Protein advice

Guys,

We filled up 3 - 1000 lb free choice protein feeders with record rack this past weekend.

Put up 34" hog panels around it to keep the cattle away. We've got cameras set on each one, but no pics of deer coming to the feeders yet.

How long does it usually take for the deer to start coming in? Should we have thrown some corn around the pen to get them coming close?

This is the first time to protein feed for us, so any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

They will find it when they need it. Deer are seasonal on protein for the most part. Some areas you have to coax/train them by mixing 50/50 corn to protein.

Just given time.

Give it some time.

I always set up a spin corn feeder in the pen when I add a new protein station. Deer will come to the corn and most will eventually try the protein. Once they begin to utilize the protein feeder, you can shut off the corn feeder. It also helps if you use a mix of corn and protein pellets for the initial filling.

With many types of protein I found my deer had a sensitive palate and wouldn't eat certain brands while others they would if I put corn in the mix. Then I found Purina Antler Max and never looked back. My problem now is my deer will kill 50# in less than 2 days with no waste on ground! Further no raccoons eating it as I regularly trap with 3 down so far this feeding season. Try different types first a bag at a time until you find what they want. Put a camera on the feeder to insure how the deer react to it and how long it takes them to eat it. My experiences are unique to my property/deer. Hope you find this information helpful.

I put out antler max and record rack. My deer never went for it. When we started using the one made by a local co-op it was hard to keep it full. If it greens up too quick or rains a lot they won't hardly use it even if there are a lot of deer. Drought years or really cold years are the best for protien in my area.

I put peanut butter on the end of the feed tubes the first time setting up and they liked that.

record rack makes a product called "Golden Deer Nugget" its round in shape but colored the same as a protein nugget. Put this in the feeder with the protein and scatter about 2 bags of this on the ground around the feeder and the deer will be everywhere.. they cant resist the golden deer nugget. at our place if they smell it up in the protein feeder they will knock the protein on the ground eat the golden deer nugget first then eat the protein off the ground. they loved it. we have feed it mixed in our protein feeders for 6 years straight without them going empty and they know when we refill those things that the golden nuggets are there and they love it. I think it is Raspberry flavored.

I second on the golden nuggets, we just filled our feeders with record rack and put golden nuggets on the feed plates and a couple of hand fulls on the ground. They are hitting the protein hard. I also put out a 12/12 mineral on the ground its made for cattle but very helpful to the deer and they are picking up alot of that as well.

next load mix corn in with the protein - we did that when we started feeding cottonseed and it gets them on it. We have great luck with Record Rack

how big are the feed pens?

When I first started feeding protein it took about 30 days before the deer started eating it. Now they love it and can empty a 300 lb barrel in a month. I use Antler Max and it works great. I always put a half sack of corn in first then finish with protein and rest of corn sack. Deer quality has improved a lot. Buck I shot this past Nov field dressed 150. I am in Stephens county.

If your pen is too small, you may have a problem.

Again - mix corn with it and they will find it

No corn needed, no spin feeders, big pen, small pen or whatever -

If they want it they will come get it. Just add a little time and PRO ANTLER 20%. You wont be able to keep um full. Only problem you will have is the consumption will be higher then expected. Guaranteed.

Don't take my word for it - check out the link - http://nutradeer.com/blog/dr-james-c-kroll-research-study-introduction/

corn is a lot cheaper and I have used on multiple ranches to start the deer on regular protein or cottonseed - it is cheap and easy

Dr. Deer Approved

Your deer must be a heck of a lot more picky than mine.

For the first filling of protein feeders, we mix in about 50% corn, and a bag of calf starter, which is basically a 14% sweet feed with cottonseed , mashed corn and molasses in it. That really gets them on it quick.
If you just start out with pellets alone, it will take longer for the deer to get used to it. You basically have to train them to eat the pellets.
And I agree about having a regular corn feeder in the pen as well. Once the corn on the ground is gone, they keep looking around, and they'll learn to eat from the tubes.

Also is the pen clear of brush, catcus and trees? 10 panel round pen is ideal. Also how green is it in your area? What is the habitat like along with deer density? Do you have a management plan in place?

I never tell anyone to fill up a protein feeder completely full of protein to start if the deer have never seen protein. That is a recipe for failure. The deer do not know what that pen is, jumping into the pen, what that feeder is (the deer are used to eating corn from the ground) or the protein is. I would have put the feeder in the pen and put 100# of corn in each one and then put corn around the inside of the pen on the ground. If you have a corn feeder put it in the pen. For now I would go to each feeder and pull out 50# of protein and replace it with 50# of corn. Then go to each feeder tube or port and pull feed out till you start to see corn. Now start trapping coons.