What protein feed works best with a feeder?

[flyingfish]

The bucks on my coastal lease in Brazoria county have good width and length but no mass. I took one I've been watching for four years with a 21" inside spread and 11" longest tune but the main beam isn't over 1" thick. The other bucks all have similar thing racks. My guess is they aren't getting the protein or minerals they need

It's a working cattle ranch with range cattle ago options are limited to put in root crops even back in the woods. The rancher is fine with me keeping my fenced off feeders up year round so I'm thinking I should feed protein over the off season and put out mineral licks. Maybe that will grow some decent antlers. What Kinf d pellet feed works for a feeder in place of the corn?

Gary

[Muddy Bud]

I would get a free choice feeder. If you chunk it on the ground, rodents will probably eat it before your deer do. It would be more cost effective for you. Your feeders are all ready penned so your halfway there. We feed Antler Max 16% with a little Buck Candy.

[BLC708]

self feed protein feeder works! dont throw it in your spinner bc
-it could clog up
-you waste it by throwing it on the ground and feeding coons
-you limit the amount of feed the deer eat.

self feed lets them eat till they are fat and sassy!

[NAVY CHIEF]

i use sweet feed, from tractor supply, has barley, oats, corn and mollasses, i think it's 10 percent but it's alot cheaper and is good for fattening them up at a cheaper price. it has a picture of a goat, sheep, cow and a horse on it, 10 bucks for 40 or 50 pounds.....academy has a 3 way protien funnel tube made by gamewinner for 24.99, i have 6 of them and you can screw them right on any barrell works great and you don't have to spend 300 bucks on a protien feeder, make your own with a 55 gal drum for 20 bucks on craigslist, cut a hole in the bottom of the barrell with a metal hole saw, buy you a funnell and a plastic cap for the lid, make legs out of pipe and your done. spra paint your color of choice, i don't have pics but looks and works great, you also can use straight corn if you want but that's expensive nowadays 2.

[afishinman14]

The deer prefer to eat it off the ground in a pile as opposed to scattered on the ground like corn. I would go with covered troughs or free-choice like said above

[Mike Murphey]

Before asking what is best, (you will get many more options than what is available in your area), go to your local feed store and ask what brands they carry. All proteins are not the same, but what you have close to you to use will be your best option unless you can spend more money on transportation buying it elsewhere....

[jshouse]

pellets will work in a spinner until they get wet. u might look at throwing soybeans or black eyed peas, they will work in a spin feeder and have high protein.

[flyingfish]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll build a free choice feeder and go from there. I still have about 3 week's corn in the feeders so I should have something ready to go by the time they get low.

I talked to my landowner and he's on board as long as I take any pigs that show up regularly. Boy what a tough requirement. To put it the protein feeders I have to agree to hunt pigs n the off season. The rancher aggressively goes after pigs to keeps the numbers down so they don't make it to my end of the lease often but they sure taste good when you can get them

Gary

[imyomama]

i use a 4 head free choice, it's sitting next to a broadcast... at first they would not touch it, so i mixed corn with it.. they started using it then. now.. they come in all the time and it empties just as fast if not faster as the broadcast! I use a driveway alarm to monitor pigs coming to the broadcast feeder, and lately it's impossible to sleep .. deer seem to visit it every hour during the night...

the feed i use is 20% protein .. this year , the deer are fatter then i've ever seen them!!

it works!

[W-L-F]

free feeders is the only way to go--

[baystealth2430]

Just get your pocket book ready if you go the free choice route. I am doing the free choice and they are eating about 50 pounds a day. My 2000 pound feeder makes it less than 6 weeks and at 12 bucks a bag that adds up pretty quick.

[txlawdog]

I am going to have to set up a protien feeder to help me with my wildlife exemption. I think I am going to get a protein feeder with a timer so they don't eat me out of house and home. It's a five hour drive so I don't want to have to burn the roads up to keep the feeder filled. I guess I'll check with the feed store on what works.

[jshouse]

i was going through 30lbs a day during the summer on 45 acres

[MA ELite]

20% creep feed works good and it is cheaper then "deer" protein feed. Out of a free choice feeder.

[MA ELite]

Sorry for got the pic.