Deer Outlook

[rockbilly]

I haven't visited my place in a while but when last there it was awful dry with little sign of deer.  I had just about convinced myself that the season would be a waste due to the drought and massive range fires in the the area, but yesterday I got an e-mail from a friend with trail camera pictures of deer on his place (next to mine).  Standing under a feeder were four bucks, one appeared to be a 10 point with large mass, the other three were respectable deer in the 6-8 point range.  I was amazed at the remarkable bodies on the deer.  For an area that has little water and very little to feed on they looked great. We have had 71 days in a row over 100 degrees, and no rain since January, something has to be working for the deer.
 
This week-end I plan to check and fill my feeders, I am going to a mixture of 25% corn and 75% high protine feed.  Thats what my friend is feeding.  I have been mixing 50-50 for the past twenty years, it has improved the quality of the deer herd in the area.

[markc]

rockbilly, we feed year round.  However, the best time to benefit whitetail with high protein is during the winter, and early spring. Bucks will need to replenish their bodies after the rut, when they eat little in order to find receptive does, and in the spring it benefits best does who are dropping their fawns.  Never hurts, but the best time for high protein has already passed.  Then again, with rising corn prices, protein is becoming a cheaper food source.
 
With the drought, this year it might be a good idea to include the protein, but I personally would introduce it at a lower rate, until they become accustomed to it. Some proteins suddenly introduced to hungry deer can cause some digestive issues for them.  You might reverse that ratio to 25% protein and 75% corn for several weeks. Once you see them eating and doing well, increase the protein % a bit incrementally.  However, once again the best time to benefit them with protein will be during winter, and early spring. 
 
Glad to read about the nice bucks caught on camera.  I hope you are blessed with a nice buck this coming season.

[rockbilly]

My plan to fill feeders didn't pan out after the original post due health issues; I did make it out this past week-end and topped the feeders off.  We went out about 5:30 and stayed till after dark, I saw lots of deer, they all looked healthy, the drought has not taken the toll I expected.
 
As for the mixture I feed, I have been feeding a high protein diet for about 20 years.  We had a game biologist from A&M check the land many years ago; he recommended the diet due to the size and inferior anther size of the heard at the time.  Since we started feeding as he recommended the heard and anther mass has really improved.
 
I was really shocked at the increase in the prices for both Anther Max and corn, both has have gone up about 50 percent over last year so we changed our mixture a little, The feeder is made on a 55 gallon drum, it will normally hold six 50 pound bags of feed.  This year we put two bags of corn, two bags of Anther Max and two bags of sheep and goat pellets. I start with a bag of corn, then a bag of Anther Max, then a bag of sheep and goat pellets alternating each time. As the feeder works the feed will mix its self since it feeds from the center of the drum. The sheep and goat pellets are high in protein, but not as high as the Anther Max. The feeder is set to feed twice a day for 6 seconds, that drops about two - three pounds of feed.
 
For well over 25 years I have fed year round, but with the cost of feed I may to change my feeding next year.