So, I just closed on a high fenced ranch in the Hill Country. The place has been fenced since 1982 or so, but it has neither been fed nor hunted since around 2020. I am just getting started, but I have observed plenty of healthy native whitetail and a handful of axis that also appear to be in excellent shape. The habitat looks good and it is clear that, somehow, this place has essentially maintained its carrying capacity fairly well without much in the way of human interference. I have placed three 500 pound Lamco timed protein feeders in strategic areas around the property. There is no surface water on the ranch and the deer basically water at a single well-fed tank near the camp in the front of the property. Therefore, I have placed guzzler-style 90 gallon remote watering systems with a float near each feeder.

These deer have obviously never seen a feeder in their lifetime because all but one has essentially been ignored (granted, it has been a week). The one feeder that is being hit is by whitetail only. I mixed about 60/40 protein to corn for the attractant quality of the corn, but that is it.

Have any of you had experience "starting" critters on protein? If so, did you encounter a reluctance to feed and how did you overcome it? This stuff aint cheap and I don't want to spin my wheels unnecessarily...

Mixing the corn with the protein should have you in good shape.

90 gallons of water isn't going to last long at all though but is a much better start than one watering hole

The 500lb feeders wont last long once you have the deer hitting them and eating all of what you put out each timed session. I'd recommend adding a free feeding larger protein feeder at the existing water

Thanks, TAMUallen. The waterers I purchased have a six foot cone seated above the tank that captures the rare rain we do collect. I have a water bladder that I can use to fill the waterers in the event they run dry (which they almost surely will at some point). However, the system collects 20 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall. I know people with the units in central Texas that are going on several years without having had to refill the system entirely.

I hear you on the large demand feeder, but I had to start somewhere. I went with the timed units, principally because of coons.

We just started feeding protein at our lease in Stephens County in early Feb. Same situation as yours....the ranch was never fed protein according to the owner.

We put out two 1200lb free choice feeders inside pens. First two bags were 100% corn then we mixed the next 2 with protein 50/50. It took 3 weeks before the first deer jumped into the pen. That small buck became a regular. Then two more bucks started showing up. Now all three eat there every day. They've now dropped antlers so its hard to distinguish them but we have at least 3 different bucks eating it. They have eaten close to half of it in the last month. Hopefully others will join the party. It takes patience.

Oh yeah...we have a natural water source within 100 yards of both so they get plenty of water.

I'll help cover your feed bill if you let me hunt out there?

I have never had an issue with deer eating protein and have never had to mix it with corn. We started feeding first week of January - September and they're always hungry the first time we put it out and hammer it unless we get a really good spring/summer with plentiful rains.

I am not a fan of timed protein feeders because climbing in one to remove 400lbs of soggy, moldy protein is a PITA. I am sure the newer models are better but just haven't really jacked with them a whole lot.

Not sure what feed store you're getting protein but many have their own "house brand" protein now. Mummes has a 20% that is usually about $3-4 cheaper a bag than Antlermax. I am not going to tell you that it is truly comparable, because it omits the Bypass Protein Ration (or whatever Antlermax calls it for more protein absorption), but when 50% of your feed is eaten by Aoudad and Red Stag, I don't really care that much and enjoy the savings.

Maybe try putting out some alfalfa with some piles of the protein poured on top of the hay chips, you can set them out around the feeder and they will definitely hit the alfalfa and then figure out they like the protein at the same time. Had good luck doing that when I worked on a ranch and they decided to start feeding protein that the deer wouldn't touch at first.

Axis love alfalfa. They will find it for sure.

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These deer have obviously never seen a feeder in their lifetime because all but one has essentially been ignored

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My personal experience is that a new feeder, even at an established spot where deer are used to seeing a feeder, can take a week or two for the animals to get used to it. I have even had problems with deer not wanting to jump in a pen when I swapped out a protein or corn feeder for a couple of days.

However, we have a guy that just moved a protein feeder into a new spot and the deer are finally starting to hit it regularly after about a month and a half of very little activity. I am convinced that has more to do with the pen previously not keeping pigs out and the deer not hanging out consistently because of the pigs but who knows.

Tarponfly said:

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Thanks, TAMUallen. The waterers I purchased have a six foot cone seated above the tank that captures the rare rain we do collect. I have a water bladder that I can use to fill the waterers in the event they run dry (which they almost surely will at some point). However, the system collects 20 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall. I know people with the units in central Texas that are going on several years without having had to refill the system entirely.

I hear you on the large demand feeder, but I had to start somewhere. I went with the timed units, principally because of coons.

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With throw feeders and protein, your small critters will typically clear the land of any protein long before the deer get a chance to come in and eat.

With protein, unless you sit and either shoot or trap the coons/possums/skunks/whatever religously - you have to accept that you are paying the coon tax and move on with it IMO.

schmellba99 said:

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Tarponfly said:

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Thanks, TAMUallen. The waterers I purchased have a six foot cone seated above the tank that captures the rare rain we do collect. I have a water bladder that I can use to fill the waterers in the event they run dry (which they almost surely will at some point). However, the system collects 20 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall. I know people with the units in central Texas that are going on several years without having had to refill the system entirely.

I hear you on the large demand feeder, but I had to start somewhere. I went with the timed units, principally because of coons.

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With throw feeders and protein, your small critters will typically clear the land of any protein long before the deer get a chance to come in and eat.

With protein, unless you sit and either shoot or trap the coons/possums/skunks/whatever religously - you have to accept that you are paying the coon tax and move on with it IMO.

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Troof!

You might consider cotton seed as well. A t-post and a cylinder of wire fencing is about the cheapest feeder you'll ever buy. I recently bought a hill country ranch and put it out there mixed with corn initially (maybe 10 lbs of corn with 150 lbs of cotton seed), and they were on it within a couple weeks. They cleared 300 lbs between 2 feeders in a week with this drought (thankfully getting some rain today).

The raccoons will teach them how to hit it

Dirty-8-thirty Ag said:

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Maybe try putting out some alfalfa with some piles of the protein poured on top of the hay chips, you can set them out around the feeder and they will definitely hit the alfalfa and then figure out they like the protein at the same time. Had good luck doing that when I worked on a ranch and they decided to start feeding protein that the deer wouldn't touch at first.

Axis love alfalfa. They will find it for sure.

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Great suggestion. I am going to put out fid racks and drop a picked bail of alfalfa hay every time I go. I'll report on whether that stirs the pot, but I suspect it will.

BlueSmoke said:

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schmellba99 said:

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Tarponfly said:

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Thanks, TAMUallen. The waterers I purchased have a six foot cone seated above the tank that captures the rare rain we do collect. I have a water bladder that I can use to fill the waterers in the event they run dry (which they almost surely will at some point). However, the system collects 20 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall. I know people with the units in central Texas that are going on several years without having had to refill the system entirely.

I hear you on the large demand feeder, but I had to start somewhere. I went with the timed units, principally because of coons.

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With throw feeders and protein, your small critters will typically clear the land of any protein long before the deer get a chance to come in and eat.

With protein, unless you sit and either shoot or trap the coons/possums/skunks/whatever religously - you have to accept that you are paying the coon tax and move on with it IMO.

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Troof!

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Not a throw style feeder. All the feed dumps into a pan.