I have my feeders going twice a days for 10 sec, low rpm and was curious what others will do now that the season is over.
I was thinking of setting the feeder to go off more times a days and shorter intervails to get the deer coming during mid day etc. Someone also told me to put a piece of tin under the feeder to make more noise.
To be honest it is such a small amount of corn and really has no effect on saving a deers life. I turn mine off at the end of the season and start back up in mid September. I feed four times a day at 8 seconds. Twice in the morning and evening when I am feeding. If you are hog hunting might want to leave them going for a while
I know it's expensive but if you can afford it, feed protein. It will help both the bucks and does recover from the rut. It will also help does during their pregnancy and while they're nursing. Obviously, it will help with the buck antler development as well. If range conditions stay as dry as they are right now, I'm afraid that all of the deer are going to have a tough go of it. Bucks and does are going to have trouble recovering from the rut, and the does are going to be really stressed during pregnancy and nursing.
Amen on the lack of rain. panhandle conditions are very bad. Antler growth was bad this year. I don,t have the money to buy protien feeders or the feed. My food plot dried up a long time again and did nothing this year.
Feed protein if you can afford it. We keep our feeders running year round but turn them way down during the off season. We normally feed about 75 to 100 lbs per week during the season. We cut that back to about 25 to 50 lbs per week during the off season. It depends on the feeder. I think it is good for the feeder motor to keep running year round also.
I plan on planting food plots in some keys spots on the lease this year. I will keep feeders going as much as I can. I dont get up there as often to check for jamms, dead batteried etc.
Very good idea to feed protien now for the post rut --body weights and doe's PG and of course the horn growth--If you feed I would only feed 16% for the hotter months and if possible have some water near for the deer--I have water troughs in cattle pannel pens with my protien feeders (our ponds all went dry) and they will eat--drink and be healthy. (game cam's are cool!)
On my corn feeders I will keep them going for 4 sec. as a call to keep them deer around and also for smackin some hogs! May help your population on a low fence lease. The deer won't be too far from that food when they are hungry and thirsty.
We'll start free-choice antlermax after this weekend. (i.e. load them up Sunday the 18th) I am the most concerned I have been since 2005. Not a single measurable rain since August 11 in S. Duval county.
Last Spring we were feeding 1600-2000 lbs/two weeks. I'm guessing 2,500 lbs every two weeks this year. Yikes..........maybe 3,000.
It is way dry in West Texas. We started bulk feeding protein a couple of weeks ago. This season was a disappointment for us horn wise and the next one doesn't look to be any better without some appreciable rainfall in the area.
I will admit to letting my feeders go empty after deer season. We hunt low fence in the hill country and even though its dry, the deer are survivors. they have plenty of water with the river nearby. Also, our lease is renewed yearly, and we don't know if we're back on until the start of february. It has always been a go, but you never know for sure. this will be our 6th year, hopefully! As far as beginning to feed, we don't usually start until sepember, a couple months before the start of rifle season. We have always been successful and will probably stay on this pattern.
i start switching my feeders to half corn/half protein next month....in march 1/4 corn/ 3/4 protein...then in april im in full protein. I will be planting some food plots next month...and in may/june....then plant my next years hunting plots in august....then another in november. I start throwing corn in the feeders in october
Starting 20% protein this weekend, been on 16%, entire ranch will feed every month through september. Will also provide water nearby and have corn feeders set on bout 2 or 3 sec. twice a day.
I am going to set my timer to feed later in the morning around 10:00 and then again around 2:00 and turn my feeding seconds down. The season is over for bucks on the 18th of Jan. Food plots as well will help keep deer around. Remenber deer are very lazy creatures they wont go far to get what they need.
Had my protein feeders filled with 12,000 lbs which will last about 5 weeks, the deer are starving and need the supplement more now that ever, the bucks need body weight so when horn growing season comes they can put the nutrients toward the antlers rather than the weight, having your feeders go off with 50 to 100 lbs of protein is a waste of time, when you have timed feeders go off there is a benefit but mainly gets them on a schedule, free feed is the only answer for a good program.
I was gonna say, really you need to feed protien until the end of February. Once March (Spring) arrives they should have plenty to eat. IF......we ever get any rain.
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