With the drought this year we decided to start feeding protein for deer.
Pastures dry and the farmers haven't been able to plant any crops due to the drought so there isn't much to eat. We've only gotten 3 inches of rain since October!!
We put protein feeders out 2 weeks ago and so far no takers. We've scattered corn out with the protein on the ground. The deer eat the corn but not the protein.
IS there a trick to get them to eat it?

we have not found a single live fawn this year. we've seen several dead ones but nothing alive yet. Its brutal out there.

Too late now if you've already filled the protein feeders, but I started out with the Golden Deer Nuggets in my protein feeders. Put 3 bags in each feeder then topped off with regular protein. Worked like a charm.

BTW - They'll eventually figure it out, just takes longer if they've never seen protein before.

I've been spinning corn/soybean mix, and they're hammering it. Protein feeders are too $ right now or I'd add one to the mix.

Put a bag of corn on top of the protein in the feeder. Then drag out protein thru the ports/tubes till you see corn then stop. Put the protein you took out back on top of the corn in top of the feeder. Mixing corn will help get them started. If they have never seen a protein feeder and they do not know what protein is it will take a while. They do not instantly figure things out just because it is dry. What brand feeder?

No clue what brand but it holds 1000 pounds and has six feed ports. 3 on each side. Its old but still solid

Lipan
I had a slow start to my protein feeding until I added soybean/corn mix into the protein. I dump the soybean/corn mix into a 5 gallon bucket at the same time as we pour protein into the bucket. it takes a little longer to fill the feeders, but the deer/mostly bucks are hammering my feeders 2x per day. I only have 172 acres and I just added (2) more protein feeders bringing my total up to FIVE. Soybean/corn mix + protein smells like CANDY!!
My next feeder fill will be 100% protein.
If you can hog panel the feeders to keep cows/hogs away, this will help too
Water station helps a lot too!
I had my first fawn sighting on camera June 9th (not near a feeder, but cruising with mama)
My deer look awesome so far!!

Ever had trouble getting them to eat in dry times. We put out cottonseed for the first time this season and they drained them too.

The deer on our place are going thru 200-300lbs or protein a week right now. Have been for about a month and a half, and we expect that to last until the rut (which is typical). We have good water on our place too, which helps alot when feeding protein.

I'm going through 3000#+ every 24-28 days.

Its been over 3 weeks now since we put out protein feeders. Ive added corn and soybenans to the mix and the deer will pick the corn and soybeans out of protein. They protein is starting to pile up under the feeders. Doesn't look like they care for ti.

Lipan
3 weeks is still not enough time to for them to know what a protein feeder is, but I'll ask these questions anyway

What type of feeder are you feeding protein mixed with soybean/corn? gravity feeder or spin feeder?

Scattered around the property I have (2) All Season 1250# gravity and (3) Boss Buck gravity feeders and they are getting hammered 2x per day.

I also have my protein feeders surrounded by 8 hog panels and there is also a corn feeder in the feed pen that throws for 3 seconds at 6am and 8pm.

Last question would be what brand protein, but as long as it is fresh, they should be eating it or they soon will be......

they will find it - be patient

Just think…every day they “don’t” find it is money in your pocket!

They’ll find it eventually, good luck.

If you have protein piling up under the feeder you may very well have a coon problem. The coons will rake it out and it piles up because the deer prefer eating out of the feeder than off the ground. If you have some game cameras, set them up and see if it may be coons causing the protein to pile up.

Do deer really prefer to eat out of the feeder rather than off the ground ?

Yes, when it comes to protein.

I don’t believe they prefer to eat out of the feeder. I think they are more conditioned to it being as that is where the feed normally is. At my house I have a gravity feeder with corn and a spin feeder with corn and they always eat the corn off the ground first.

Is there water available near by?

its a 1500 lb gravity feeder with six feeding spouts.

I'm using Palmer feeds 19% deer feed. Most of the game ranches around San Angelo use it so I know the deer like it.

We have water troughs located within 400 yards of the protein feeders.

Thanks for the input gentlemen. Despite the dry conditions the deer look pretty healthy.

Not seeing any coons on game cameras

Need some??

Agree with TLK, patience. I've heard mixed theories whether or not deer will eat protein off the ground like they do corn. So maybe dribble corn to the protein feeder. The type we use smells really fragrant for what it's worth.

For the last couple of months I have been putting piles of protein on the ground in East Tx and the deer have been hitting it hard. I always mix some corn with it though.