Deer Feeders- Feeding Protein

Quality whitetail deer management has many variables and one consist of supplementing the deer's dietary intake to enhance the health of the deer, which in turn will have a positive impact and reflection on the antlers. There are several methods of supplemental feeding including food plots, discing and fertilizing the ground to encourage new growth, and through the use of wildlife feeders. Today, we will focus on the latter, deer feeders, specifically spin cast feeders. Feeders come in many sizes and flavors. Gravity feeders which can be from 50lbs to 4000lbs, and spin cast type feeders which generally range from your 55 gallon drum barrel capable of holding 300lbs to other larger types containing 2000lbs. I have 8 spincast feeders with the biggest holding 1400 lbs, they all are adapted with the Deer Feeder Helper, which makes turning these feeders into protein feeders quite easy. The most effecient method, according to a respected whitetail deer biologist, is to spin cast the feed into a trough or into a feed tube. I have done both and have discovered what works best for me and will tell you why. I initially made a housing using a 5 gallon bucket with a 5" hole centered in the bottom. I attached the bucket to my feeder helper with 4 angle brackets screwed to each, completely around the timer mechanism with the bucket. Now, when the feeder actuates, the housing will capture the airborn corn and drop it into a catch trough below that I had placed there for that purpose. Unfortunately, rain and varmints proved taxing to the meal placed in the trough. I latter connected a 3" PVC pipe to the bucket with the help of an added toilet flange to the bottom of the bucket, discarded the trough and replaced it with a 3"x3"x3" tee connected to bottom of the PVC pipe. It works perfect. The feeder actuates, the deer will come eating all the pellets, raccoons are left without as they cannot reach the spout of the 3" openings, the rain is harmless as the pellets are with-in the pipe, and the pellets never touch the ground. If a clog does occur, simply unlatch your feeder helper and remove the clog. Once deer season approaches, you can simply remove the bucket, storing your bucket/trough for the next spring season. Some hunters will feed a corn/pellet mix, Personnaly I like to feed straight protein as I feel corn is a waste of money for that time of the year and I actually believe it hurts the deer because when they are eating corn, they are not eating other beneficial items such as browse and forbs. But the corn does help to prevent clogs. I also like to feed at night during the off season, as the darkness helps the deer feel more secure being near the feeder and more likely to visit it during the daylight once season opens. Another option is to remove the timer and replace it with the 3" pipe mentioned earlier only this time without the bucket housing, making a gravity type feeder out of your barrel. This works fine, but obviously is more expensive, as the deer are able to eat all thet want to. Remember, supplemental feeding is an adjuct to an otherwise healthy deer herd and is no replacement for an effective harvesting program of removing excess numbers of does and bucks from the ranch to satisfy the carrying capacity of the land. I sincerly hope you enjoy your journey and happy hunting, Chris Nicholes