Protein to Corn cutover date?

[Traildust]

When do most of you stop protein feeding and switch over to corn?

We typically do it around the first of September, not sure why other than that date sounded good.
When do y'all turn on the corn?

[88 Bound]

I feed both year round. The deer are pounding protein right now and our place is as green as it's ever been.

Last year, Everyone else on the lease stopped in late August and from then on I had a lot more deer coming to my protein.

[Plan B]

I feed both year round. The deer are pounding protein right now and our place is as green as it's ever been.

Last year, Everyone else on the lease stopped in late August and from then on I had a lot more deer coming to my protein.

When you feed free choice proten year round does it make your deer tend to be more nocturnal during hunting season?

[gonehuntin68]

When you feed free choice proten year round does it make your deer tend to be more nocturnal during hunting season?

This is all going to depend on your place as every place is different. The place I hunted, we ran protein all year. Every buck we had at the protein feeders we had at the corn feeders. They would hit the corn during the day and the protein at night for the most part. This was in South Texas.

[Bayouboy]

This is all going to depend on your place as every place is different. The place I hunted, we ran protein all year. Every buck we had at the protein feeders we had at the corn feeders. They would hit the corn during the day and the protein at night for the most part. This was in South Texas.

So... if I mix corn/protein I should have the most activity at noon? Looks like I will be sleeping in this season.

[Hawkpuppy 1]

Most guys seem to stop feeding protein around the first of September. Basically, after the antler growing season. I personally like to see it fed year round in order to keep overall body condition and health up. Hard winters and rut really take a toll on bucks and the better shape they are in beforehand the faster they can recover to start growing again in the spring...

[88 Bound]

When you feed free choice proten year round does it make your deer tend to be more nocturnal during hunting season?

Unfortunately, yes. To counter that this year I have converted my free choice to a timed feed with one of Hammer63's control units. I leave it mostly free choice up until bow season then I shut it off at night and mid day. I don't want to hunt my deer at the feeder, but I do want to prevent them from using it during non hunting hours.

Hawkpuppy nailed it as far as why to feed during the season.

[jctex81]

I am working on building a timed protein setup now...I want to keep them coming when the rest of the lease stops feeding protein...past years I ran into issues with lots of nocturnal activity on the free choice feeder...This year I will shut down free choice...run timed protein and mix some protein with corn in the broadcast...hopefully getting the morning and evening activity I desire....

[Slick8]

I don't have a choice. There's 100 acres of corn in three fields on my lease. Once the corn starts to dry, the deer will quit the protein. Usually 3-4 weeks ahead of harvest the protein usage goes down and nearly to zero right before harvest.

I have two feeders running double down mixed with corn. I had my first deer pictures in 10 days this morning.

I can't wait for him to shell that corn, should be in about a week.

[Chad74]

I try to feed both year round. I do the protein because I have found that it is a good attractant as well as the obvious reasons of antler growth and rut recovery. Now I will admit that the protein will sometimes runs out in the summer due to my schedule and being able to go out a fill feeders. But I am in the process of putting a 1500# protein feeder with a timer tube, that I plan to open at 7:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM to help keep the deer from being nocturnal. Not sure there is such a thing as a nocturnal deer but that is a subject for another thread. But closing it off at night should keep the coons out of it.

[88 Bound]

I try to feed both year round. I do the protein because I have found that it is a good attractant as well as the obvious reasons of antler growth and rut recovery. Now I will admit that the protein will sometimes runs out in the summer due to my schedule and being able to go out a fill feeders. But I am in the process of putting a 1500# protein feeder with a timer tube, that I plan to open at 7:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM to help keep the deer from being nocturnal. Not sure there is such a thing as a nocturnal deer but that is a subject for another thread. But closing it off at night should keep the coons out of it.

These reasons exactly are why I began using a timed unit. The raccoons were cleaning out the feeder way faster than I could fill it and the deer would go several days or weeks without protein at times. Plus the bucks became much more nocturnal as the season started. Another thing I noticed is that the does would hang out at the feeder day in and day out until the feeder was empty and there were not many bucks utilizing it. My thoughts were several:

1) The main reason I feed protein is to better the antlers on my bucks. I don't wish to let the does hog all of the protein, it's just not my intent.
2) I much prefer the deer to get a little protein always then a lot sometimes and none other times (between me filling it)
3) watching coons empty the protein I just filled irks me to no end
4)The nocturnal activity will stop once the season starts

So far so good.

Also, I do add a little protein into my corn feeders during season. Bucks become aggressive at the feeders and it helps ensure that all of my deer have access to protein during the winder months.

[jctex81]

These reasons exactly are why I began using a timed unit. The raccoons were cleaning out the feeder way faster than I could fill it and the deer would go several days or weeks without protein at times. Plus the bucks became much more nocturnal as the season started. Another thing I noticed is that the does would hang out at the feeder day in and day out until the feeder was empty and there were not many bucks utilizing it. My thoughts were several:

1) The main reason I feed protein is to better the antlers on my bucks. I don't wish to let the does hog all of the protein, it's just not my intent.
2) I much prefer the deer to get a little protein always then a lot sometimes and none other times (between me filling it)
3) watching coons empty the protein I just filled irks me to no end
4)The nocturnal activity will stop once the season starts

So far so good.

Also, I do add a little protein into my corn feeders during season. Bucks become aggressive at the feeders and it helps ensure that all of my deer have access to protein during the winder months.

[hammer63]

We actually feed protein year-round, however, we throttle it back to ONLY daylight feeding starting in September. We've found that we don't lose any of our mature bucks by doing this, but cutting the protein off and only letting them have corn will definitely put the bucks on the trail looking for protein elsewhere.

This year were adding smaller feeders with timed gates to feed attractant along with the protein and corn. We'll limit the attractant to one tube full per day, feeding right at sunrise. Morning hunts should be busy 8-)

[TXBRASS]

We keep protein going 365 but add corn heavy on ground in shooting lanes for about 200 yards a few days before we hunt. Have deer at feeders and also down the lanes at the same time. Much larger feeding area seems to hold more deer in view at the same time and for longer than just hunting the feeder itself.

[686]

I switched to a timed protein unit this year (Krivoman) and am loving it!!! No more coons draining it and I can ration the protein, so that the feeder only needs filling every 3-4 weeks instead of every 5-7 days. I have the feeder open from 7am -7:45am and from 6pm - 6:45pm, and they eat about 50# per day on that schedule. I'm planning on running it year round at this setup because they can't "go nocturnal" (because the feeder is closed at night, no more looking at thousands of trail cam photos with a dozen deer camped out at the feeder at midnight)