I’ve been a THF member for God knows how many years. This is by far the most collectively wise, informed, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly and mutually supportive bunch I’ve ever run across who are all interested in the same thing- generally just getting outside and messing with critters in one way or another.
It’s been years since I’ve regularly visited and a few names come to mind…something like stexasranchman as a handle- that guy sticks out as about as much of an expert on whitetails that I’ve ever seen. I’m not sure if he’s even here anymore but I remember his decades of experience managing large hunting/breeding operations I think owning a good place himself- that guy always stuck in my head as a go-to. There are a TON more here who always impressed me but for some reason he stuck out and I sure hope he’s still around.
I always looked at this as a giant campfire full of guys whose combined knowledge and experience is unmatched. I don’t care where you go or who you speak with, the members here have centuries of combined experience and knowledge so if you can’t get the right answer here it probably doesn’t exist.
I’ve got two places. 1000ac in NWOK that I hunt and my home in which nobody does. The deer at my lease are in very little danger- I’ve just about decided I’m really not hunting them. I feed them, take pictures of them with my game cameras, protect them by shooting coyotes and go out during our short rifle season and mostly watch them. So I guess I’m a deer watcher. The War Department and I really don’t care for venison so I have never shot a deer up there, friends have shot a bunch of does and my son in law harvested a dandy buck- if I could share my video from my blind last season most everyone would be scratching their heads, wondering why I didn’t shoot him. It’s for two reasons. One- I was mesmerized, in awe of everything about him. His gait, the majestic way he walked with his head up as if to say, “this is mine.” It was cold that day so I could see wisps of vapor swirling out of both nostrils as he exhaled. The other reason is because I’ve harvested better and I don’t see the point in shooting one unless it’s an improvement on what I’ve already done- I wanted my son in law to have a shot at him. And he did, about a week later. Rattled him in as the rut was winding down.
Turns out he was 7-8yrs old. We didn’t have him properly aged but that’s the estimate. As my South African pastor who’s a hunter and a half would say, “he’s an old toppy!”
An outfitter caught wind of my place and moved into the quarter of wheat that was leased by waterfowl hunters about six years ago, I heard gunshots every AM/PM as he sold hunts to guys from Dallas or Tulsa or OKC- they shot everything 2.5yrs or better with maybe 2 exceptions. Peak rut. Two open wheat fields. Best wheat around. Every deer ended up there at some point and only one or maybe two made it past that gauntlet. After two days and a discussion on the county road with this prick…and he’s a prick because he was a friend of a friend and moved in one week before rifle after making some deal with the guy who leased it…I just quit for the season two days in, there was no point. He had a half dozen feeders and all of that wheat. Shot a 176” that I had targeted and every single buck lived on me, fed on him. I now have that quarter so he won’t be back.
Ok- my question. I’m feeding deer for supplemental nutrition. I’ve got two 2000# gravity feeders and 3 “No Bull” gravity feeders (look them up- they WORK and you don’t need a fence anymore) and I’m feeding protein mixed with corn. 2/3 protein, 1/3 corn or so.
I’m in the country and it’s 3hrs from anywhere. I’ve got Atwood’s and Tractor Supply plus feed stores. I wish I could tell you what the brand I’m feeding is but I can’t remember. It’s good.
I feed by hand at my house, have one trained to eat out of my hand, in fact she prefers it. I buy whatever I can find close by and hope it’s good for them. I’m out now- objective is nutrition.
Here’s a link to Tractor Supply. What would you suggest that I buy for my house feeding? Price is a consideration but not a deal breaker. I just don’t want to feed straight corn- pretty sure it’s of limited benefit but I don’t know what I ought to buy. I use about 5gallons/day, sometimes 10. In the winter I’ve had 27 in my yard at one time and 15 is probably average. We’ve had rain so it’s green and they’ve got natural forage but I just want to help them out and I enjoy interacting with and learning from them.
Thanks for any input. To clarify; I think I’m covered at the lease but any suggestions are welcome. I’m more interested about what I should feed at home. They have eaten everything I’ve fed them including our vegetables that we don’t use- kids are gone so we sometimes buy stuff we don’t end up eating or I’ll toss watermelon rinds out or whatever makes sense. I just like seeing them around, love the spring when mommas emerge with one or maybe twins…and I know why some don’t. We’ve eliminated 16 coyotes in the last 6 months so hopefully they had better odds.
Commercial deer feed that’s good for them and at Tractor Supply or Atwood’s and how to mix w/corn- or not?
Thanks a bunch. Good luck this season and don’t forget to have fun!
-Kevin
Link:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/catalog/game-feed
