Thanks for sharing Awesome information as usual. Dr. James Kroll and Gordon Whittington are in Eastern Wyoming hunting whitetails with their crossbows. The arrival of spring is easy to recognize. With more than 65 years of experience designing and improving deer protein feeders, we've created a product that will meet the needs of both you and the deer on your property. A solid feeding plan doesnt just consist of piling corn around the property year round and hoping for the best. Growing the right forage on your property can contribute to increased deer size and health. Supplemental Feeding - Texas Wildlife Management Five of the twelve deer found dead due to winter feeding in N.H. Thats why most hunters who are intent on growing the healthiest deer herd possible take matters into their own hands and implement a supplemental feeding program. However, it's crucial to actively transition the herd to a more fat and carb-heavy diet. Posted by Texas Hunter Products on 5th Mar 2015. Try our Smartphone SD Card Reader Gen 3! You will also notice another feeder sitethis is where hunting strategy really takes off. For the first two to three months of life, fawns rely on their mother's milk to fulfill all nutritional needs, making it crucial for does to receive enough protein. If you plan to set up a food plot for deer, be sure to do soil tests first. The higher nutrition benefits fawns during initial When provided in the habitat of free-ranging deer, animals will consume additional food sources, such as forbs, browse, and mast, in addition to cottonseed. feeding program easy and affordable. In reality, however, protein is an essential part of a deer's diet. With ample high-protein deer feed available year-round, you'll notice a significant increase in the overall size of your herd within a couple of years. Being close to a water source will also make it easier to establish your new feeding station. A Whitetail Buck's 5 . Bucks, does and fawns also need plenty of sodium during the spring because their daily intake of water is increased significantly by the lush browse. Supplemental feeding, food plots and mineral supplements are all very beneficial to the deer herd in spring. to help increase survival rates and initiate antler development. When you ensure the deer on your property have the right nutrients throughout the year, they get bigger and stay healthier. Even if your state does not allow hunting over bait you can still create the attraction and central hubs for deer socialization. The gravity style feeder comes in several sizes that will fit any land managers desires be it a 40- or 600-pound feeder. The feed should be as high in protein as you can afford but does not need to exceed 20 percent. results of a study conducted by researchers from the University of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation drive home just how much protein is needed to produce large racks. Feeding deer requires a flexible plan throughout the year to ensure a healthy herd. Whitetail deer begin the process of antler Bow hunters live and die by this simple observation and strategy. Thank you in advance for any help. By installing and running two feeder sites, one for north winds and one for south winds, you create hunting opportunities regardless of the prevailing wind. Yes. effort. Texas Hunter Products offers eight reliable deer protein feeder models to choose from ranging from 300 pound to 2,000 pound capacities. Soybeans, alfalfa and assorted broadleaf plants are ideal for deer forage, so make it easy to grow this vegetation on your property. I use clover to fill my nutritional gaps between annual planting. Here are tips to help you start! Lactation is more nutritionally expensive than gestation and almost Managing the canopy cover over your food plot and keeping the soil healthy will help these protein-rich plants flourish and draw in deer. If you ask the question you can be sure a deer biologist or two have as well, and they have found the answers through research. Cant find where to buy one. Growing fawns will make use of the protein, while bucks and does will benefit from the carbohydrates and fats. Obviously, if you are in the research phase of either building or buying a deer feeder chances are you have a spot already picked out on your hunting property. Drought conditions, temperatures in the triple digits, nursing fawns and parasites combine to make it difficult for a deer to survive, let alone grow. Where permitted, you can put out food year-round to supply their nutritional needs. Would I be wasting my time with using just 4 spin-feeders to feed the pellets or would I need free-choice feeders and a lot more than 3 to do any good? If you have extremely porous soils, you may need to line the site with clay or a synthetic liner. Your email address will not be published. Just curious on others experience particulalry in the mason county area on feeding protein. 3 Ways to Improve Your Deer with Protein - Texas Hunter Products All Rights Reserved | Sitemap, Americas Choice for Outdoor Products Since 1954, Tips For Starting A Successful Protein Feeding Program, Mar We offer a 200lb Gravity Feeder, and by design, it features everything it needssimplified to be a very successful deer feeder. This is why states all across the northern stretches of the country restrict or outlaw the use of bait and feeding of deer. A deer feeder offers several advantages over simply placing feed on the ground. The following chart tracks protein feed consumption on one of the Faith Ranch pastures. Any change in a deer's diet that you want to institute should be done so gradually. Why not, right? For your protein feeding program to succeed, though, you need to ensure you provide the right food in the right locations at the right times. You can start by switching to 40 percent corn and add between 10 and 15 percent more corn each week until your desired ratio is achieved. At the beginning of labor the vulva opens as the uterine . Chicory, for example, has a protein content of You can follow a general schedule like this one for how often to feed deer: What results should you expect from a successful feeding program? Setting up deer protein feeders on your property will help deer remain strong and steady in their growth cycle, and Texas Hunter Products is here to help you do it. Mixing corn into high-protein pellet feed should begin sometime in October. It is critical for nursing does to pass on proteins and energy through their milk to the growing fawns. You'll also need to replenish the supply of feed from time to time, so the feeder needs to be accessible by vehicle. It gives insight into the setup, settings, and tips for each scenario such as a camera over feed. If the rate of fawn survival makes the herd grow too large, you'll experience imbalances that end up damaging the herd and land overall. Whitetail deer are searching for the necessary food needed to stay healthy year-round. Either way, these feeding tips excel the situation beyond a feeder sitting in a field! A steady diet of protein feed will result in a larger population of deer Mixing Corn and Protein To Start A Feeding Program - YouTube Jeremy Moore talks with Randy Birdsong about what is needed to get involved in the trapping world. Be sure that your feeders are accessible by fawns, as they are the most critical deer in your herd to feed. Other than protein, minerals are also a thought pertaining to deer feed. Stan Potts bowhunts Illinois and doubles down in Montana with his rifle. Youll notice that Midwest whitetails are eating tracts of uncut corn straight off the stalk well into February. Deer generally do best when protein feeders are placed in a secluded spot near transition areas, such as draws, travel corridors or along the edges of vegetation where there is a transition in habitat. Protein feeding deer 10-24-2019, 03:44 PM I would like to start protein feeding on my property but I have a few questions for the people who are currently doing it. Since no legs extend past the feed ports like they do on a tripod feeder, bucks will not hit or damage their delicate antlers during the growing season. One of the essential supplemental deer feeding tips is to understand the seasonal nutritional needs of the species. 2024 Evangel Christian (LA) DL Gabriel Reliford commits to Texas A&M, Defensive lineman Gabriel Reliford joins A&M's ever-growing 2024 haul, In-Home Visit: Texas A&M grabs DL Gabriel Reliford out of Louisiana, Liucci discusses Weston Davis' pledge & A&M's recruiting momentum, Andersson Garcia utilizing the offseason to improve his game. Many consider the supplemental feeding of protein to deer to be a key Protein for east Texas bucks | 2 Cool Fishing Forum hide. A female deer needs 11 to 15 percent protein during late pregnancy and can use up to 22 percent during lactation. I agree that there is a lot of contradicting advice on internet about deer feeding times. Photo: New Hampshire Fish and Game. The Do's and Don'ts of Feeding Deer This Winter - Bone Collector Antler Size We know a lot about how buck protein impacts the growth of antlers. Here are some deer feeding tips to help you make the decisions on what and when to feed. Best of all, setup is easy, theyre portable, and built to last a lifetime. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a4db33236085d8bd16491c17b4ff8c0f" );document.getElementById("j160d1738e").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Your email address will not be published. However, you also have to factor in accessibility of a truck, ATV, or side-by-side that can reach the feeder. If its an extremely hot and dry summer, deer will not have an adequate supply of leafy greens and a pellet that is too high in protein can be tough for them to digest. A consistent diet of protein feed will result in a larger population of deer because of the higher survival rates with feeding. more than 26 percent, but may not be available year-round due to poor weather conditions or seasonality. Some of this concern undoubtedly stems from the possible negative outcomes of gathering large numbers of deer in one placediseases being the concern. Anyone know if Muddy still makes their deer feeder filler? Protein Feeding Strategy, Benefits & Feeder Placement - Texas Hunter I have around 400 acres with two spin cast feeders i hunt, and one central protein feed pen I don't hunt. 16% crude protein is the agreed upon percentage of protein intake that maximizes antler growth, however, it doesnt tell the whole story. The Reason Behind Deer Protein Pellets| Purina Animal Nutrition It's also important to note that body growth and maintenance of general functions take priority over the growth of antlers. Protein: 50 pounds high quality protein pellet. Always make the change gradually. Intervention in the form of a couple hundred pounds of deer corn can spell disaster for deer. In addition, to avoid infertility in bucks cottonseed should not be made available to deer within 6 weeks of the breeding season. 2023 Maroon & White LP. Its ideal to have both corn and protein feeders to provide a complete diet for your deer. There are multiple brands to choose from, each with their own explanations of why they're the best. When Should You Start Feeding Deer? - YouTube These Many forages highly utilized by deer are over 30% protein. The bucks will be ramping up antler growth, while does benefit from the protein while they are nurturing their new fawns. Food plots fail. Those food plot borders or "edges" that you planted will not be a great source of carbohydrates for your deer in the form of mature seed heads or corn. This should be the first priority. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. By keeping them separate, seed production in the grains and leaf production in the legumes can be maximized. By creating two social hotspots pivoting on food sources you can create hunting opportunities for two scenarios. Obviously, the wild deer are unharmed by consuming these high-protein plants. In fact, feeding deer in the winter is a big concern for deer, deer managers, and many states. Starting a Successful Protein Feeding Program - Texas Hunter Products However, it may be better to be safe than sorry. The ideal amount of protein depends on the conditions. Just like humans, whitetail deer need a well-rounded diet throughout the year. I've found that these blends tend to provide attraction and nutrition and do so for 7 months or more each year. Required fields are marked *. Standard pellet feed will usually be the most cost-effective option. The corn maze of states in the Midwest such as Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa have so much corn readily available (either standing or left behind from the combine) during the winter months that the deers rumen and microbial population is adjusted for feeding. A deer feeding program can be a pivotal part of growing a healthier deer herd. Bucks will also begin growing their new antlers by the end of spring, a function also requiring a high protein diet but also plenty of calcium and phosphorus. I want to start feeding them protein pellets to amp up the antlers a little. Mother Nature doesnt always cooperate with a land managers goals. North American Whitetail revisits Stan Potts' very first hunt for the TV Show. The This article was very informative. Simple and consistent corn feeding throughout the winter months appears to help deer and other wildlife through cold temperatures and heavy snowfall. This is primetime for bucks growing antlers and does rearing fawns. These are mainly calcium and phosphorous. Some triple their weight in the first month. Muddy 200 LB. Deer need carbs in cold months. Their needs fluctuate depending on their activity during each season. If you have to pick one time of year to provide your deer with supplemental feed, summer is it. 2019, In instances where there is no known history of feeding protein to deer or if youre setting-up a new protein feeding station, make a trail using corn from the closest deer trail over to your. Learn everything you need to know about supplemental feeding programs for deer and wild game for attraction or hunting with our helpful guide. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Many deer recognize and are naturally attracted to the familiar format. Welcome to deer feeders 101. Summer in the South can be the most brutal season of the year for a whitetail deer herd. Is a supplemental feed program beneficial for your deer and hunting? Texas Hunter Products offers eight reliable deer protein feeder models to choose from ranging from. Deer Feeder: A tool used to supply feed, usually in the form of grain (corn) or a specially blended deer/wildlife feed for nutrition, to deer or wildlife in supplemental feed programs. the spring and summer. When that runs out, go with 100% pellets in your free-choice feeder. TexAgs is an independent site and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Whitetail deer are searching for the necessary food needed to stay healthy year-round. Along with its ease of use, the Feedbanks UV-stabilized polyethylene construction withstands the nastiest of weather. With a higher fawn survival rate, you have an opportunity for more trophy bucks in the future. Keep in mind a few tips to start your plan: Deer need a few key ingredients to thrive and grow during the year. Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales, Copyright 2023 Texas Hunter Products. If protein availability falls below 16 percent during spring or summer, males will still grow smaller antlers. For any hunter or landowner that does plan on implementing a supplemental feeding program, the first thing to do is get the whitetail deer population in line with the carrying capacity of the ranch. 2015, Tips For Starting A Successful Protein Feeding Pro, Replace depleted protein due to the scarceness of forbs, Help the herd maintain adequate nutrition through the winter months, Ensure fawns receive adequate protein for growth, Crude protein content of at least 20 percent, Minerals such as calcium to support antler growth. Whitetail deer can lose up to 30% of their body weight during this 'winter stress'. Remnants from agriculture production and woody browse make up the largest part of a deer's diet throughout winter. You can also make your own mineral blend that is simple, affordable and effective. However, bucks are seeing the beginnings of antler growth and does are getting ready to rear fawns. Food plots, however, often provide the deer with the proper forage in the fall to help digest those carbohydrates more easily and efficiently. It can spread disease Leaving food out for deer could result in groups of deer gathering in your yard. Each Texas Hunter Protein Feeder is Roto-Molded with the same durable construction as Yeti Coolers. I like to start my protein feeding program around May 1 and continue it throughout the summer. If immense antlers are your goal, protein supplementation is a must. If you have any questions about how our feeders can help you grow bigger bucks, feel free to energy they need to survive the harsh winter months. Incorporate these nutrients into your feeding program, and you'll set yourself up for excellent results: Check your state's legal regulations to ensure you're adhering to any rules regarding when and where you can feed your wildlife. The right habitats and feed will get deer to stay in your area and help them grow even bigger. There are many people believe that deer cannot tolerate more than 16 percent dietary protein, and that high-protein diets are wasteful or even toxic. If the summer is mild and rainfall is normal, a pellet with higher protein content can be more easily ingested with the natural vegetation. By knowing what goes into deer feeder designs, you discover their advantages. Thats why most hunters who are intent on growing the healthiest deer herd possible take matters into their own hands and implement a supplemental feeding program. Access to feed and protection of feed are the most obvious advantages. Maintaining deer feeders from October through December is a common practice on many ranches to attract deer to hunting blinds during the hunting season. However, another more likely concern that often goes unknown to the person supplying the feed is called acidosis. This should be the first priority. The diagram above is a common, or a slightly above average Midwest hunting property (the terrain and amount of timber is a blessing). Don't feed corn when it is hot. Gravity Feeder | Muddy Outdoors Product. With several models However, when it comes to deer management, it is always best to be safe. These free choice gravity flow feeders provide deer access to protein feed whenever they want to feed. Does will have higher fawn crops due to supplemental feeding because of better health. Posted by Texas Hunter Products on 3rd Mar 2022 By Dave Edwards, National Deer Association Bucks expend a great deal of energy during the fall preparing for and participating in the rut. I believe that you should always take into account the peculiarities of the region in order to develop the correct formula for feeding adult deer! A study in Texas found that bucks fed a 16% crude protein diet grew antlers that scored 20 inches higher Boone and Crockett, than did bucks fed 8% crude protein (Hamel et al. Reader Submitted: Weve never fed protein pellets for white-tailed deer on our 2,600 acre ranch in Mason County. The Time Required: 2 to 3 Years Before Any Results are Seen Our experience at the Faith Ranch indicates that it takes about 2 to 3 years before protein feed becomes a significant part of a deer herd's diet. Setting up feeders at strategic locations is a great way to keep deer around and make sure they're getting plenty to eat. Protein supplementation reduces the impact of natural selection. save. PDF Supplemental Feeding - Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Texas Hunter has introduced the most innovative Gravity Protein Feeders ever designed. from a protein feeding program, high protein diets are also beneficial to 1989) MSU Deer Lab. Deer in Texas only have the luxury of chicory foraging through fall, winter and some of spring, while the plant grows year-round in other areas of the country. Yes. This reiterates the fact that there is much to think about before a deer feeder is placed and filled! I just bought 2 of your gravity feeders and will start using them this Spring into late Fall. Interested in becoming a hunter? It is not cost efficient. Carbohydrates: 100 pounds corn A deers diet during the winter consists of high fiber woody browse, not low fiber carbohydrates. Texas Hunter Products has designed, patented and engineered a full line of affordable gravity flow protein feeders for sale. When i tryed to feed protein at our place in east texas the deer wouldnt touch it. https://www.4swildlife.com maximizing their antler development during the peak antler growing season in These are the most compelling. Subscriber Services. Deer Hunting and Feeding Protein - Texas Hunting Times Feeding deer protein is becoming very popular to help improve antler growth, fawn production and to keep your herd healthy when vegetation and other food sources are limited. Surprisingly, deer feeders come in a variety of sizes, designs, and uses. Pellets, depending on the brand, can contain anywhere between 16 and 21 percent protein. The diagram below helps paint the scene for your imagination. 3,316 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by Hullabaque Hullabaque 1:59p, 9/17/20 AG Right now I feed Antlermax and cottonseed from Jan - Sept in my protein pen. To move the feeder, simply pick it up and haul it to the next post, which is beneficial during the summer because you can get an accurate survey of your deer herd with some trail cameras located nearby. Air and soil temperatures begin to rise and lush green growth starts to canvas the forest floor. Lance Cote Wildlife Consultant for . Of course, diets change with the region. These larger-seeded grains can be planted together with the legumes, but I prefer to plant them by themselves in small patches or in strips along the edges of fields. The big question is can a supplemental feeding program increase the size and score of the bucks on my property?. This free choice gravity flow feeder, ultimately provides the animals access to protein feed whenever they want to feed. Texas Hunter Products engineered and patented the most innovative protein feeders ever designed including a durable, roto-molded construction that keeps feed dry, fresh, cool - and . However, concern over acidosis is waved throughout the Midwest and in areas where deer are already consuming corn. From the general wildlife feeder to a critical supplemental feeding program, deer feeders can certainly pull their weight no matter the use. To move the feeder, simply pick it up and haul it to the next post, which is beneficial during the summer because you can get an accurate survey of your deer herd with some trail cameras located nearby. I know plenty who do, but they can also afford it. If you didn't plant summer plots and are going to plant in the fall, I suggest a good blend of grasses and legumes. Provide the Best Nutrition. contact us. We tested numerous feeders over a multi-year period and ultimately decided that we could build a better product. The ideal amount of protein depends on the conditions. available and exclusive patented technology, Texas Hunter engineered, the most innovative protein feeders ever designed. Setting up protein feeder and corn stations - Texas Hunting Forum Deer don't always take to supplemental feeding immediately. Feeding deer during the winter is not a subject to lightly dismiss as a "common sense subject . Having that protein available through deer pellet feed or another form of protein supplementation will allow does to produce higher quality milk during the short lactation window, promoting better growth for their fast-growing fawns. PDF Protein Feeding Deer - tamuk.edu You May Also Like: The Top 5 Proteins Proven To Grow Big Bucks In The Off Season. Unfortunately most of these baiting efforts cease just before additional feed is really needed by the deer. Both does and bucks will be in a better position to do this with extra protein available. Why it's the Best Time to Start Feeding Protein - Texas Hunter Products