Located in Central TX - Caldwell County

I went back to the property on Sunday and Monday to repair an old box blind that we haven't used in a few years. I checked out the cottonseed feeder and the deer still haven't started eating it. They have eaten all of the corn in the pen, but haven't touched the cottonseed. I checked gamecam pics and there are a lot more deer jumping into the feeding pen, including some of the bigger young bucks and some older bucks. I think they are all getting comfortable with the feeding pen. Now it's just a matter of them figuring out they want to eat the cottonseed. It's been out for 3 weeks. I'm going to give it at least another 3-4 weeks. I put some more corn in the pen to keep them coming near the cottonseed. If they haven't touched it by then I may consider switching to protein.

I'm feeding buck ration (corn/soybean mix) out of my spin cast feeders and it looks like the deer aren't really eating it either. The last few weeks there has been a lot of feed under my feeders. I did throw some regular corn around one feeder last night and I sat in the blind. I had some deer come in, but they came straight to the fresh corn and didn't eat any of the corn/soybean mix under the feeder. Last year I used a corn/soybean mix, but it wasn't Buck Ration. The deer were eating the corn immediately, and it took them a few weeks to start eating the soybeans. This year they aren't touching the corn or the soybeans. Not sure what's going on.

Put out 8400 pounds Sunday. Found Cotton Seed for 165 a ton - cheapest I've ever found it so that was nice! Had a couple huge axis randomly show up on camera Sunday. With it being so green they aren't hitting protein as hard as usual at my lease right now. Hurry up Turkey Season

You can just mention huge axis without following rule 1...

Can't ever figure out pics here, huge to me - free range probably 32" both full velvet

AggieJames09 said:

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Can't ever figure out pics here, huge to me - free range probably 32" both full velvet

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Email is in my profile. Send to me and I will post them. However, being class of 09 like yourself, you should know how to post a picture online.

I've had the cottonseed out for 6 weeks now, and the deer still haven't eaten very much of it. I've made 3 trips to put corn in the feeding pen with the cottonseed, even sprinkling corn on top of the cottonseed on the ground, and the deer have eaten all of the corn and very little cottonseed. I went an extra week this time without putting corn in the pen. The deer ate all of the corn and kept coming into the pen after the corn was gone, but still never really got into the cottonseed. I do have some pictures of a few deer eating the cottonseed (at least it looks like they are), but they don't stick around long. Any other thoughts on how to get them started on the cottonseed?

I also noticed the deer aren't eating the buck ration (corn/soybean mix) I put in my spin feeder. There is a lot of feed on the ground under the feeder. Last year they ate up the corn/soybean mix. I switched to Buck Ration this year (although still a corn/soybean mix) and they haven't taken to it. I'm not sure how it is that much different than the mix I used last year, but I may try going back to that brand.

The deer still look very healthy and I'm still seeing a lot of deer on my camera. The last buck did just drop his antlers late last week. I'm hoping now that they are starting their antler growth cycle they will get back to eating the feed.

I'm contemplating putting a protein feeder in the feeding pen, but I'd really like to stick with cottonseed if they will start eating it. It's nice not having to worry about varmints or rain affecting the feed.

If they're not eating either, they likely have plenty of food elsewhere. Not sure what the range conditions look like but I imagine they're pretty good and/or you deer numbers are in check.

Things are pretty green on the property and I don't see any signs of over-foraging anywhere. It is possible they are find natural forage that they prefer over the cottonseed and corn/soybean mix. The deer still hit regular corn very quickly, although corn seems like candy to them, so I don't think corn is a good gauge for their dietary needs.

I'll keep monitoring it and see how it goes.

Well, I finally gave up on cottonseed. After 5 months, the deer have hardly touched it. Numerous times I put corn in the feeding pen on/around/in the cottonseed. The deer ate the corn, but never took to the cottonseed. I put a protein feeder in the pen last weekend. I put a little corn in first, then filled it with protein pellets. I put the camera back out see what happens.

The deer are still eating the corn/soybean mix out of the spin cast feeders, but not as hard as they were earlier in the Summer. Everything is extremely green and grown up so I think the natural forage is taking care of them well. However, it looks like we may hit a dry stretch for a bit. Hopefully they will take to the protein and eat it up.

Since you're experimenting with feeds, try a goat feed with medication for all the worms. You will notice a much nicer fur coat. The protein is around 18% so not much of a drop. Your at the end for antler growth this year, April-July but you will see better growth there too. Gauge how much protein you put out by looking at the stools. Start out by measuring protein to corn ratio. Medicated goat protein runs $9./50# now.