 2 cotton gins in Batesville. But I agree that cotton fields close by do nothing as to how deer eat or take to cottonseed in any area.


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7920022 08/01/20 01:59 AM
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I exaggersated with the 200 miles lol. But no cotton fields do I see anywhere close to our ranch so that theory does not hold water IMO


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7921122 08/02/20 03:38 PM
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They absolutely destroyed it from Feb-mid June. Falfurrias hadn’t had any rain and the ranch had dried up. Cattle and hogs were skin and bone. Deer were fat and healthy. June brought a killer rain and everything greened up.
They still hit the cottonseed but with all the natural growth they have slowed. We’ll continue to feed it year round without hesitation.

Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7926848 08/07/20 12:05 PM
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I've found that they either love it, or leave it. When they love it, they hammer it, and stay fat (unsure if they are 'healthy', but they sure are fat). I've found that the feeders that are close to water get a lot more attention this time of year as well.

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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7933441 08/13/20 01:04 AM
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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7933669 08/13/20 09:40 AM
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Macy makes more out of the disadvantages than what my personal experience has delivered.

Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Hudbone] #7934232 08/13/20 07:05 PM
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I believe it, I was just curious myself and found that article. Thx


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Re: Cottonseed for whitetails - someone please educate me! [Re: Biscuit_B] #7934260 08/13/20 07:36 PM
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i hunt maverick county between me and my hunting bud we have 10 or more cotton baskets like in the pics above the ones closest to water go much faster i think its important to feed it close to water becasuse it so dry

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