Price of Deer Feeds

[Gadestroyer74]

Got a quote today from a preferred feed for 630 a ton

 

[HavocLover]

I'm a firm believer that people that have the time and the money to feed the protein and grow the deer their looking for will put forth the effort, most people in my opinion want to see a big deer with very little effort. Yes there is a large cost involved , high effort is greatly rewarded. Most of who do feed year-round high nutritional value foods are rewarded with sightings and harvest, even if an adjoining property owner happens to take a wild deer that they would have let go. Everyone has a hobby, and it all depends on where people want to spend their money lol. If you do research and buy them bulk the cost of the supplemental feeding won't be anywhere near as expensive as most people think. 10 pallets of high protein feed from a supplier can be a whole lot cheaper than one pallet, or five bags from a retailer, etc etc. And later in the season, corn from a retailer as "bait"is way more expensive than finding a bulk supplier locally. Spend the time and research higher value products at lesser cost. It has proven to be successful in my area for me.

I agree with this in more ways than one. I've been effected by this in a negative way and also been the one to 'facilitate' this. For lack of a better word.

I had a property I hunted my entire life and the hunting was great. Was hunting off of permission only, so we put very little $$ and time into the place. Big neighboring parcel was vacant for many many years. No activity of any sort. In the latter years, it became a hunting club and they fed and managed year round, we couldn't hardly buy a deer once that started.

My lease, once we started feeding religiously, not only did see we results in terms of size, but just sightings alone. Our neighbors would constantly complain about not seeing anything and meanwhile we are seeing 7+ a sit.

I also see this constantly in effort alone. Regardless of feeding. Most times the ones that put in the most, are the same ones that get the most out of it. I always get a kick out of the guys that complain about not seeing anything or whatnot. I just want to shake them and say, "yeah, you've been out at the lake every weekend this summer. You havent stepped foot on the place since season went out and all the while everyone else has been out here at least 1 weekend a month."

 

[DynamicDennis]

What happens when you’re on a timber lease managed for pines, the Forester only sprays Imazypyr to control vegetative growth, so the only foliage that survives are pine trees and briars?
*Prescribed burns are more beneficial than spraying Imazypyr, which is a soil sterilization herbicide*
Years 1-8ish after a clearcut are amazing. Years 9-15 (or up until the first thinning) are awful.

You can only plant “X” acres in food plots and you cannot cut or burn the pines.
Your limited to performing trail camera surveys and shooting a bunch of does to prevent the population from stunting out.

Supplemental feeding does provide value. The importance varies property to property.

The only constant is that supplemental feeding is expensive.

Pine plantation is about what I have. Other than natural browse we do not have many important food trees. But the neighbors do and we have the bedding, has taken years to really figure our property out. Hopefully they do not cut this season!!!

 

[Jason C]

Price has slowed my feeding down , cant afford to feed all the critters and me

 

[sghoghunter]

I agree with this in more ways than one. I've been effected by this in a negative way and also been the one to 'facilitate' this. For lack of a better word.

I had a property I hunted my entire life and the hunting was great. Was hunting off of permission only, so we put very little $$ and time into the place. Big neighboring parcel was vacant for many many years. No activity of any sort. In the latter years, it became a hunting club and they fed and managed year round, we couldn't hardly buy a deer once that started.

My lease, once we started feeding religiously, not only did see we results in terms of size, but just sightings alone. Our neighbors would constantly complain about not seeing anything and meanwhile we are seeing 7+ a sit.

I also see this constantly in effort alone. Regardless of feeding. Most times the ones that put in the most, are the same ones that get the most out of it. I always get a kick out of the guys that complain about not seeing anything or whatnot. I just want to shake them and say, "yeah, you've been out at the lake every weekend this summer. You havent stepped foot on the place since season went out and all the while everyone else has been out here at least 1 weekend a month."

I’m the same way. I have feeders running all year for the deer and for the hogs and these lil teenagers love it

 

[Jim Boyd]

I know this is slightly off topic but I ordered $625 in seed today

Some for a late summer plating

Some for winter

Seems feed is about that much per ton.

Would be very interesting if we could know what the tonnage per acre of plots is

Now - many do not have the food plot option.

I am glad you feed them regardless of how you get it done!!!!!!!

 

[Long Cut]

I know this is slightly off topic but I ordered $625 in seed today

Some for a late summer plating

Some for winter

Seems feed is about that much per ton.

Would be very interesting if we could know what the tonnage per acre of plots is

Now - many do not have the food plot option.

I am glad you feed them regardless of how you get it done!!!!!!!

Durana clover yielded an average of 3,800# per acre (once established) in one of UGA’s trial plots from 1999-2001. Link below.

White Clover Establishment and Management Guide

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a cool season perennial legume of Mediterranean origin. White clover has been used as a forage in North America since Colonial times. Benjamin Franklin noted its prevalence in cleared and disturbed land as early as 1746. There are many animal and agronomic...

extension.uga.edu

There’s a lot of variables though. Soil PH, Fertility, Moisture, sunlight, browse pressure...

I’d imagine a clover/cereal rye/chicory blend would fetch 5,000# or greater per acre during peak growth.

 

[Bud Man]

I bet the yield on my tonnage per acre would be less than average, I planted 16 acres of soybeans for them and at the end of the growing season I'll be lucky if they'll be 3 acres make it lol so my yield is very low.

 

[antharper]

I bet the yield on my tonnage per acre would be less than average, I planted 16 acres of soybeans for them and at the end of the growing season I'll be lucky if they'll be 3 acres make it lol so my yield is very low.

They just don’t realize what they are messing up when they eat them as soon as they sprout ! I’ve tried and tried and finally gave up , it’s sorghum for me or nothing . I have seriously thought about a solar electric fence and give it another try

 

[Gadestroyer74]

They just don’t realize what they are messing up when they eat them as soon as they sprout ! I’ve tried and tried and finally gave up , it’s sorghum for me or nothing . I have seriously thought about a solar electric fence and give it another try

We are using a solar electric fence on our beans. Seems to be working.

 

[Worley]

I’m scratching my head @ $1000 per month, seriously….that’s more than it cost to feed a family of 4 healthy humans….I’m leaving now before the bbq begins.

 

[Long Cut]

I’m scratching my head @ $1000 per month, seriously….that’s more than it cost to feed a family of 4 healthy humans….I’m leaving now before the bbq begins.

I’ve spoken with managers on several thousand acre properties that had $17k-25k feed budgets. That made ours look like nothing.. The feed was brought in by the tractor trailer load.

Obviously protein feeding is the “ice cream”.
Managing herd density (buck to Doe ratios), food plots, timber, prescribed fire etc all should come before one ever considers feeding.

*Unless you’re on a timber lease and cannot burn, have X acres to plant, can’t cut trees... then protein feeding is your only option aside from culling does and cull bucks.

 

[kmckinnie]

I can’t eat antlers !!!

 

[buckpasser]

I agree with this in more ways than one. I've been effected by this in a negative way and also been the one to 'facilitate' this. For lack of a better word.

I had a property I hunted my entire life and the hunting was great. Was hunting off of permission only, so we put very little $$ and time into the place. Big neighboring parcel was vacant for many many years. No activity of any sort. In the latter years, it became a hunting club and they fed and managed year round, we couldn't hardly buy a deer once that started.

My lease, once we started feeding religiously, not only did see we results in terms of size, but just sightings alone. Our neighbors would constantly complain about not seeing anything and meanwhile we are seeing 7+ a sit.

I also see this constantly in effort alone. Regardless of feeding. Most times the ones that put in the most, are the same ones that get the most out of it. I always get a kick out of the guys that complain about not seeing anything or whatnot. I just want to shake them and say, "yeah, you've been out at the lake every weekend this summer. You havent stepped foot on the place since season went out and all the while everyone else has been out here at least 1 weekend a month."

I get what you’re saying for sure. My livelihood is creating the “perfect” habitat for deer. It is unreal the results my employers are seeing. Protein feeding plays a part in that.

That said, the key to my PERSONAL success on my hunting land is not stepping foot on it at all (minus safety checks for lock ons) until I go hunting. There are certainly several ways to skin a cat. I just get more pleasure from hunting woods deer doing woods deer things. No plots, no feeders, no clue I’m there.

 

[HavocLover]

I get what you’re saying for sure. My livelihood is creating the “perfect” habitat for deer. It is unreal the results my employers are seeing. Protein feeding plays a part in that.

That said, the key to my PERSONAL success on my hunting land is not stepping foot on it at all (minus safety checks for lock ons) until I go hunting. There are certainly several ways to skin a cat. I just get more pleasure from hunting woods deer doing woods deer things. No plots, no feeders, no clue I’m there.

And I understand what you’re saying as well, but obviously it’s never a one size fits all ordeal. I have two small tracts I hunt that get very little pressure and I hunt both just as naturally as you possibly could. On my bigger lease, we have 10 other members and a neighboring club uses one of our main roads through the very center of our property. So there’s no telling how much traffic the wildlife sees weekly. So my intrusion, or lack of, on that property would only hurt me for not being out there in the thick of it. Cause if I decide to back off but there’s a club member out there anyways, my lack of presence didn’t ease any pressure cause they still heard a 4wheeler running the roads and yada yada. Same with the feed… whether I like it or not, when I know both neighbors and all the club members are baiting like crazy, I would be at a disadvantage to not join in on it.

 

[roscoe54]

I can’t eat antlers !!!

I agree but I sure like seeing those big horns

 

[buckpasser]

I agree but I sure like seeing those big horns

Everybody does, some just can’t admit it! They can easily be identified by their lack of possession of said big horns! Haha

 

[Gbr5pb]

Got 2 small bucks been coming to yard to eat apple cores and cabbage stalks I’ve thrown out! Is that going to help there horns or do I need better quality scraps?

 

[Jim Boyd]

I bet the yield on my tonnage per acre would be less than average, I planted 16 acres of soybeans for them and at the end of the growing season I'll be lucky if they'll be 3 acres make it lol so my yield is very low.

Excellent point but think about what got gone, where it went and “how much” it was.

Your deer are the better for it!!!!!

 

[Jim Boyd]

Durana clover yielded an average of 3,800# per acre (once established) in one of UGA’s trial plots from 1999-2001. Link below.

White Clover Establishment and Management Guide

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a cool season perennial legume of Mediterranean origin. White clover has been used as a forage in North America since Colonial times. Benjamin Franklin noted its prevalence in cleared and disturbed land as early as 1746. There are many animal and agronomic...

extension.uga.edu

There’s a lot of variables though. Soil PH, Fertility, Moisture, sunlight, browse pressure...

I’d imagine a clover/cereal rye/chicory blend would fetch 5,000# or greater per acre during peak growth.

My plots are far from optimum (in most cases) and the deer rape them at will - but I know this: the deer are getting xx lbs per day (whatever that number is) and in a lot of cases, such as with winter plots - they are getting it for a LONG a time. About 4 months, or 1/3 of the year.

Makes them very predictable (hanging on the property) and very visible (feeding in the fields).

And…. Being predictable is what a deer does “worst”… it is what gets about 1/3 off them shot every year.