High protein deer feed

[JoeS500]

Hey guys, I'm looking to feed my backyard deer something with high protein and minerals. I feed them corn year round but looking into adding a supplement. Not looking to break the bank either. What are some suggestions? I do bow hunt here but it's not my normal spot. There's a decent sized herd here with 8-10 bucks being regulars. All the young ones got a pass and most of them made the season and shed. Just looking to improve the herd if possible and perhaps add to some antler growth.

-Joe

[Bucksnbows]

Hey guys, I'm looking to feed my backyard deer something with high protein and minerals. I feed them corn year round but looking into adding a supplement. Not looking to break the bank either. What are some suggestions? I do bow hunt here but it's not my normal spot. There's a decent sized herd here with 8-10 bucks being regulars. All the young ones got a pass and most of them made the season and shed. Just looking to improve the herd if possible and perhaps add to some antler growth.

-Joe

 

There are a variety of brands out there, but all are expensive.  Year round feeding with a mineral added food pellet is typically over $20/bag.  That adds up quickly.  Best if you're feeding corn year round to offer them mineral stations if near water and that will be inexpensive.  The places I know that feed year round with pelletized feed spend tens of thousands per year to feed.  That's not for the average hunter or person wanting to see some deer in the backyard.  

[Bmelvin]

Not sure what you mean by not break the bank. But quality supplemental feed will run you around $18- 20 per 50 lb bag. Doing it right isn't for the faint of heart and the feed is only half the battle. Need to have good genetics or you are pissing in the wind.

[DeplorableDan]

^what bucksnbows said. Keep feeding them corn but just incorporate some mineral sites. I do 1 for every 40 acres. 1 part di cal, 2 parts trace minerals, 1 part stock salt. Throw in some molasses or corn so they find it, rake into top soil.

[Rusty]

You can seriously jack up the protein content of the plants that the deer naturally feed on by fertilizing them.  Use a hand held broadcast spreader and get some starter and/or pasture fertilizer.  The deer absolutely annihilate the wild grape vines, goldenrod, blackberry, etc. when I fertilize them.   

[mattg1500]

Soybean, Brassica blends and alfalfa are high protein plants for deer. You could do a mini plot in the area and also a mineral site. Your soil will tell you what to plant. Also I use sodium bicarbonate in my mineral sites it helps with stomach acids and essentially they will eat more.

[hemlock]

You can seriously jack up the protein content of the plants that the deer naturally feed on by fertilizing them.  Use a hand held broadcast spreader and get some starter and/or pasture fertilizer.  The deer absolutely annihilate the wild grape vines, goldenrod, blackberry, etc. when I fertilize them.   

 

Exactly what I did rusty as you can see the blackberry in the background behind the deer. They love the black berry and golden rod they will often come in and browse along that line not touching the corn I put down.

[Rusty]

Exactly what I did rusty as you can see the blackberry in the background behind the deer. They love the black berry and golden rod they will often come in and browse along that line not touching the corn I put down.

 

 

 

[JoeS500]

I made a mineral site and also put out a trophy rock. I bought a few bags of Record Rack Golden nuggets and mixed some with the normal daily corn i dump out.