Protein feeder recommendations

[Cool Hand Luke]

Does anyone have experience with the gravity style trough feeders? Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Bucaramus]

I've had a Boss Buck for 3 years and the deer don't seem to use it like they do our trough feeders. Other people love it. Me, not so much.

 

[Mark K]

Never seen one. Or did you mean for an “or” in there?
I have a boss buck gravity feeder and use buck muscle. Deer love it.
My son got bored at work one day and made a trough type feeder with half a plastic barrel. Covered it with a found piece of tin. Was told bucks would never use it...that was a lie.
I would go with trough feeders if you have hogs. They have learned to bump the gravity feeder to get the food to spill out.

 

[Mark K]

 

[Blisterapine]

Boss

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thank ya'll for the input. We have several homemade troughs. Researching something like this Double D. Very expensive so hoping someone can give advice.

 

[j_seph]

could always build a trough with a V shape going into center out of plywood

 

[jam]

Boss buck, hog problem fence off with four hog panels and 8 5ft t post, end up with 16x16 ft square. Deer jump in and eat, hog problem solved. Buck muscle is great.

 

[Dean]

My experience is that deer will eat from basically all of them. We have wood troughs, plastic barrel (cut in half), farm supply plastic cow/horse troughs, plus multiple BB gravity feeders. I think the key is placing corn on the ground around the base, then under feeder to start ....get them comfortable around the feeder first. Then I start with some attractant like Deadly Dust inside the tubes on the gravity feeders and/or in the trough. Have TC pics of bucks, does, fawns, turkeys, all eating from troughs and tubes on gravity feeders. Bait the site up around the feeders first....

 

[shdw633]

I have found the the problem with any gravity feeder and protein is that the protein gets wet due to condensation in the feeder and then clumps up in the tube and blocks the feed. It seems I am constantly unclogging gravity feeder tubes. When feeded protein I am trough feeder only.

 

[Ruger15]

I’ve built a bunch of these on my property with the deep v shape. Pretty cheap and last forever. Hogs can’t push them over. But I’ve seriously considered changing the design to an “OPEN” trough or tray to prevent bucks from bumping their antlers while in velvet . And ive never seen a large buck eat out of the feeder just what’s been knocked out on the ground. I’m sure they are but it seems like it would be hard for them too. Any input from other guys using the same set up or from experience would be greatly appreciated. I strictly feed protein out of these feeders only and have timed feeders for corn to keep them active during daylight hours.

 

[Major Wader]

All Seasons makes a timed protein feeder. I've seen several in Texas and they seem to work very well. I have one of their broadcast feeders and it's very high quality.

 

[ldavid008]

I tried protein out of a gravity feeder but finally just gave up. Did it for over a year and not a single deer pic/video eating the protein.

First hogs tipped it over and tore it to pieces within a week of first putting it out. So I fenced in the feeder to keep the hogs out with 42" high hogwire approx. 30' x 60' in size.

Then in trying to get the deer interested I mixed in a little corn with peanut butter on the rims. This time it was coons who emptied it within a week getting to a few kernals of corn without a single deer entering the fence.

I finally went back to a spinner feeder with corn only and still no deer inside the fence. So I lowered the fence to approx. 28" and now have deer actually entering the enclosure.

This was several years ago and now have four such enclosures on the property for the last few years and they work well for does and a few young bucks. So far not one buck greater than a 1.5 year old has entered any of them. Not sure why, but we still like the fencing just to keep the pigs out. Since we've gone to the fencing we've not had a single feeder turned over and we get to enjoy watching the pigs circle the enclosures only looking at the corn. Now if only we can figure out a way to keep the coons away all will be good.

 

[Triple C]

Thank ya'll for the input. We have several homemade troughs. Researching something like this Double D. Very expensive so hoping someone can give advice.

Had one out since 2011. It is the most indestructible feeder on the market. Made out of galvanized steel. I suggest you go up one size which allows bucks in velvet to access the trough without bumping their horns. Mine is just like the one if the pic and doe(s) wear it out. Bucks hit it as well but feel like they're a little cautious of hitting their antlers against the trough wall on my particular model.

Also have Texas Hunter barrel gravity feeder since 2011. Bucks wear that thing out. And have a couple of Banks Outdoor gravity feeders that requires a little modification to keep pigs from loosening the feed ports.

 

[Mark K]

I have found the the problem with any gravity feeder and protein is that the protein gets wet due to condensation in the feeder and then clumps up in the tube and blocks the feed. It seems I am constantly unclogging gravity feeder tubes. When feeded protein I am trough feeder only.

Mine didn’t last long enough to get wet. This was the first year I had does and fawns feeding out of it too. But this is also the year I switched from corn to buck muscle. That stuff smells like a fresh cut alfalfa field.

 

[shdw633]

Mine didn’t last long enough to get wet. This was the first year I had does and fawns feeding out of it too. But this is also the year I switched from corn to buck muscle. That stuff smells like a fresh cut alfalfa field.

I have found that the majority of my protein feed goes out to the does and fawns. That also being said, I can't seem to find anywhere that sells Buck Muscle in or around the central to southern part of the state

 

[Mark K]

They will get it if they can beat the bucks to it, lol. But once the bucks come in, they guard it like it’s their last meal. I don’t know if any feed out there that only bucks will eat. I do know they were more consistent with the buck muscle than they were with corn. And to be honest once the pre-rut kicks in I hardly had any pics of any mature bucks at the feeders (trough or gravity) at all. Of course it’s all corn then.
Our feed store in our little town sells it. But of course most hunters order it by the ton too.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Thanks gents. Sounds like gravity feeders get clogged. Some like the Boss Buck, Double D or home made troughs. Heard Buck Muscle mentioned a few times. Anyone like the 4S or Apple Valley?

 

[GT-40 GUY]

I put out a BOSS gravity feeder and couldn't get them to put their nose in the tubes to eat and they would only feed at night. Then I mixed in some C'MERE DEER CORN COAT and the next day I got pictures of Bucks and does feeding by putting their noses in and not only that they started feeding during the day. Even the bucks would eat during the day.

 

[grady white]

I have found that the majority of my protein feed goes out to the does and fawns. That also being said, I can't seem to find anywhere that sells Buck Muscle in or around the central to southern part of the state[/QUOTE


shdw633 ...Big Creek feed off of exit 149 (I-75 )in Byron carries Buck Muscle ...just bought some there last weekend. Everyone else was out of pellets but they had it in stock. The Texas Barrel feeder that Triple C mentioned is a great feeder , I have never had a problem with the pellets clogging and the deer wear it out.