Gravity vs Timer feeders

[deadeye]

Like the title says which ones do you guys prefer of feel like works best for deer?

[hammer63]

Like the title says which ones do you guys prefer of feel like works best for deer?

Are you speaking of protein feeders or corn feeders?

[rg2]

I have used both..gravity sure draws em in & they will pound it..then you have to try to keep it full..spin-cast works well & is lil easier to keep full.....gravity is nice if you dont start feedin too soon & break th bank to keep it full..guess it all depends on how much corn you can afford to buy..

[MQ32Shooter]

Like RG2 says, if money is not an issue, keep them full and let them eat 24/7.

[texas bound]

Gravity for protein and spinner for corn. They aint lying about the Gravity feeders. My deer ate 1000 pounds of protein in 1 month. They will eat you out of house and home.

[artrios]

We have both, but our timed protein feeder is the Lamco that keeps waste down. To much waste on spin cast. Our free choice runs thru 6 tons/mth on HF 800 acres

[M16]

My deer ate 1000 pounds of protein in 1 month.

That's it? Must not have many deer.

[RR 314]

We have both, but our timed protein feeder is the Lamco that keeps waste down. To much waste on spin cast. Our free choice runs thru 6 tons/mth on HF 800 acres

Ditto. I run the Lamco's and they are a good middle ground. The argument for gravity is compelling--give them all they can eat. However, I don't like to pay to give them all they CAN eat. We aren't growing monster deer and have great natural forage as well. I know the argument--if I fed all they wanted they would be bigger.

[M16]

If you want to grow big deer free choice is the only way to go. If you want to save money go with a timed feeder. Don't expect to do both.

[Slick8]

I'm converting my gravity to a timed gravity. I bought a timer unit from Krivoman last week and hope to have it installed in about 6 weeks. I'm in no hurry now, as the cows are in the pasture from Aug 1 thru mid-Sept.

After that, it will be free choice day light till dark which should cut down on the coon waste by a noticeable difference.

During season, It's going to be free choice for about an hour morning and evening. I won't be hunting directly over the protein feeder but trails near it. It should create good movement once they're accustomed to the morning and evening pattern.

[hammer63]

If you want to grow big deer free choice is the only way to go. If you want to save money go with a timed feeder. Don't expect to do both.

Dumping tons of feed on a herd of deer is not in itself going to produce big deer. Control of deer density, refinement of genetics and proper nourishment must all be worked hand-in-hand to grow big bucks. Won't go into the same old tired debate about timed versus free-choice because it depends on the individual's goals and budget and how much control they have over head count. A guy who owns a high fence MLD ranch (possibly with a ranch hand keeping feeders full), who also sells deer hunts and has oilfield money subsidizing his operation, well, that guy has a different set of circumstances to work with than the average guy who is just trying to make a difference as best he can, given his own set of circumstances.

What I do want to clarify is that when a person says that they feed free-choice, they need to ensure that not a day goes by where the feeder is empty to truly be free-choice. If it's free-choice for 3 weeks and empty for a week, well, that's rationed feeding just the same as timed feeding. Might as well be on a timer, right? All too often I hear folks talk about feeding free-choice 24 hours a day and in the next breath say that the deer clean it up in 3 weeks, sitting empty for a week until it gets filled again.

So, to answer the OP's question, if you have the $$$ to feed true free-choice, that is the best you can possibly do for your herd's nourishment. Use a free-coice gravity feeder. If free-choice is not in your budget then obviously, timed feeding helps you ration what you can afford. Your deer may not be as big as they might be with free-choice, but they might be bigger than without feed at all. Again, your feeding method is only one aspect of growing big deer.

Hope this helps.

[dfkoon]

spinner on corn and gravity for protein... Not sure I'd want protein laying on the ground. May just be me.

[hammer63]

spinner on corn and gravity for protein... Not sure I'd want protein laying on the ground. May just be me.

There are several timed protein feeders that spin into troughs or tubes. There is also a timed/free choice tube feeder by our own Krivoman that does not use a spinner. I would never recommend spinning out protein on the ground. IMHO

[Mex. Bowhunter]

I believe feed should always be available to benefit each deer as they need it to truly justify even feeding it. Corn is used as a tool to bring and hold deer in a area. Protein should be looked at only to improve a healthy heard. When you take away the choice of when it is available some deer will not benefit from it. Day time feeding only will not maximize your chances of keeping a Healthier heard. It all comes down to if you are feeding it to just feed it or wanting to try an truly make changes across the board

[hammer63]

I believe feed should always be available to benefit each deer as they need it to truly justify even feeding it. Corn is used as a tool to bring and hold deer in a area. Protein should be looked at only to improve a healthy heard. When you take away the choice of when it is available some deer will not benefit from it. Day time feeding only will not maximize your chances of keeping a Healthier heard. It all comes down to if you are feeding it to just feed it or wanting to try an truly make changes across the board

Maybe you did not understand my post above? If a person lets their feeder run out, they are in fact rationing their feed and have effectively taken away the deer's option of eating when he wants. But to clarify, you are saying that if you can't afford to keep feed in the feeders, just don't bother at all? If my deer will eat 3000# a month but I can only afford 2500#, don't bother? And because I don't have a ranch hand keeping my feeders full for me, don't bother? Again, I'm clarifying the difference between TRUE 24/7/365 free-choice and what some people call free-choice that runs empty for days or weeks at a time. Again, I'm pointing out that we don't all have the same budget, goals and choices. Not everyone is feeding high fence or Mexico quality deer. We don't all have a say in how many deer we feed.