Deer Feeders in Winter and the Off Season

[Black Mountain Industries]

We have a couple of deer feeders on the property we hunt; This is the first full year hunting this property. After some research, I've seen that it is not suggested to feed corn into the colder months as deer stomachs adjust to the available food. Though that article seemed to be focused on the northern states. What do y'all typically do with your feeders into the colder months and off-season? Do you feed year-round or is there a cut off date? Also, if you feed in the colder months do you move from corn to a pellet? The bagged pellets seem to be exorbitantly more expensive than corn.

 

[bowhtr1]

They need corn in the cold months for the carbs. Don't feed corn in the warm months. I get off corn when they shed their antlers. At that point they need protein. So when growing antlers they need a high protein feed or something like soybeans. Make sure the protein is above 16%. When they shed their velvet I go back to corn or rice bran.

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[TheGman]

I feed year round but have gravitated to protein in summer as is mentioned.

 

[BIKER13]

They need corn in the cold months for the carbs. Don't feed corn in the warm months. I get off corn when they shed their antlers. At that point they need protein. So when growing antlers they need a high protein feed or something like soybeans. Make sure the protein is above 16%. When they shed their velvet I go back to corn or rice bran.

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sound advice

 

[Realtor]

How could you feed protein if you don’t want to plant and grow?

 

[Black Mountain Industries]

How could you feed protein if you don’t want to plant and grow?

This year we did "plant" some throw and grow and it did pretty well. It was a bit last minute since I had to go to Dallas, Tx from April through the end of July. We were clearing plots in August and let me tell you how miserable that was lol

 

[TheGman]

Planting is the cheaper option if you have access to equipment.

 

[Black Mountain Industries]

Planting is the cheaper option if you have access to equipment.

We have an old red belly tractor on the property that needs a little work. Someone did a conversion on it a while back so I'm not sure exactly whats the issue. Power and fuel seem good so we'll troubleshoot this off-season. We also have a number of attachments for it, just need to get her going again.

 

[toobaroque]

I feed them all winter, either from my feeder or the standing corn in the field, whichever they choose. Deer eat the same thing all winter if it's available, which for me corn and beans are available still standing in the fields all winter. If I don't put corn in the feeder, they end up chewing my shrubs all up, so I might as well make them choose something other than my landscaping.

I also make sure there is plenty of salt blocks available. All the animals love the salt blocks. I get the brown ones, which are actually called mineral blocks, but I'm not sure there is much difference really. I never buy "deer" corn from the store, because the turkeys, squirrels and racoons can't read too well and they end up eating it too.

Oh, and after February is done, I don't feed them anything.

 

[bowhtr1]

How could you feed protein if you don’t want to plant and grow?

I use boss buck feeders and in the summer I buy 1700 lb supersacks of soybeans and put them in the feeders. Coons, birds and tree rats don't like the soybeans very much so the feed in the feeders last longer. If I run out of soybeans at the end of summer I get Record Rack Professional protein pellets and put that in the feeders. This year that's all I used.

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