Deer have slowed way down at the protein feeders at the ranch in northern Duval county. Up until this last month, I was going thru a ton of 20% protein every two weeks for 5 free-feed type feeder stations. Now, I haven't quantified yet, but they seem to have cut way back.
We haven't gotten any significant rain. Country is way too dry. Deer can't have left the ranch, it is high fenced. Mesquite beans are currently on the ground everywhere.
Do you think that is why they have slowed up? Or is it maybe because the horn growth spurt is over? Or something else? Anyone else experiencing this on their place?

They are eating mesquite beans right now if you have them as they are very good source of nutrition (17% protein + or -). If you have tunas (cactus fruit) then they will eat those as well. This is a yearly event when and if you have beans and tunas, happening at any time. Feed consumption will drop off when they are ripe or on the ground and then increase as the beans and tunas decrease. Can start in May some years but usually in June depending on the rainfall. If you get a second crop of beans then expect the same decrease in protein.

deer cut back on our protein feeders as well.

we got a good rain a few weeks back, I think they are feeding on fresh weeds out in the pasture

x2

I noticed this at my place in Throckmorton this past weekend. They had been cleaning out a 300# protein feeder in 2 1/2 weeks, and last week they only ate about 50 lbs in 7 days. I was kinda wondering the same thing, but I guess I got my answer.

They have not let up in Ozona. Still no rain though.

Where at in Ozona are you?

25 miles west off 290 and mitchel blacktop. (cr 406)

Beans did the same thing in Mills county. Plus Doe acticity has slowed down at feeders while they are laying low with the fawns for now.

My guess it may be lack of drinkable water. I know when I was feeding high protein to my cows, their water intake was almost double. Some ranchers even feed super high protein that "burns"(for lack of a better word) the cows stomach, so they will feed on less than desirable graze.

I have put out water barrels at my feeder and behind the house, since the deer have started raiding and knocking over my wife's bird bath in the front yard.

Plus with the drought conditions and 100 degree heat 20% will burn them out. Give them the scours and what not.

the guy at L&E recommended that we may want to consider backing off 20% and going with 18% due to the drought + heat

Ronnie?

yep....Ronnie

This is what I was talking about with my previous statement stxranchman, in addition to what you were saying.

never heard this before?

whats the reasoning?

not much difference between 20% vs 18%

16% is selling higher than 20% down here.

the reason he said we may want to back off 20% was because it may "burn" their stomach. He said this because of the dry conditions out there.

At our place, we went ahead and put out more 20% because the local co-op only had 20% available, but we also have water totes next to each feeder too

HOWEVER, if the co-op would have offered 16 or 18%, I probably would have gone with this....

**I saw some pretty nice racks at the feeders

What is your consumption rate per head/day on the 20%? What is the fiber % of the 20%? I have fed as high as 24% in the drought in '96 with no problems at all and very high consumption rates..I did add some alfalfa hay at feeders in May that year till Aug. for some extra fiber. I have always fed 20% and never had an issue with deer health or hoof problems from to much protein. I think if you have fiber(browse) in your natural habitat the you would there would not be a problem. I have been using L/E for 8+ years now and it is a 20%-12% fiber and I am running about 2.5-3.0 lbs/hd/day on average.

Depends on the fiber content as to what you are getting and the sources of the fiber also. The cost of 16% vs. 20% for getting 25% more protein value is not 20% higher in cost. Some 16% rations will have 14% fiber in them and most 20% will have 12% fiber. In my experience with comparisons of ranches with 16% rations deer tend to eat more of it than 20% if range conditions are the same. They seem to me to need more to get more out of the feed. Just my opinion.

We dropped to 16% during drought and our consumption went up. Did a little test and put 20 back out next month, went back down, so stayed with 16% til we got rain. Consumption went up cuz its not "burning" them like 20%...per biologist(s) but everyone has their own idea of what works and what dont. So stick with what works for you is my advice.

Or it could be that consumption went down on 20% because it is higher protein.

Feed consumption is approx 800-900lbs per 6 weeks.

We filled the feeders to the 800-1000lb level around Memorial Day and most feeders still had 100-150lbs left in them on july 8. I thought they would have been empty, but was surprised to see there was still feed in them. Some of them were "clumping" and not flowing like they should have been.....

We have been hammering the herd (at least the does) since 2003, so I think the herd numbers are pretty good for the area (San Saba Cnty) As far as bucks are concerned, we have a fair amount of bucks from all age classes since we do not shoot a buck unless it is a spike, an old cull or a wall hanger