Management/Protein Scenario

[SwampBuck]

Gonna give the justs of it and see what y’all think.

750 acres.
South(ish) Texas
Established water on it. (Troughs mainly)
Three comparable neighbor properties that don’t hunt or hunt minimal.
A couple of smaller neighbors that do. But on opposite side of the big non hunting ones.

The place was protein/corn fed for several years then passed couple years not protein fed. No real management criteria nor hunted all that hard.

The question is, Would it be worth even going back into protein sites on this place or would it be just as beneficial to strictly manage what’s shot and improve the herd.

I feel like everyone’s magic answer is always protein but are there situations where the cost isn’t justifiable and you’d be doing just as good to just manage it properly.

[hog_down]

Do you own the property or lease it?
What county?

[Walker]

Protein is always good along with a deer management plan. No more deer than the ranch can support along with buck/doe ratio. Culling inferior animals.

[DUKFVR]

Protein can be a better draw than corn. If you can afford it,do it.

[fish4food]

Any openings

No help. Protein is never a bad thing other than in the pocketbook.

[SwampBuck]

For the record. This ain’t my place.
Just been trying to offer some advice and the topic was is it really worth the protein if you can’t feed full tilt. And if you aren’t managing well enough.
But yes the people own it. It’s a family ranch.

I’ve always just been in the camp of “yes Protein helps, but not without herd/age management and not if you’re only feeding it bare minimum”

[jason86]

Feed as much as the budget allows

[TheHammer]

Protein is just as much an attractant as a supplemental feed. I’d feed both, timed. If your neighbors don’t hunt or hunt very minimal you can grow some dang good deer on 700 acres!!

[SwampBuck]

Protein can be a better draw than corn. If you can afford it,do it.

Protein is just as much an attractant as a supplemental feed. I’d feed both, timed. If your neighbors don’t hunt or hunt very minimal you can grow some dang good deer on 700 acres!!

Good to know. I didn’t realize people actually had success with it as an attractant.

Or could verify it at least.

[Muddy Bud]

If anything handle the trash first before feeding. Gonna be hard without help from the neighbors but it’s a start. Then once you see the criteria you satisfied with, poor the food to them. Feed will keep them in the area and decrease the chances of them wandering off across fence lines. Only problem will be the rut. They pretty much go where they want. Just keep in mind protein is not an instant rack builder. It will be a few years before you see any advantages up top. Weight wise, advantages are more rapidly noticed.

[BCoop27]

Protein for us is the #1 attractant. I would say 5x more effective than corn. Also allows for some axis hunting at night if you have them! What we do is create a pen, have corn outside of it so we get some pigs, have protein, water, alfalfa, etc. inside the pen for the deer / axis deer. Then feeder on the side. Works amazing because you can literally get all species and hunt all the time!

[Fajkus7]

Good to know. I didn’t realize people actually had success with it as an attractant.

Or could verify it at least.

It is tremendous for helping attract and hold deer on your place. Timed would be a good way to go in my opinion for the scenario you are explaining.

[SwampBuck]

It is tremendous for helping attract and hold deer on your place. Timed would be a good way to go in my opinion for the scenario you are explaining.

The feeders they have are the timed tray feeders. So on the track there.
The talk is starting back in with a 50/50 mix and go from there

[Cull hunter]

IMO—Feed and shoot.

[BolilloLoco]

I’m a believer in free choice pellets 24-7-365 no matter what size the ranch is or who neighbors are. Do it until you’re broke. IMO corn is a better/more affordable option for attracting and holding if money is a concern.