Protein Selection Opinions

Looking to put out a couple protein feeders on our 200 acres for the first time and was looking for suggestions for best protein to put in them. At $15-20 a bag do not want to buy something that will just sit in the feeder and only draw in coons or hogs.

No matter what you put, put a pen around it. I'm also a believer in a timed protein feeder. More expensive, but much less waste of feed. We use Antler Advantage at our lease, Antler Max is fairly popular as well.

I think one 800 or 1500 pound timed Lamco trough feeder would be perfect for 200 acres.

A feed pen for free choice protein feeder is a must, the bigger the pen the better.
I use 14 -16, 16' hog panels arranged in a circle.

I would not waste the effort & expense to feed protein without a large feed pen.

I'd choose brand based on what is available locally.

Purina Antlermax 20% - Purina makes several different varieties
Lyssy Echols 20%
Gorman milling / Red chain 17 or 20%
Bryant grain co - Antler King 18.5%
Martindale feed mill - Game Pro

I always start a new feeding area by filling the feeder with enough straight corn to fill the spouts or approx 10 lbs, then the next 100lbs - 200lbs a 50/50 mix of protein pellets & corn, then fill the feeder with the protein pellets.
End up with a small layer of corn, then 50/50 mix, then straight protein, only have to do this once.
This helps acclimate the deer to eating from a protein feeder and the protein itself.
I haven't had any problem getting deer to eat protein of any kind when starting off like the above. Some folks go an extra step by adding a layer of 2 to 1 corn / protein mix.

Just me, I use free choice feeders, the whole point in supplemental feeding is to allow deer 24/7 access to eat as much protein as they chose when they choose to.
I always have a game camera on the feeder not just for deer but to know when raccoons start jacking with it.
5 or so Dukes dog proof traps when they do usually controls the problem in a few weeks.

Everyone has their favorites, I use boss buck protein feeders.

Thanks for the info Titan, I was wondering about protein to put in the feeder.

Thanks Rustler

Thanks Charlie

Having a good take rate this year with Top Score from Academy, 18%, 40lbs. for $11.99 a bag...Think it's a Manna Pro product..Deer really seem to "dig" on it.

Oh my fault. Well if it helps the deer consume Lyssy & Echols at a higher rate on our West Texas place than all other brands (have not tried DD feed)

I think everyone would agree with the supplemental feeding objective, but as I have become one of my lease-mates feeder filler (not sure how this happened, but boy is he gonna pay...) I think it's amazing how much more feed he goes through than I do running his free-choice vs my Lamco Trough. I time the quantity of my dumps such that it's eaten before the next drops. Big plus of a timed protein feeder is you know when you need to go out and will more consistently have feed available. Big plus particularly if your lease is a long drive.

I believe you can achieve the same supplemental feeding goal and come out ahead economically on a trained twice a day protein feed schedule.

I believe Charlie is dead on accurate with his statement.

I'd also like to add a suggestion. Don't mix corn in with your protein. All that does is give the coons are reason to dig around in it.

Maybe I wasn't clear.
I only suggest mixing corn into protein on the initial fill. A one time deal to help acclimatize deer to eating protein, a way to speed up them taking to it.
My suggestion on mixing is based on many folks that have filled a feeder and have had deer take weeks to sometimes a month to start utilizing it.

Timed feeders are great if you know the amount of deer that utilize the feeder and can set a dump rate that supplies an amount adequate for them to get their fill.
If the trough or spouts are empty between feedings the deer using it did not get all they needed or wanted.
You have to adjust feed rates for amount of deer, consumption rate, time of year and changes in range conditions, if not it becomes an expensive attractant not supplemental feeding.
Certainly they do reduce feed cost, from only allowing a measured amount of feed to be dispensed at a time.

Free choice is just another method of supplemental feeding, a reliable way to ensure enough feed is supplied 24/7 to obtain maximum benefit and support any amount of deer or consumption rate which will vary as their needs and range conditions vary.
No need to set & adjust feed rates as changes in demand occur, no timers or batteries to maintain.
The only way to see maximum benefit from supplemental feeding is for the deer to be able to eat as much as they need/want at any time.

Sure you can save money using timed protein feeders. Some supplemental feeding is better than none.
You do give up maximum benefit, the ability to feed any amount of deer or consumption rate for any range condition at any time without your input other than filling the feeder.

I completely understand why people go timed vs. free choice, it costs to keep the feeders full, but to suggest they are getting the same as much as they eat when free choice runs out in half, third or quarter the time doesn't seem accurate. Sometimes in good conditions our free choice feeders will stay full for over a month, after the property burned in 2009 they would empty them in less than a week, in drought conditions they will empty them between 2-3 weeks and that is with 4 500 lb feeders on 320 acres.

You should be able to find it for less than that, unless you buy into the hype about a couple of brands that claim to be a lot better than others. I use Purina Antler Advantage and it's $10.95 per 50# bag at my local feed store. I based my choice on the advice of a friend who pen raises deer. He's tried just about everything and couldn't find any advantage to feeding the high dollar stuff vs a good 16 - 18 percent protein that has all of the necessary trace minerals. Also pay attention to feeder location. It needs to be fairly near water and somewhat out in the open. I know "out in the open" sounds counter intuitive, but on every place I've fed protein, I've seen more activity if I moved the feeder away from the thick stuff. I really don't know why, I just know it's so.

The Lamco's have "The Timer" in them so you can spin for 30 seconds, 6 times a day or 2 seconds once a day... just sayin'.

Right but if your not there to change the settings then it doesn't. If the timed lasts longer with feed then it is limiting their consumption.

Some basic math and a little experience with your property/deer herd will tell you how much feed to drop per day from your timed feeder.

20-30 pounds per day for me depending on the time of year

True, but you're talking seasonal changes. Feed consumption settings don't need to change every 30 days for example. 600lb's in my feeder won't go 3 months on my skinniest settings, so I can change as needed when I go to fill up. Again, I'm only 2 hours away and go to me lease pretty regular because I can and I just like to see our landowner, he's a really great guy.



Admittedly I don't have a video camera 24x7 on it so I don't know for sure (this weekend I did turn it up, put the camera in time-lapse mode and put it closer so will be interesting to see...) but if I have a trace feed in the trough when the next drop happens, I don't think I have any hungry customers? My only experience is based on my bud's All Season's 500lb Free Choice for comparison... I know he loses a crap-ton more on the ground than I do as I effectively don't lose any to spillage. Therefore, pellet for pellet, I'll always go longer.

I'll also give you a deer may walk up and have no feed some time, but it's no different than saying your free-choice NEVER runs out of feed due to some unusual event you miss.

Deer are pretty easy to program as most any animal for them to learn feed is "here" in this time frame.

How did this thread go off topic or at least a side topic, "what is best protein selection to feed" vs what it has become, timed trough feeding vs free choice or maybe even spincast".

Because some of us decided to take it that way, next question? ... and why would anyone ever spincast Protein?

I wouldn't even though I have before; the protein on the ground goes bad once it gets wet. Those on a tighter budget have before more as an attractant than supplemental management feeding.

Definitely pen around.. We had a 2000lb 6 port with no pen around it.... Pigs are amazing on their hind legs.. We have one pic with all 6 ports and hogs on their hind legs eating.....They emptied it in one week...