bugs infesting my protein feed ...any suggestions much appreciated

[grady white]

I went to check my feeders this weekend and my protein feed was infested with bugs that at first glance look like small black ants but looking closer they were not ants , they are very small black bugs and they can even fly...I just started feeding this year so the protein has been sitting without much deer usage until the deer get used to the troughs and the feed had started to clump on top of being infested with bugs so I dumped out probably 600 pounds of Buck Muscle and refilled them with fresh feed , the troughs were filled with the meal type feed (crumble ) and the one gravity tripod was filled with the pellets and it was infested as well. I did have a few deer on camera starting to use the feed but not recently, I think once the bugs got so bad the deer left the feed alone ,has anyone experienced this and is their a solution ...protein feed is too costly to waste . Thanks for the feedback

 

[BCPbuckhunter]

I went to check my feeders this weekend and my protein feed was infested with bugs that at first glance look like small black ants but looking closer they were not ants , they are very small black bugs and they can even fly...I just started feeding this year so the protein has been sitting without much deer usage until the deer get used to the troughs and the feed had started to clump on top of being infested with bugs so I dumped out probably 600 pounds of Buck Muscle and refilled them with fresh feed , the troughs were filled with the meal type feed (crumble ) and the one gravity tripod was filled with the pellets and it was infested as well. I did have a few deer on camera starting to use the feed but not recently, I think once the bugs got so bad the deer left the feed alone ,has anyone experienced this and is their a solution ...protein feed is too costly to waste . Thanks for the feedback

You should have used corn first in the feeders to get the deer hitting the troughs and to let them get used to them. I sat my feeders out first and left them empty for a while. I then added corn to get them using them. Once they started using them good I mixed the protein in with some corn and then eventually to pure protein. I tried starting one feeder with pure protein and the protein dried out and they didn't eat it. Had to throw it out and start it with corn.

 

[catch22]

what buckhunter said. Also, if you have access to your feeders somewhat frequently, I would only put 1 or 2 sacks in and see how that goes. We filled our feeders to the top one year and with the heat/moisture etc... it went bad. We found it worked better when you put a little in and let them eat it fresh then add

 

[spurrs and racks]

I know a guy who sells the protein pellet feed. He says after about 1 week open the feed is worthless.

s&r

 

[Crakajak]

I have found that mixing rice bran in with any feed helps the deer to want to eat the feed.

 

[grady white]

Thanks for all of the replies... I started with just protein in the troughs with corn spread around on the ground , sounds like I may have to start over with just corn ...I did add rice bran with the fresh protein this past weekend so hopefully that will help , I was trying to avoid coons in the troughs by not putting any corn in them but looks like I might have to. I'm three hours from my lease so I do good to get down there once every few weeks ... the Texas barrel feeder I filled initially with 50 pounds of corn and the protein pellets on top and that one was full of bugs too . I ain't giving up though...sounds like I just may have to start over from scratch with corn only or corn/rice bran mix....another question ..will those same bugs get in corn that has been sitting in a feeder for a month or so ? . Thanks again for the help.

 

[shdw633]

I've had bugs from time to time, especially in my corn, they will eat it if it's not to old. I wouldn't throw what you have out but I would get in there and start putting some corn in the protein in that mix. Take the bad stuff out, mix in the corn with what remains and spread 2 bags of corn right next to the feeder on the ground, they will get to it.

 

[spurrs and racks]

I believe deer like weeviled up corn better than any of it. Crazy

s&r