We created our own monster, but have seen the results. Initially, pens were smaller. Now, all of ours are 47X47 with 34 inch hog panels with cedar or 2 3/4 inch pipe corner posts (a big key). The deer got accustomed to them quickly. No idea what % goes directly to deer, but with our pens and these feeders - they gotta provide the primary consumption impact. We do not have any issues with ants, none. Lose some to coons, but it isn't much and is a given. You can fight them, but have to acccept it as part of the deal. I don't look at my losses; I look at my gains. Photo from two nights ago. The bucks are all over the pellets right now as they bulk up for the "fun times" ahead.

Good looking deer Hud.

Do you have start up lease measurements of weights and scores to nowadays weight and measurements to compare the difference?

I understand totally where you are coming from, the effort is measured not in what is lost but what has been gained. And unlike some on here that do this for a living (or some of their living) we do this for fun, and as long as we are having fun with it, that is all that really matters.

It's important to take your Deer into hunting season in good shape Bucks will lose about 30% of their body weight a good supplemental program makes a huge difference in your herd health.

Hudbone, How long has your feed program been going? Your deer look great! I hunted 5 miles east of Los Angeles from 2009 -2018. It was low fence. LaSalle county is a great place to hunt.
Where I am now we have no livestock and haven't seen a feral hog in a year and half. We do have a few javelina. We have fairly large feeder pens but we have been leaving the gate open. We also have additional stand and fill corn feeders at blinds sites with no pens. Like you we have coons eating on the protein. We have been and will continue to trap them.

Comparing the pounds of protein per acre ratio with others on this thread makes me think I need to reduce our herd. This spring and summer has been a continuation of the 7 year drought in our area. 2018 was the last wet year. We will continue our feed program starting in February and hope for more rain in 2025.

Been feeding pellets for 18 years. One small pen and a 300 pound barrel feeder to begin with. At first hard to get the deer to eat it. Got serious 15 years ago. Added cottonseed to the mix about 5-7 years ago and it too started off slow. It now has its “place”.

No statistical analysis on hand, but the observational over all quality of what is witnessed is undeniable. The pretty factor has increased. One thing for sure is you have to shoot deer. Eat ‘em or feed ‘em. A higher deer density hurts more than it helps. Strive for quality and not quantity.

I spend to much time on the ranch and just saw this post. Anyway, I don't have a large place however we've fed 41K lbs of protein since February 5th and 10K lbs of cottonseed (ongoing). The previous owner did us a good deed and removed almost every mature buck but left us a bunch of good young bucks. Those bucks are now 4/5 and showing their genetic makeup since I have been pouring the groceries to them. Anyway protein was $570/ton, cottonseed $370/ton both plus freight.. Not inexpensive and I would add it costs a lot more then it used to prior to January 6, 2020!

As Hudbone said above strive for quality , not quantity. Now that we can begin to see the results of our efforts we'll be reducing numbers and "culling" out the less desirable antler characteristics. We'll probably make a few mistakes however it will just take some pressure off the other deer on the range. Now if it will just rain!

Roadkill,

Like you we will be reducing numbers as well. We were just going over pictures and making a list of culls, and there are plenty of them. We have plenty of MLD tags to accomplish the task so that's not a problem. We are going to let our mature deer have another year to keep the age group balanced.

We have been feeding Antlermax 20 climate guard for $470 a ton in bulk. We have been paying too much for cottonseed. Even at 14.50 a 40 lb bag that's $725 a ton. You must be buying it in bulk. Something we are planning on doing now. I'm learning about buying it from the mill and understand it's seasonal. Do you buy enough for the year now and store it?