# One month in (protien feeding)



## mug.sneed (Sep 22, 2013)

Need some guidance folks. I have a small place (150 acres low fence) south of Hebbronville in Zapata county. This is my third year on the place and it's just me and another guy hunting it. We have a decent amount of deer with a 12 point taken yr one and a 10 point taken last year. We let a lot of smaller bucks walk and take a few does because we have a lot of them.

Sooooo, I wanted to do something different this year in regards to getting and holding deer (food, water, cover). I found a spot center mass of the property and set up a gravity feeder that I penned in due to the hog activity. The penned in area is 35x60 which I believe is a fair amount of space and I do have pics of several deer in the penned area so I don't think the size is the issue. I am feeding Double Down feed mixed with 50% corn for the first fill of the feeder. Here's my problem...â€¦..the deer won't touch it!! I have no problem with green jays or quail tho, ha.

The research I've done has led me to possibly two issues, one, it takes in excess of a month for deer that aren't used to eating protein to actually start eating it and two, if they have enough natural browse to eat that they will choose that first.

That's all I know bout it. Should I just be patient? Does someone have an idea of something I should be doing differently?

Additional info:
** Yes, I know I'm gambling feeding protien on a small place but I wanted to try it none the less

** Neighbors are very large places and have normal hunting pressure the best I can tell. They are all low fence as well.

Any comments are greatly appreciated. Have a good one guys!!


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## tec (Jul 20, 2007)

I have a gravity protein feeder in a 20 ft enclosure on 74 acres and deer eat more than a sack a week. It only took a few days for them to find it. I use AntlerMax 20% and never mixed it with anything else.


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## T-Muney (Aug 12, 2005)

My deer usually start eating protein in April and stop in November. They crush it in July and August. Give them another month or two.


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## Jkotzur (May 29, 2016)

You are spot on, it just takes patience. They need a little time to get used to it plus this time of year all the new grass and Forbes will alway be their no. 1 choice. Enjoy it while it last because once they get use to it it goes quickly and gets expensive. Iâ€™m low fence too and my deer empty our 300 lb feeders in 4-5 days, the 1000 lb in 2 weeks and 2000 lb in a month come summer through winter. Good luck!


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## Kyle 1974 (May 10, 2006)

I'd feed cottonseed. they'll probably turn on to the protein sooner or later, but as dry as it is now, you're losing time not feeding them something they'll eat. 



they wouldn't eat double down at my lease either. I'm not sure exactly where you are, but I'm in north eastern zapata county.


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## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

Run up to Bee County Coop and get pellets there. $100 cheaper per ton and it's dang near the tdn as DD. My deer love it.
Plus cottonseed like kyle1974 said.


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## mrsh978 (Apr 24, 2006)

Cottonseed. Once on it -, itâ€™s easier to deal with and less work ( bulk) . Your deer donâ€™t know whatâ€™s in your feeder. Itâ€™s new. When spring weeds/Forbs go away they will go to other food sources


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## Greeber (Nov 10, 2015)

Not trying to hijack OP thread but we are in the same boat but in Madison county. First time we have used feeder pens and we are pretty sure that we are the only place around us that have them. We don't have any pens around any of the other corn feeders. We thought we would start with 2 protein feeders to see how the deer respond to it. Have a corn feeder and a protein feeder inside the pens. They have been up for 2 months and not a single deer has jumped in the pen. The only visitor we have had is a cow that figured out she could jump in and eat all day.


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## batmaninja (Jul 15, 2010)

I wouldnt put corn in a protein feeder. 

I did it once and had a **** crawl up there and die. It was one of the most foul smelling events of my entire life. I just gagged a little thinking about it. 

My hunters did it at the end of this past season. Not sure if it is birds, squirrels or *****, but something is getting after it. Kinda. 

That pen in small too, maybe 8 panels


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## JWS.HOOKEM (Jun 24, 2008)

I use pens that are at least 80x80. One buck can dominate a small pen. Add a homemade cotton seed deal. Itâ€™ll work. Pics if you want.....


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## Brute (Apr 29, 2009)

It will just take some time. I've put a corn feeder with timer next to protein to help get them started in the area but then I remove it one they get on the protein. I wouldnt mix corn next time either.

We have a place between Hebronville and Zapata also. Its dry as can be down there. It's a good time to get it started. They will knock out some protein though so be ready. You might think about adding some cotton seed feeders long term to help offset the protein.


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## mug.sneed (Sep 22, 2013)

@greeper, we put a feeder filled with nothing but corn in the pen that goes off once a day for 5 seconds. The idea was to get em in the pen with not much corn to eat thus turning their attention to the protien. It has worked getting them in the pen but not eating the protien. Most have said to just be patient which is what I am going to do.


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## B&C (Jul 23, 2010)

*Be Patient*

If they've never been fed, it will take a while to get started. Our heaviest fed months are May, June, Sept, and Oct.

Double Down has been the most attracting feed we've fed and switching probably wont change recruitment.

Pens play a factor. All of my protein feeders are penned (60' diameter hog panel circles) and I have deer that wont get in them. Our cottonseed baskets outside the pens feed at 2-3X the rate of the baskets in the pens. We believe that's primarily does and fawns but even our pen hogs spend a lot of time at the satellite baskets.


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## S-3 ranch (May 26, 2004)

mrsh978 said:


> Cottonseed. Once on it -, itâ€™s easier to deal with and less work ( bulk) . Your deer donâ€™t know whatâ€™s in your feeder. Itâ€™s new. When spring weeds/Forbs go away they will go to other food sources


Yep , lots and lots of cotton seed stations, and figure out how to setup water stations, maybe some trace minerals 
Just my opinion you canâ€™t go wrong with wcs and water !!!
Protein is a royal PIA ( ***** , birds, wastage on the ground) and Will get molded or ruined over time


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## CHARLIE (Jun 2, 2004)

Pen mite be part of the problem. Also give the protein some time.We feed Lyssy and Eckel and the deer will pass corn and go to protein. Never mixed protein with corn.


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## mug.sneed (Sep 22, 2013)

*Two months in (protien feeding)*

UPDATE:

Lots of deer in pen but nothing going to protien!!


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## sundownbrown (May 10, 2009)

Itâ€™s prolly pretty green, they would rather forage than eat the protein, give it some time


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## broadonrod (Feb 26, 2010)

B&C said:


> If they've never been fed, it will take a while to get started. Our heaviest fed months are May, June, Sept, and Oct.
> 
> Double Down has been the most attracting feed we've fed and switching probably wont change recruitment.
> 
> Pens play a factor. All of my protein feeders are penned (60' diameter hog panel circles) and I have deer that wont get in them. Our cottonseed baskets outside the pens feed at 2-3X the rate of the baskets in the pens. We believe that's primarily does and fawns but even our pen hogs spend a lot of time at the satellite baskets.


Ya some deer just take a while to get used to protein. 
If they arenâ€™t eating DD they probably arenâ€™t eating other brands. 
Patience is it and no need to mix it. 
Iâ€™m with you B&C the cottonseed outside our pens we put up are getting pounded by hogs. 
We use it for a fiber supplement with our protein not to grow bigger antlers. It makes fat deer though. 
Itâ€™s a good add on for fiber imo.

Op just have patience. Starting protein in the spring time for the first time can be tough. 
Once they hit it you will probably need bigger feeders.
Give it time an be patient.


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## sabiki (Aug 21, 2005)

*getting green down there*



sundownbrown said:


> Itâ€™s prolly pretty green, they would rather forage than eat the protein, give it some time


I hunt maverick county-- deer emptied my 2000lb feeder twice in 6 weeks back in feb and march--back when there was no green browse. I went down yesterday and it only took 5 sacks to fill-- so they have slowed waaay down since we got a few rains. I also have 2 cottonseed baskets that each hold 300lbs. been feeding for my 5th year-- your consumtion IMO will go up and down depending on rainfall and pasture conditions.


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## 68rustbucket (Dec 3, 2009)

When I hunted in Zapata county several years ago, it took the deer 2 full seasons before they would touch the protein. There was one long legged cow that liked it so much she would jump the feed pen fence and empty 1 ton of protein in a couple weeks.


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## Kyle 1974 (May 10, 2006)

all the fresh new green stuff popping out is what the deer want. they don't "want" to jump in a man made feeder pen and stick their head into a metal tube. 

I've noticed the new growth cactus pear is taking a beating at my place. that and all the leafy weeds popping up after the 4-5 inches of rain we got a few weeks ago is also getting beat down. 

mesquite and guajillo are starting to grow beans... tons of new growth everywhere.


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## stxhunter (May 19, 2006)

I hunt in Duval co as well. My deer hadn't eaten protein either. A few years back I decided I was going to start feeding protein, put it out in January took until November before they started eating it. Keep the protein fresh, don't fill it up all the way and have a little patience.


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## jacinda (Mar 3, 2020)

Bukkskin said:


> Run up to Bee County Coop and get pellets there. $100 cheaper per ton and it's dang near the tdn as DD. My deer love it.
> Plus cottonseed like kyle1974 said.


nice share, love it


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## bertha (Sep 15, 2018)

tec said:


> I have a gravity protein feeder in a 20 ft enclosure on 74 acres and deer eat more than a sack a week. It only took a few days for them to find it. I use AntlerMax 20% and never mixed it with anything else.


very nice


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## mug.sneed (Sep 22, 2013)

I gave up!!! ***** and lack of deer got the best of me!!!

Going to whole cotton seed....


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## BiggieSmalls (Dec 2, 2019)

mug.sneed said:


> I gave up!!! ***** and lack of deer got the best of me!!!
> 
> Going to whole cotton seed....


We also hunt a smaller place and had protein out all last year and the deer barely touched it, don't get me wrong it was a 500# feeder and I think we filled it 3x all year. This year so far we've filled 2 of them 3x (3000# total), its all about feeder placement and time. Don't give up, keep the feeder out there so they find it, or put it near a corn feeder along a trail. I think they found the goodies around December when the forage was getting slim and they've been on them ever since. We've poured out a bag or 2 of cottonseed as well, same thing.


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## greatwhite84 (May 15, 2016)

mug.sneed said:


> I gave up!!! ***** and lack of deer got the best of me!!!
> 
> Going to whole cotton seed....


My deer just started hitting the protein again within the last 7 days. In another month they will live under those feeders.


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## Johnny9 (Sep 7, 2005)

*Hooked*

Finally have these Brazos River Bottom Bucks hooked on DD Protein. Today I go pick up another load of this feed. The wife and I Thank You Broadonrod !!


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