Feed Program help - What brand supplement and how to set up

[FeatheredIndian]

Ive got 2000 acres and always plant solid food plots but the lack of rain really hurts our summer plots so we are going to start a high protein supplement feed program through the offseason. I've heard some great things about several different products like Antler Xtreme, 4S, and Buck Muscle. Im trying to figure out what is the best product for the price and also how many feed sites i should setup and if i should use troughs, ground sites, or feeders. Any input and help would be a huge help. Thanks!

 

[antharper]

Maybe Davidhemley will see this , just follow his advice , he seems to really have it figured out !

 

[ucfireman]

I have been feeding for 5 years, started with FRM 20% then swithced to Buck muscle (14.50 or so) for last 3.
Did add weight and size to all deer and see more twins (I think). Trapping coyotes help a lot with that. I get decent/ good bucks on camera and have a resident doe herd that stay around all year.
My drawback are ALL MY NEIGHBORS hunt, at least some, and shoot my "target" bucks before I get to them. I feed pellets only during the early spring till mid summer then switch to a corn pellet mix the rest of the year. I plant also some but only about 1-2 ac and have clover in my pasture and yard. I have 38 ac total.
Coon and squirrels are a problem and have been. I need a management program for them but hate to kill them just to kill.
It does get expensive but you don't have to worry about the rain or floods etc.

 

[FeatheredIndian]

I have been feeding for 5 years, started with FRM 20% then swithced to Buck muscle (14.50 or so) for last 3.
Did add weight and size to all deer and see more twins (I think). Trapping coyotes help a lot with that. I get decent/ good bucks on camera and have a resident doe herd that stay around all year.
My drawback are ALL MY NEIGHBORS hunt, at least some, and shoot my "target" bucks before I get to them. I feed pellets only during the early spring till mid summer then switch to a corn pellet mix the rest of the year. I plant also some but only about 1-2 ac and have clover in my pasture and yard. I have 38 ac total.
Coon and squirrels are a problem and have been. I need a management program for them but hate to kill them just to kill.
It does get expensive but you don't have to worry about the rain or floods etc.

Are you using feed troughs, feeders, or just use the ground as a feed site? Also if you don’t mind me asking, how much are you getting the buck muscle for? I’ve got really good neighbors around who practice strict QDMA so that’s a big help. We have great hunting and bucks now but could potentially produce 160-170” bucks with the right feed program.

 

[ucfireman]

Trough, (covered 50 gallon drum cut in half) as 1 feeder during spring and summer, Bucks like that one. Then have a gravity feeder with 3 ports (academy) that I keep filled all year by the house. (I like to see the deer). The bucks will use this one late in the year because I don't keep the trough filled year round.
I paid about 13.50/50 or so. This year I bought a pallet (40 bags/ 2000 lbs) in Feb and the feed store let me pick a few bags at a time. Worked out well.
My plots have been iron clay peas mostly but have put clover and wheat and other stuff out in my openings.
I have also planted plums, pears, apples and figs. The deer eat them like crazy so keep them caged. My trees are just starting to produce, the are anywhere from 2-5 years old.
Deer love azaleas, viburnum (snowball bush) and blueberries!!!!!!
P.S. most folks around me practice "QDMA" too, but they consider 3.5 mature.
My 1.5 yo bucks weigh around 100-125, 2.5 yo 125-150+, 3.5 yo easily 175Lbs. Mature does well over 100 probably closer to 130+.
They get fat! And this is Northern Coweta. Not much crop land around but few small cattle and horse farms.

 

[Triple C]

Hope you got member with deep, deep wallets to cover 2000 acres. It's a costly proposition to feed year round, not to mention the upfront cost of the feeders.

 

[FeatheredIndian]

mainly just feeding from February-August. We have a good chunk in food plots for the season. How many feed sites do you think would be appropriate for 2000 acres? I also got a quote for $550 a ton on one of the brands. Just don’t know which brand is the best and trying to get an idea on how much feed we’ll need

 

[king george]

We’ve used pellets and the powder and our deer prefer pellets on our lease, it will be a trial and error. But it will pay off! I would reach out to David as he has been doing this for a while and he gave me a lot of good direction and starting our feeding program in Jones County! Good luck brother stick with it and you will see a difference in your deer.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Contact David Helmly.

He is a black belt at this.

 

[jsa1281]

Well first of I’d say this. Plant all the food plot you can first. Then if you have enough money left protein feed. That come straight from Charlie kilmasters mouth. But if you just wann feed here’s how I started. I built 4 trough feeders with 55 gallon barrel drums cut in half with a roof. Hindsight I’d build them to where both sides of the drum could be under one roof and had 2 bigger feeders instead of 4 decent sized ones. Trust me when you get them hooked good luck keeping it full so the bigger the better. Just don’t fill it up the first few times expecting them to hammer it. So step one build your feeder. Step 2 place them out early as possible so deer can get used to them. When you bait them for the first time I dumped just a little corn in the feeder but the most on the ground all around the feeder to just get them drawn in closer and closer. After a little while of doing that slowly start putting more in the feeder and off the ground. At that point you can slowly start adding the protein in with the corn. Then eventually they will just eat the protein. A few tips that I think will be helpful is place the feeders in the center of your property rather than close to the property line. Don’t expect to see the monster bucks eating out of right away. And last but not least understand this is a long term plan more than a short term plan. Your main goal is for the fawns that will hit the ground come spring to see those feeders so to them it’s not new they will always know it’s there. Those are the deer that will eat out if the most eventually. Your bucks that are 4.5 plus I’d say may not eat out of it all. But they might just saying. Last tip use a feed that is atleast 20% protein. And use one that’s crumbled. Coons can wear a feeder out but they can’t eat as much of the crumbled at one time like they can the pellets. Don’t forget to that you can also mix in some of your summer time minerals to the batch when you refill. Good luck

 

[brownceluse]

I just started this year with AntlerXtreme. David Helmly can help you out with a PM. He’s done his research and helped all of us! I’ve already started a 80/20 of corn and AntlerXtreme as of three weeks ago on our 1,200 acres. Rule of thumb is one feeder per 400 acres or one feeder per 25 head. No matter how much we think we know how many deer we just done know. I have 7 feeders on 1,200 acres. I have 5 trough feeders and two 300 pound Banks outdoor feeders. All my feeders get hit about the same with exception of one. But, I’m no biologist but I think we need to kill a few does? But, they have babies so it’s hard for us. We also have 10 food plots. It can get costly..... But, also spend money on minerals too! If you can afford the 3 and have decent genetics you’ll get your money’s worth. Good luck holler at David.... He did the leg work for all of us here.

 

[Rich M]

How much $$$ do you really want to throw at deer and the hope of big antlers?

If you've got the genetics, you've already got antlers and the supplements might make a diff. If you have 100-120-inch deer, you're wasting your $.

Sorry - I count the cash and weight the options. If you really think it'll make a diff. Have at it.

 

[oppthepop]

We have been at it for five years now feeding Buck Muscle. we have three troughs on 243 acres and two troughs on our 109 acre "family place". we plant a lot of "Big N Beasty" brassicas (Thanks David Helmly!) as well as Imperial Whitetail clover and some peas, corn, Eagle Beans. We are lucky to be in a "Consortium" with neighbors comprising about 5500 acres where we are all doing basically the same thing. If you can EVER get to the point where you let the 4.5 year old bucks walk (yes neighbors and cars will kill some and you will make a mistake or two) you will see the fruits of your labor.
We/I actually enjoy the work, planting, feeding, Spartan cam pics as much as the hunting now, and keeping up with a couple of bucks that you know that basically stay on your place, watch them grow to maturity, and MAYBE, just MAYBE get one of them with your bow, well.............that experience FOR ME is second to none.

 

[FeatheredIndian]

We have been at it for five years now feeding Buck Muscle. we have three troughs on 243 acres and two troughs on our 109 acre "family place". we plant a lot of "Big N Beasty" brassicas (Thanks David Helmly!) as well as Imperial Whitetail clover and some peas, corn, Eagle Beans. We are lucky to be in a "Consortium" with neighbors comprising about 5500 acres where we are all doing basically the same thing. If you can EVER get to the point where you let the 4.5 year old bucks walk (yes neighbors and cars will kill some and you will make a mistake or two) you will see the fruits of your labor.
We/I actually enjoy the work, planting, feeding, Spartan cam pics as much as the hunting now, and keeping up with a couple of bucks that you know that basically stay on your place, watch them grow to maturity, and MAYBE, just MAYBE get one of them with your bow, well.............that experience FOR ME is second to none.

We are lucky with our neighbors too. Everyone around us practices strict QDMA and has good food plots as well. I just feel that a good protein program can really get us to that next level

 

[ucfireman]

Don't make your trough too high. I found about 33 inches is good for adults but lower for the babies. I usually throw some on the ground when filling for the little ones.
I didn't see a difference in coons with the crumbles, just gummed up quicker than the pellets. Make your roof big enough to keep blowing wind out.
I would second the double barrel feeder, mine are at my house so no big deal filling them but I usually fill once or twice a week depending on how much they are eating. I would hate to have to drive to fill them.

Everyone talks about minerals, I don't use them too much. Wondered about that new mineral waterer from Banks? At least the mineral water (wild water mineral supplement)

 

[Ehbelser]

I going to preface this by saying that I would recommend managing the native habitat first (burning, thinning timber, etc). There’s so many native plants out there that rival planted food plots in lbs/ac and nutrition.
Whatever brand you decide on, make sure it’s at least 19% protein (gestation requires 19%, antlers require 16%). Bucks need .2% calcium & .1% phosphorous for antler growth. Does need .5% Ca & .3% P for gestation.
Feeder density depends on a lot of things like deer density and habitat quality but 1 feeder per 150-200 ac is common.

 

[billy336]

First round of protein should have wormer in it and mixed with corn. I use boss buck and Texas hunter barrel feeders. I have 5 on 640 acres, was up to 1000lbs a month during summer. I use Walpole 20% protein feed