The lease manager on my lease has come up with the idea that you only need to fill the free-choice protein feeders three times a year. Once in January, once in April and again in August. Prior to this, protein was available year round. I have requested the name of his "nutritionist". He is " going to get back to me'!

In all seriousness, he probably was not totally aware of the cost when he agreed to continue a year round feeding program and is looking for a way to cut costs. What would be your recommendations for an adequate feeding program that would not lose what has been accomplished after several years of a12 month program.

Probably 3 to 4x times a year, Jan/Feb.- Mar.April - July/Aug. - Nov./Dec.; bit of a hard scenario not knowing the acreage size, # of protein stations, deer densities, average consumption monthly as previously estimated or known, etc. but in all I'd say 4x a year should get you pretty decent results...

Think of feeding like you would the accelerator on your truck. The more you push down the faster your truck goes, you let off it slows to a stop. Antlers are growing tissue, you slow down they will slow also if the native forage is not up to or above average.

If I could only feed part of the year, I would feed Jan-Jun. Helps with recovery and 60%+ of antler development. So I would fill in January, and two more times as soon as they are empty.

Protein from mid January to mid September is what the boys I hunt with do. Basically no protein while the bucks are hard antlered. While that cuts the annual feeding duration by 33%, in east texas at least, the bucks don’t seem to hit the protein very hard or with regularity during that timeframe. In that respect the $ saved is minimal.

Edit to add: annual feed bill on that program is in the 4-5k/feeder range.

I started feeding protein in 2002. Cut back a couple of years to save some cost and only fed 6 months a year. Didn't like the results so for the past 14 years it's been pedal to the floor, year round feeding and they never run out. And I'm liking the results.

I've shut the protein off the last couple of Octobers and it sure seems to help see more bucks and deer in general in the daytime.

3500 acres with 10 free choice LP 750 lbs Cross Fire feeders.
Their plan is to fill the feeders by the calendar beginning in January, return and refill in April, July and October!!!
Their January fill lasted two weeks. What kind of nutritionist would recommend walking away until next spring?

Just the way we do it on about 1,200 acres with five fee choice feeders totaling 4,800 lbs total capacity. Our program was modified just this past year after some discussion with a knowledgeable curmudgeon. Right now, protein and cottonseed. Bucks need the higher fat content provided by cottonseed to rebuild their bodies. Not going to worry about refilling the protein, but will maintain the cottonseed.

March 1st, protein will be filled to the brim. Will come down every three weeks until the end of April and will be prepared to fill each feeder on those trips. Bene charting it for about 15 years now and after that, the deer allow us to slow down. Will get down there when we can and then whenever we fill up on or about July 1st, that'll be it on the protein until sometime in mid to late September. On or about that July 1st trip, we do reintroduce cottonseed. When it gets hot, the deer tend to slow down on the protein content, possibly because of the salt and seem to prefer hitting cottonseed. At that point and when we come down on subsequent trips, we are just maintaining the cottonseed and that's pretty easy.

Labor day, fill up corn feeders. The next time we come down in mid to late September, we fill the protein back up as bucks are looking to put on weight and build strength in anticipation of the rut. This was our major change after speaking with Obie Juan, the noted deer whisperer and spotted hog killer. I know his experience is vast and these thoughts about bucks attempting to fill out at that time, made a ton of sense to me.

It is my personal belief, the most important part of all this making protein available from March 1 through the middle of May. If I were to only fill up three times in a year, it would be then.

" . . . . Right now, protein and cottonseed. Bucks need the higher fat content provided by cottonseed to rebuild their bodies. . . . . ."

They need it and they need it right now. The weight this buck lost is, well, amazing. His front is "gone". Cottonseed will be introduced in the next couple of weeks after the hot wire is installed on this pen - assuming it works on the two others we put them in.

Do you think if you put the cottonseed in another pen close by or between the two current pens it would keep the cattle out of the two protein feed/corn feeder pens? You just have to repeat..."It is only money, it is only money, it is only money......" Especially since hog panels are not up to $31.99 and cattle panels up to $28.99.

We start feeding protein the last week of December and continue into September. This time of year I have to refill the protein every 5 - 6 weeks until the Spring green up, then it goes to every 8 - 10 weeks. Corn gets fed year round.

Seeing lots and lots of activity at the cottonseed.

I’m sure every little bit helps, but it’s not going to last long. We have 500 lb free choice feeders (4 on 300 acres) and the deer will empty them in 2 weeks in hard times.

We start in January to help them recover and we pour it to them until we top off in July/August one last time before the Fall. Range conditions play a big part in how much they eat. At present we have 5 free choice feeders on 1300 acres and the deer are going thru about 250 pounds a week per feeder. With an expected dryer than normal winter and spring, I expect this will continue thru the summer until the last filling. We run corn feeders just a spurt twice a day and have mineral placed around them so the deer capture that crucial benefit as well. It's not a 401K plan, but it's fun.

Is it possible to do some habitat improvement and cut down on the feeding ? I have no clue on your area just asking if some long term habitat improvements might help cut some costs.

They like protein. He's still the boss.