I'm thinking about dumping cotton seed after the season to help the deer. I'm in the Panhandle and it's cheap compared to pellets or soybeans. A downside from what I've seen online is the lack of minerals when compared to pellets. Has anyone mixed loose cattle minerals in with cotton? Or any thoughts on this keeping in mind budget considerations? Deer density is low and ratio is good, btw. Also, I'm assuming they'll take to the seed since we've had several snow/ice events already and I'm sure forage is limited. Planning on lacing the seed with corn.to get them started. Thoughts?

I know a group of hunters in South Texas that used whole cottonseed back in the late 90's and early 2000's. They used a Purina Lactating dairy cow mineral to put on top of the WCS at each feed station. They sprinkled it over the top of each scoop as they filled the feeders. You would be better off getting a deer mineral to use on top of the WCS. Lyssy & Eckel's makes a good deer mineral that would work. I would mix the corn in first with small amounts of WCS at each feed station. I would recommend putting the WCS in a feed pen....that would keep the hogs from tearing up the feed stations. I would use multiple feed stations to keep the deer spread out and shorter travel to feed.

Thanks! I was hoping you'd weigh in. I'm sure L&E is better but will probably go with Red Barn or some such unless I can get L&E at a similar price. No hogs on us (yet) but will fence off to keep cattle from chowing down. Main concern is desirability to the deer. I suspect the minerals will mostly dissolve and leach assuming we get more moisture but some is better than none and once the seed is gone I can probably mix some salt in the soil and still get some benefit.

Will definitely look into L&E minerals, though. My feed store was able to get me dicalcium phosphate last year for a homemade mineral mix so L&E should be doable, subject to price considerations.

Doesn't Speer now produce a fortified cottonseed that comes with minerals?