Supplemental feeding

[String Music]

January through March is a time when food is sparse. We have several food plots and natural forages (mostly dormant now), but we are wanting a little extra for this time of year. My question is, should we just feed corn in our feeders or supplement some kind of protein feed?

Last year we mixed corn and protein feed, but the deer didn't exactly chow down on it. Anybody have success with a certain type of feed for this time of year?

 

[richmanbarbeque]

I would not do a thing. They will be fine.

 

[BigGameGuy]

Natural browse is always good.

 

[BSK]

Deer are still full of acorns. Acorns are much higher in needed nutrition than either corn or pelletized feeds. Protein pellets at this time of year might actually cause problems.

 

[hard county]

Start with all corn to supply the extra carbs needed for the rest of the winter, then start mixing a mixture of 25%cotton seed mill with 75% soybean meal. By march I will be mixing one third meal with two thirds corn. Important! Feed washed corn only. For alfatoxin affects research past posts. Also important is that the feed stays clean and dry, otherwise you will be doing more harm, than good. For a quick temporary boost pick up some liquid fertilizer and spray it on anything green. The product I use is Monte's plant food.

 

[Football Hunter]

corn is out for us,to many hogs,they get it all ,plus,BSK has about talked me out of it anyway

 

[deerchaser007]

If you have grains in your plots such as wheat/rye/oats,.. they should not be dormant. If they are not green,. you didn't apply the second nitrate application.
If you have several plots,. you have not got them organized very well at all. Use your plots for year round feeding. Have at least 50 percent in a perennial ,.. and the other 50 in rotating annuals.

With a sound plot program,.. there is zero need for feeding. Besides,.. feeding is expensive to do correctly. AND,. in most cases,.. not helping the deer.