Feeding Protein

[DOUBLE-Z]

I have a few questions about protein. Any other or extra protein information is welcome.

Is there such thing as feeding too much protein?

What are some high protein food plots that deer love?

What are y'all's takes on 1- Soybean 2-Winter Peas 3-Clovers ?

We have been feeding protein in the summer for some time now and was wondering if is really just as simple as feeding protein and corn from a gravity feeder?!

Thanks guys!

[panhandlehunter]

At my deer lease, I feed a ton a month. They could eat more, usually the feeder is empty when I get there, but it's 6 hours away, so I only make the trip once a month. Behind my house on my property, I plant Laredo soy beans for a summer plot and oats and wheat for a fall plot, don't feed protein.

[unclefish]

A very knowledgeable guy on here named el gato who grows giant native deer in LA....said that he believes that winter/spring plots grow antlers for next fall.

Summer plots are hard to grow in Texas unless you can irrigate. My summer plots have failed about the last 4 years either due to drought or flood.

Here are some random thoughts:

Lots of varieties of clovers....annuals, perennials (most of which act like an annual here in Texas). All are high in protein and deer love them. Plant perennials in the fall and annuals in spring (or the fall). It produces "free" nitrogen for the next crop you plant in that spot.

Soybeans - Very high protein....deer will wipe it out unless you plant enough acreage. Since its a legume it will fix its own nitrogen for the next crop just like clover will (if you inoculate).

Winter peas - I'm not really a fan of them because the deer did not eat them very well. They are expensive to grow for the money. Dollar for Dollar my opinion is that clover is a much better way to give them protein.

Chicory - Love this stuff. Plant in the fall and they will eat it all fall but it can last for most of the summer too. Very deep tap root and heat tolerance. I really upped my chicory planting this year when I saw how the deer were just gorging last summer on what little I had planted. Fall planted chicory will really take off in the spring and the deer love it at my place.

[DuramaxDude]

Probably going to get a lot of opinions on this maybe even an argument or 2 lol. Just a heads up. You may search for a few threads on this topic there are a lot of them.

[Bloodrunner]

Get this question a lot on here. Feeding too much protein in a sense of waste? Yes. Feeding too much protein in the sense of a deer overdosing on it? Not likely.
The science on it is technical but in lay mans terms it goes like this. UREA is the main component in protein supplements for animals. UREA is used by the animal to replace insufficient amounts of the microbacteria used to break down food in the stomach. The proteins breakdown into peptides, amino acids and ammonia.
The ammonia is used to manufacture more of these microbacteria. The bacteria and protozoa produced pass further down the digestive tract and are digested, making the proteins from their cells available to the animal. With more of these microorganisms available, the animal can ingest and digest more food quicker and grow faster and healthier.
So having said all that, if there is plentiful natural forage they will have sufficient amounts of microbacteria in their stomachs. If there is not, they will need supplemental feed.

[Tx625]

What part of the country are you in? Do you have access to water? Yes, food plots work well for some, but in south Texas its not worth it financially to me. I feed protein from January threw September. Each place is different, but for me, I get more bang for my dollar just going with protein during that time. And corn feeders during season. I have tried multiple food plots, a lot of work, expensive, and if you don't have access to water, its all up to mother nature. And no I don't think you can feed too much protein. I have two, two thousand pound protein feeders at each feed station, plus cotton seed. I can control the protein, I can make sure the deer have all they want to eat. I cant control the weather, and in south TX it's usually not very friendly. lol

[DOUBLE-Z]

Up in the eastern panhandle. No way of getting water on the plot but do have a small pond or two for the deer.

[DuramaxDude]

Plots can be very effective and a great thing for deer but things don't always grow where you want them to and can definitely cost $$$$ to get them up. You may holler at your seed companies your local NRCS agent and Ag ext agent to see what all will grow where you are wanting to plant things. Natives are always good and could possibly be cost shared through NRCS under the right circumstances. Google web soil survey it is a program that will allow you to map off an area of interest and create reports of all the soil types and properties and vegetative reports for the property. It will tell you what should grows there and has historically and in what amounts. As far as feeding protein pellets straight or with corn you can't feed too much as an over dose like someone has already said but waste $$$$ yeah of course. If y'all have been feeding protein free choice you have probably noticed the periods when full feeders last longer than others. Their whole diet won't consist of what you feed. So green ups and periods when deer don't hit the protein hard you may not feed then if budget is tight. Mineral is also a VERY crucial part of antler development so having it out during antler growth is a biggy to. I would and do put mineral out at feeding locations. Crucial times to supplement are "normally" after rut to first green up then hot dry period at the end of summer. Have you thought of putting out jumbo chemical crates that have been wash out or 55gallon drums and fill them with water and rig a trough on them?

[Cowdog2005]

A few years ago we bought our place. The biologist gave a lot of great advice for central Texas. But ended the discussion with, gravity feeder don't need rain.

[bfree]

we use cotton seed from the spring to September and stop for the rest of the year. One key thing is to remember if you have it step up to free feeding they will come at night.......

[Capt.Bryan]

Deer will only eat as much protein pellets as they need to make up for nutrition they are not receiving from vegetation. I believe a deers diet has to be somewhere around 2/3rds vegetation. So food plot plus pellets equals better deer condition and larger antlers. In wet years you may try some of the clovers such as Durana in the fall mixed with winter wheat, if you can get it established it will continue on for years. Also the panhandle area of the state you may look into something like Tecomate lablab, it was developed for the arid south Texas climate. Make sure your plots overlap meaning don't plow under your winter crop to plant summer plot. Plant them side by side so there is always nutrition available.

[Capt.Bryan]

I'm actually already feeding protein and the bucks are hammering it right now. I'm assuming it is helping them recover from the rut. They are walking through corn to get protein.

[DOUBLE-Z]

Deer will only eat as much protein pellets as they need to make up for nutrition they are not receiving from vegetation. I believe a deers diet has to be somewhere around 2/3rds vegetation. So food plot plus pellets equals better deer condition and larger antlers. In wet years you may try some of the clovers such as Durana in the fall mixed with winter wheat, if you can get it established it will continue on for years. Also the panhandle area of the state you may look into something like Tecomate lablab, it was developed for the arid south Texas climate. Make sure your plots overlap meaning don't plow under your winter crop to plant summer plot. Plant them side by side so there is always nutrition available.

I'll look into lab lab. heard its good. The plan is to have the feeders and plots both juicing them up. Does and bucks.

[Big John]

Hey Zane, I hunt the same general area as you. I'm hunting just over into Oklahoma along the North Fork of the Red. I lived in Wheeler County years ago but have property in Okla. We are about to start feeding protein pellets in January for the first time. The soin in our area is very poor and sandy, I did get some turnips and beets to come up this fall and the deer loved them but y'all had good moisture this fall to get them up. I live in the DFW area some 4 hours away so a 1 ton protein feeder just makes a little more sense to me and I don't have to worry about the rain.

Best of luck the rest of the season, Big John

[gingib]

I would not feed corn out of a gravity feeder