feeding protein on a small place

[Triple 7]

So I recently got 250 acres to hunt. Its a long narrow piece of property that is mostly timber land. I was thinking about putting up 2 protein feeders but I was told that it wont do any good for a place that small. My thinking is that it might help them stay on this place. Is it a waste of money?

[BiggieSmalls]

It depends. While you might not see the nutritional benefits, yes you could possibly see the benefits of it being more of an attractant. I would find an inexpensive 16% pellet in the area to use.

[quackadikt]

You could get a timed protein feeder and feed it more as an attractant. And All-Stock 12% pellets from TSC work great for that.

[Wellborn Papa]

I think it is worth it. Have been feeding corn year round and protein out of season since before antler restrictions. I can definitely see the difference in the quality and number of bucks on our 39 acres.

[EastTexun]

Our place is 250 acres but shaped differently than yours. Been on a solid protein plan for 10+ years and I also plant 20+ acres of food plots. It makes a huge difference in herd quality, size of the deer, and eventually antlers. It does help with draw as well. You didn't ask, but if your neighbors are on board, then it works even better.

[Triple 7]

Originally Posted by EastTexun

Our place is 250 acres but shaped differently than yours. Been on a solid protein plan for 10+ years and I also plant 20+ acres of food plots. It makes a huge difference in herd quality, size of the deer, and eventually antlers. It does help with draw as well. You didn't ask, but if your neighbors are on board, then it works even better.

I don't really know much about the neighbors. On the back side there is a hunt club and I can see a deer stand on the property line. This place hasn't been hunted since 2006. The neighbors on either side of me are cattle ranchers and I don't see any feeders or stands. I am gonna keep corn running all off season and plant several food plots. I guess a few protein feeders wont hurt anything other than my pocket book.

[whitetailfanatic]

Invest in a good tube feeder don’t be wasting by throwing it in the ground and I’d mix it with corn or soybeans just an added benefit. Ask the local feed store guys what is popular in the area
Good luck

[Aggies96]

I'm running 3 feeder stations on about 375 acres in basically a pie shaped outline. Probably 80% of that is heavy oak/brush cover. I've been running 3 feeder stations with 2 of them with protein/corn/water year round the last 10 years and cottonseed the last 2 added. I go through about 1200lbs of protein a month on average with an estimated population of 65 deer give or take. In those 10 years I've seen my average 'trophy buck' grow by about 15-20" since starting. Your bucks with roam - more then a mile especially during the rut so there's always the chance of my neighbor shooting them. The doe groups do seem to stay closer hitting feeders in the morn and evening and in my mind that will keep more of the bucks in the area from heading heading out. Granted you can only have a few dominant bucks on a parcel my size so again, there's a chance your neighbor might get one of those older bucks you saw at your feeder all year round during the growing season. I think it's worth the cost if you can afford it. With the buck size I've seen on my place compared to the buck size taken off neighbors that are a few miles away I definitely know the supplemental feed is making a difference. On top of that our soil is definitely not the best in a majority of the area making food plots very hard to do and to maintain a good deer herd off the land itself.

[EastTexun]

Assuming its in Nac, make sure and pen off the feeders right out of the box. Hog panels in a circle. I like at least 8, more the better. You can put a corn feeder and protein together and keep the pigs off permanently. Otherwise, you will be feeding big boars more than deer.

[EastTexun]

Originally Posted by Aggies96

I'm running 3 feeder stations on about 375 acres in basically a pie shaped outline. Probably 80% of that is heavy oak/brush cover. I've been running 3 feeder stations with 2 of them with protein/corn/water year round the last 10 years and cottonseed the last 2 added. I go through about 1200lbs of protein a month on average with an estimated population of 65 deer give or take. In those 10 years I've seen my average 'trophy buck' grow by about 15-20" since starting. Your bucks with roam - more then a mile especially during the rut so there's always the chance of my neighbor shooting them. The doe groups do seem to stay closer hitting feeders in the morn and evening and in my mind that will keep more of the bucks in the area from heading heading out. Granted you can only have a few dominant bucks on a parcel my size so again, there's a chance your neighbor might get one of those older bucks you saw at your feeder all year round during the growing season. I think it's worth the cost if you can afford it. With the buck size I've seen on my place compared to the buck size taken off neighbors that are a few miles away I definitely know the supplemental feed is making a difference. On top of that our soil is definitely not the best in a majority of the area making food plots very hard to do and to maintain a good deer herd off the land itself.

Soil quality is so overlooked but it makes a huge difference, and not just for food plots. It affects all the forage including forbs, trees and brush.

[Bowtech2004]

We have just shy of 600 acres, we run 3 protein feeders from january thru July, this is starting year 5. It has made a difference, the question is.....is it made a big enough difference to offset the costs. Body sizes have gone up, we weigh our deer. my son killed the biggest weight to date at 182 ish I believe this year. Horn quality has gone up, still not killing giants The biggest factor is the fawn survival rate. We seem to have way more deer than we've had in the past. My argument is that we need to shoot more does, not everyone agrees. I guess if not hurting my family by feeding the deer then Ill keep doing it.

[Triple 7]

I guess that brings another question. Do you put your protein feeders over the areas that you hunt? In the past I found secluded places and put them kinda as a "Safe Zone". But I guess putting them next to the corn feeder would be easier.

[gingib]

You don't want to know how small my place is lol. But we been feeding protein for 7-9 years and won't stop along with food plots.

And we have killed some giants.

[brokeno]

Any supplemental feeding will help. Look into the hammer protein feeder that you can set your feeder to open in the morning and close in the afternoon so the deer don't become totally nocturnal and eat at your feeder all night.

[Mike Fangman]

I feed free choice protein year round, on our little 60 acre place. It definitely helps keep the deer, frequently our place and can I can see some benefit to their body weights and racks. I have my protein feeder about 40 yards from my corn feeder and a lot of the time, the deer will come and eat protein and not even go to the corn feeder. So yes, I would do it.

[GarGuy]

If the place is near nacogdoches , I would plant about 12 acres of wheat ,oats , and rye. Then top it with clover. Put about 50,000lb of chicken litter on it and disc it In every late spring. The nutritional value of those plots will be through the roof as well as the browse all around it. Its amazing how much that improved our antlers and body size it two years. That would be cheaper than protein and have more impact on holding deer. If you can afford to feed as well that's just bonus.

[Triple 7]

Originally Posted by GarGuy

If the place is near nacogdoches , I would plant about 12 acres of wheat ,oats , and rye. Then top it with clover. Put about 50,000lb of chicken litter on it and disc it In every late spring. The nutritional value of those plots will be through the roof as well as the browse all around it. Its amazing how much that improved our antlers and body size it two years. That would be cheaper than protein and have more impact on holding deer. If you can afford to feed as well that's just bonus.

Yes sir its in Nacogdoches just south of town on 1275. I have heard of folks using chicken litter as fertilizer. But I am not sure how to get it out there. The food plots that I have are hard to get access to. I can get a tractor to them but how is the chicken litter delivered?

[GarGuy]

Originally Posted by Triple 7

Yes sir its in Nacogdoches just south of town on 1275. I have heard of folks using chicken litter as fertilizer. But I am not sure how to get it out there. The food plots that I have are hard to get access to. I can get a tractor to them but how is the chicken litter delivered?

Check with your feed store. There is crazy amount available around Nac. Most have spreader trucks that will put it out for you. You might consider larger plots available to trucks. You can also rent a lime spreader . Just don't tell them what its for and wash it out before returning.

This should be considerably cheaper than feeding protein and much more effective for holding deer. That said..do both if you can.

[EastTexun]

Originally Posted by GarGuy

Check with your feed store. There is crazy amount available around Nac. Most have spreader trucks that will put it out for you. You might consider larger plots available to trucks. You can also rent a lime spreader . Just don't tell them what its for and wash it out before returning.

This should be considerably cheaper than feeding protein and much more effective for holding deer. That said..do both if you can.

Are you recommending fresh litter or some that has been piled for 6 months +? I have heard various responses to this.

[GarGuy]

Piled works quickly.

[Flyway12]

saw someone else ask but I'm curious as well. I'm hunting on a new place this next year and recently gain access to start feeding. Was considering protein but I've heard you don't hunt the protein, it's a safe zone. Is this information correct?

[BrianL]

Originally Posted by Triple 7

Yes sir its in Nacogdoches just south of town on 1275. I have heard of folks using chicken litter as fertilizer. But I am not sure how to get it out there. The food plots that I have are hard to get access to. I can get a tractor to them but how is the chicken litter delivered?

Never use more than 5 tons/acre, and better to use 3tn/ac yearly.

[kingranch]

All it takes is that one stupid protein hog that hits it every day... just fill it and don't interrupt the area
We had one on my old place that was like this and he blew up that year

[EastTexun]

Originally Posted by GarGuy

Piled works quickly.

Thanks. Based on the science I had read about, this was my plan.

I am over in Grapeland, and I haven't found anybody that will come this far west with it. If yall have any recommendations, please share.

[HYDRO_69]

We have a smaller place with three sides that let deer get older. Once fence line they hunt to eat. We have been doing protein for years and our Boone and Crockett scores and body weights have increased. We also do fall food plots. The spring food plots were hit or miss with rain amounts, so we stopped doing them. You lose some bucks to neighbors, but we also see traveling bucks we have never seen during the rut. We feed our protein in areas we do not hunt and have water 24/7 very close to the protein feeders.

[BolilloLoco]

We have crazy amounts of success stories on small acreage.
Free choice protein and cottonseed 24-7-365 with as much food plot as you can afford to plant is only way to go IMO. If you feed them they will come.
Proper timber management is crucial in them piney woods as well.

[GarGuy]

Originally Posted by BolilloLoco

We have crazy amounts of success stories on small acreage.
Free choice protein and cottonseed 24-7-365 with as much food plot as you can afford to plant is only way to go IMO. If you feed them they will come.
Proper timber management is crucial in them piney woods as well.

All of this plus chicken manure.

[GarGuy]

Originally Posted by BrianL

Never use more than 5 tons/acre, and better to use 3tn/ac yearly.

Yep I think 3 tons is about right. I have a guy that piles mine a year ahead. Not sure you could get most to do that but he has been hauling for us a long time.

[GarGuy]

Originally Posted by EastTexun

Thanks. Based on the science I had read about, this was my plan.

I am over in Grapeland, and I haven't found anybody that will come this far west with it. If yall have any recommendations, please share.

Foster farms out Palestine has houses all around grapeland