Protein pellets ?

Drycreek

Well-Known Member
I’ve been feeding, or rather having available, protein for the deer on my home place for three or four years now. I’ve actually had very little interest shown by the deer. I even threw a hand full of corn in each spout several times to maybe encourage them. It worked a little but when the corn was gone so were the deer.


This year there was a big change for some reason. Last weekend I was riding my great grandkids, (all girls), around in my CanAm and thought about the camera that was on the feed pen. I hadn’t looked at pics for at least three months and boy was I surprised ! Lots of pics, over 300, and most were bucks, up to four at a time. The pics here are just random. 3C7AE234-97A0-4435-A467-36424435AB8C.jpeg49F64A4F-8A05-4BD1-8E3D-F496698B3476.jpeg0D55C9FF-AA2D-4FDC-AE8C-736CFD0F9260.jpeg
 
I have heard of a lot of folks having difficulty getting deer to start feeding on protein pellets. I have thought about giving it a try at my place - but I sure do hate those tall feeders for filling.
 
We used to run protein pellets in the off-season. I swore we brought every deer within miles to our property. Then 30 days before the season started they needed to be removed. The majority of the deer would leave and never be seen on camera again until they came back out.

But the largest bodied deer we ever killed was during that time. 278 live weight. 50 pounds heavier then any deer since the feeders have stopped being filled.
 
I have heard of a lot of folks having difficulty getting deer to start feeding on protein pellets. I have thought about giving it a try at my place - but I sure do hate those tall feeders for filling.


Yeah,me too. I have to back my CanAm up to it and use my shop stool to get in the bed so I can reach it. Y’all might notice that the legs are not factory on that feeder. With the factory legs coons just shimmy up them and get on the feed tubes so they can rake pellets out at will. They feed themselves and however many coons are on the ground. Since my modification no coons EVER on camera. As Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise !”
 
Very nice modifications for the legs of the feeder. I like that. Raccoons are one of my worst enemys.

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If it was legal, I’d feed, particularly during winter/early spring. In any event, we’d have to use the super heavy feeders you see in TX. Otherwise, the bears would simply knock them over.
 
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It took the deer in my county 2 years before they started showing interest in protein feeders

Currently, I have difficulty keeping them filled

bill
 
It took the deer in my county 2 years before they started showing interest in protein feeders

Currently, I have difficulty keeping them filled

bill


From what I see in my pics I’m afraid that’s what I have in store. I originally bought that small feeder because supplemental feed is one of the requirements for my wildlife exemptions. Several things you can do to lower your taxes, this is just one.


A cut on property taxes is a good thing. Something some of y’all might not be familiar with, but in the great state of Texas, you never truly own your land or house. If you think differently, just try not paying your property taxes. I could go on, but………
 
I don't have a problem getting deer to eat the record rack berry flavor or real world feed.I usually mix 50/50 with corn to save money but I have fed straight and they seem to like it alot better than the purina
 
A cut on property taxes is a good thing. Something some of y’all might not be familiar with, but in the great state of Texas, you never truly own your land or house. If you think differently, just try not paying your property taxes. I could go on, but………

Tax laws are written to discourage you from “owning” anything so that you have to depend on, and be subject to, the government.
 
Yeah,me too. I have to back my CanAm up to it and use my shop stool to get in the bed so I can reach it. Y’all might notice that the legs are not factory on that feeder. With the factory legs coons just shimmy up them and get on the feed tubes so they can rake pellets out at will. They feed themselves and however many coons are on the ground. Since my modification no coons EVER on camera. As Gomer Pyle used to say, “Surprise, surprise !”

I wiped some wheel bearing grease about a foot off the ground, on the outside off the leg. Didn't want to get it up high where it would get all over the deer. It seemed to work very well because there wasn't a single picture of a coon on the feeder tubes this year.
 
I used the legs that came with mine but didn't put on 1 joint but makes it so I can fill from ground,I have got to squall coons this weekend to thin them down someIMG_1822.jpg
 
Great modification on the feeder!!!Coons...GRRRR

Couple thoughts on why the deer got on the feeder this year. Here in La. we had zero acorns this year. If same for you then having no food source during winter stress makes for hungry deer . Also plug in bucks run down from rut and an easy meal becomes handy. Sometimes it takes an environmental change to get deer on pellets. But once they figure it out will be readily accepted. Lastly, be curious what pellets you are feeding? Could make a difference.

Don't be surprised if consumption continues till acorn drop next year. Then could stop overnight till acorns gone
 
I had that problem when trying to feed purina,they wouldn't eat unless it was mixed with corn.I never had a problem getting them to eat the Record Rack or Real World feed
 
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