Cottonseed or Mineral Blocks at Tractor Supply

[U.S.ArmyRetired]

I saw bags of cotton seed at TSC this morning. Is cotton seed something you can just pour on the ground and would it be beneficial to deer in North East Texas? I have seen the wire feeders most people use but just curious if I could pile it on the ground.

The other option I thought about was 2 mineral blocks from TSC and pour deer cane on top.

What would be a better option?

[Hogmauler]

I had a private land biologist out at our property last week. It’s not high fenced or hundreds of acres. I showed him my feeder set up. Have a corn feeder, trophy rocks and cotton seed feeder. And protein in my trough feeder.
I told him that I realized that the corn wasn’t that beneficial. He stopped me and said “It actually contains about 8% protein”. As far as the cotton seed, and protein pellets, and trophy rock he said “if it makes you feel better to supply them with it then do so. But it’s not necessary”. He is the senior biologist for that area in Robertson county and has worked for TP&W for 37 years. He’s a huge proponent of range management including yaupon control, controlled burns etc. The man was a walking textbook on deer browse and habitat management. And if that wasn’t enough he was simply a great guy to hang out with.

[gtsticker]

We dump ours in piles on the ground and they clean up everything


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[U.S.ArmyRetired]

I had a private land biologist out at our property last week. It’s not high fenced or hundreds of acres. I showed him my feeder set up. Have a corn feeder, trophy rocks and cotton seed feeder. And protein in my trough feeder.
I told him that I realized that the corn wasn’t that beneficial. He stopped me and said “It actually contains about 8% protein”. As far as the cotton seed, and protein pellets, and trophy rock he said “if it makes you feel better to supply them with it then do so. But it’s not necessary”. He is the senior biologist for that area in Robertson county and has worked for TP&W for 37 years. He’s a huge proponent of range management including yaupon control, controlled burns etc. The man was a walking textbook on deer browse and habitat management. And if that wasn’t enough he was simply a great guy to hang out with.

Very interesting. Total opposite of my most folks tell you. For my 40 acres I should just feed corn or maybe corn and soybeans.

[HTXTundra]

I’ve always heard that if you can afford it, then do it. Gives the deer something else to munch on.

[BayouCat]

Very interesting. Total opposite of my most folks tell you. For my 40 acres I should just feed corn or maybe corn and soybeans.

On 40ac, I would feed whatever keeps them visiting your property as much as possible.

[TxBowHntr]

On 40ac, I would feed whatever keeps them visiting your property as much as possible.

This is my thought as well.

[BRUTE 23]

Corn is not about the protein, its about the carbs for winter. Protein for growing, fat for milking and breeding, carbs for cold.

You want to get real crazy. Look up what give you more male offspring vs female offspring... protein vs carbs.

[Hogmauler]

It was very enlightening to have a TP&W biologist come out and spend an hour and a half or more walking your property. Basically what I saw as weeds he said was food. Another interesting fact was regarding yaupon. While I thought if offered privacy and protection, the biologist said that does won’t fawn in it. He stood by the idea of returning the land back to native grasses, oaks and some specific cedar, not large groups of cedar, for birds.
You can go to the parks and wildlife and locate the “private lands biologist “ and set up an appointment for your own property.
Additionally, I believe he told me that parks and wildlife would perform your first burn, but afterwords you had to do your own. Don’t quote me on that. Do your own investigation.

[5-0Bowhunter]

Good info thanks for sharing. I do all of it as well on 200 acres. Our problem is plenty of does and very few bucks. We have fresh water (creek), lots of cover with good hardwoods. 3 large foodplots, and plenty of cover. We feed corn and protein year round. While our neighbor throws corn in his feeder the week before season and all the bucks hang out there.

[LivinADream]

It was very enlightening to have a TP&W biologist come out and spend an hour and a half or more walking your property. Basically what I saw as weeds he said was food. Another interesting fact was regarding yaupon. While I thought if offered privacy and protection, the biologist said that does won’t fawn in it. He stood by the idea of returning the land back to native grasses, oaks and some specific cedar, not large groups of cedar, for birds.
You can go to the parks and wildlife and locate the “private lands biologist “ and set up an appointment for your own property.
Additionally, I believe he told me that parks and wildlife would perform your first burn, but afterwords you had to do your own. Don’t quote me on that. Do your own investigation.

What was the cost for the biologist thru tpwd?

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[Javelin]

our company man biologist for our lease is against feeding protein for deer and insist it does no good. So of course our members think he is right so no protein feed on our lease other than by me and a couple others.

[txbowman12]

Good info thanks for sharing. I do all of it as well on 200 acres. Our problem is plenty of does and very few bucks. We have fresh water (creek), lots of cover with good hardwoods. 3 large foodplots, and plenty of cover. We feed corn and protein year round. While our neighbor throws corn in his feeder the week before season and all the bucks hang out there.

https://www.whitetailhabitatsolutions.com/blog/doe-factory-habitat-problems

Doe factory - This is a good read on that particular problem. Doe groups have very tight home ranges, and can push mature bucks out of that area during the daytime.

When are you shooting your doe?

[deerwatcher51]

What was the cost for the biologist thru tpwd?

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There is no charge for them to come out and evaluate your place….your tax dollars at work.

[Jake]

Find a good bush, cover it with cotton seed. Keeps deer from walking all over it and works as well as a circle wire feeder with no effort.
After spending way too much time watching deer herds over the last 40 years, I am a firm believer in cottonseed. Texas is big and different areas need different things.