Protein on small acreage?

[quackadikt]

Is it really worth it if you only have a small acreage place to hunt? I'm talking 20-50 acres or less. There are really no tracts much bigger than 100-150 acres in the neighborhood...most are 10 or less.

[junior]

Interested in this.


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[Z7e_-->]

I have a small piece of property with a feeder. Deer (Mostly Doe) come in to feed every morning and evening. I am currently putting down corn/soy bean mixture with intentions of feeding straight pellet protein through off season. My idea is that the deer that are feeding would benefit so why not do it.

I'm in for others opinions

[Antlers86]

I don't care if I have 1 acre or 1000000000 acres. If I have a corn feeder set up there will be protein there as well. Anything I can do to benefit the deer I hunt I will do.

[kd350]

I look at it as more of a attractant since it’s on such a small scale. I’m sure they get some benefits from it

[DuramaxDude]

You will probably get a bunch of different opinions on this. If that small spot is all you got then that is all you got. Holding deer on the property and maintaining a herd isn't really much of an option but keeping them coming in consistently and making those acres a main part of their home range is something you can do. Year round protein/feed, minerals, and water, cover, and pressure are the things you can control. I am in sort of the same situation a smaller place for the area, not that many deer in the area, a small highway on one side, farm ground/CRP surrounding it, and a lot of CRP on the property. What I have chose to do is keep feed, mineral blocks, protein blocks, and water out on the property year round. I also try to minimize traffic on the property and do everything I can to keep the deer from feeling pressured during season. I am going into the 4th year on the property and I am starting to see more deer come around and this past year I had deer showing back up from the year before.

[kd350]

I look at it as more of a attractant since it’s on such a small scale. I’m sure they get some benefits from it

[BolilloLoco]

Feed it as long as you can afford it

[RLUM]

I feed on 75 acres where i live. They consume about 600 pounds of feed every two weeks, there are 15-20 deer on our place every day. we killed 5 deer off the place this year with 2 being mature bucks and 3 doe. The way i see it is with supplemental feed i increase the carrying capacity of our small place and that will keep more deer there. I am going to try and plant a 5-10 acre spring food plot here in the near future.

[deerdynasty]

depending on the cover on your place or nearby feeding protein and corn mix can make a 100 acre place like a 500 acre non feeding place real fast! as long as u can afford it!

[tbgascorer]

If you can afford to do so and want to attract animals, go for it. They will spend more time on your place and that little extra time might be enough for you to harvest a special animal. But, others surrounding you will benefit from your pocketbook. No matter how many good things you supply the deer with, water, cover, food, does, little to no pressure, they still will jump that fence. They are animals and travel around for whatever reason. They cannot rationalize that they have all they need by staying within your boundary. Their home range is simply much greater.

[Honker]

We have 62 acres and we feed protein with gravity feeders. Works for us.

[Ruttin&Struttin]

Yes, feed protein. Doesn't matter you are on a small property. The deer hop fences everyday everywhere. They will come if you are feeding something they like and/or need that the neighbors aren't. Good luck.

[BitBackShot]

Think it definitely has an effect as some of your deer will be more "regulars" than others. Over a few years, it can certainly produce results.

[tmstuk]

I've seen positive results from feeding protein. I also seen an increase in usage after installing a water guzzler nearby.