Off season feeding

What do y'all fed your deer during the summer beside salt licks? Something a co-op mixes up?

We typically feed a 50/50 mixture of corn and deer protein pellets in gravity feeders. The primary thing that deer need in the spring/summer is protein. We have tried feeding just protein pellets but due to the high humidity here in the south, the protein pellets will clog the feeder and start to mold. A 50/50 mix with corn seems to keep everything flowing well. Initially one of our biggest problems was hogs eating all of the feed. We now encircle our feeders with 3' high hog fence from tractor supply using T-post stakes. A 100' roll will make a circle about 30' in diameter. The deer will jump the fence and we have never had a hog inside the fence. We keep a camera on each feeder all season long. Just be prepared that during late August and all of September the consumption rate will go way up.

I wonder how the 14% stock feed would do.its $6.95 for a 50#bag.

it ain't made for deer. Feed em a 20% deer protein feed like Buck Booster from Ware Milling.

G/H are you not planting summer plots?

We are going to start breaking ground this Thursday for the first time to start the process for planting soybeans.

No sir. The club doesn't plant summer plots

Summer plots in the long run provide more forage and cheaper.
tracker unless you are planting a whole lot of soybeans they may not have a chance. Thats one reason I planted a mix. corn, iron clays and soybeans.

I usually don't feed until August or September.

if you wait till August you have missed all of the antler growing season for bucks and a lot of the fawning season for does. Yer late.

This.

we increased the size of our fields last summer. Learned a long time ago the deer would clean out the little bean fields in a matter of 2 weeks.

The day after deer season ended, we ran 3 protein feeders through July. By then our summer plots would be going.

We have about 8 acres of clover fields and we have feeding stations for protein pellets (MaxRax). Started feeding pellets around the end of March and will feed until mid August. Between the pellets and the clover I hope to have their protein needs met. If you can convince your club to plant clover, I would do it. We plant a 3 types of clover with a cereal grain mix in the fall. If maintained correctly, it will feed the deer year round. It takes a lot of maintenance but, if you can get your weeds under control, it will save a ton of money in the long run. A healthy well maintained clover stand can last 5-8 years. I feel the summer plots are much more beneficial than protein feed but I like the idea of having both.

Max grow protein pellets from Casey's. 16%

one can feed well over 16% on free range deer, I'd guess that well over 20% would be ok BECAUSE the deer are eating a lot of other stuff to bring the overall protein % down. Fenced deer 16-18% is max.

What % protein do you feed deer which are free range in the big pen?

nosuchfkgthingandyouknowit!!!!!!!

tsmith,

We planted several plots in clover this fall. What do you typically do in regards to maintenance of your clover and when?

Thanks...
Rick

First thing is to keep weeds under control. We have this handled in some fields and others we have a serious weed/grass issue. Some people say to mow early spring and again in June. The only reasons we mow are to cut weeds down for herbicide or to stimulate growth. You should be able to control grass/weeds with herbicide. I am no expert and still learning every day. Hopefully I will perfect it soon. I have young kids (lack of time) and a camp full of members who are not that interested in weed control. This makes it difficult to maintain a good clover field.

tsmith,

I fully understand your situation in regards to kids as mine isn't much different. I'm trying clover this year as our spring planting of soybeans just hasn't been worth the money/effort. I purchased Clethodim for the clover. I have heard that you can use a weak mix of glyphosate (20 oz/acre) on clover which would be cheaper.

Anyone care to share what they are spraying their clover with and the concentration?

Section 3 (4-5 Oz per acre) and one quart of surfactant per acre


I had the same problem with beans. Our density is too high. The beans did great for 3 weeks and then the deer discovered and destroyed them.