The deer I feed strange as this sounds are picky, or spoiled. They do not seem to care for cracked corn, they will only eat straight corn when it is very cold. They prefer the feed mix I get at the local mill.
That's interesting. I've got a feed grinder/mixer that I've used to mix ration of corn/milo/beans but haven't ground the feed with it so far just mixed it for convenience. The grinder has different sized screens for sizing, I was just wondering if I ground it if the deer would stop eating it as well. I'm thinking maybe it's because the smaller pieces freeze harder.
The feed I give them is corn, soybeans, black sunflower, oats and mollassass, I believe it is 12% protein. They prefer this over anything else. Currently I am mixing a few left over Christmas cookies in with the feed, they also like potato chips, as well as breakfast ceral.
I have used a mix like that in the past and I like it better than just strait corn. But its a bit pricey for long term feeding.But to be able to keep deer around it works. Beefie
I would bet there is not corn grown within 100 miles of Ely. Fitz do the deer eat the clover? I picked up a bale of alfalfa at the mill this morning because it is about to get bitter cold and I want to add more feed rather than more corn. $9.00 a bale, I guess the mill is selling it all to deer feeders and can't keep the bales in inventory. I did not realize how many people are feeding the deer in the 15 mile radius of where I live.
Yeah, they like clover. Not sure there's much alfalfa grown around here either. They'll eat it, but prefer the clover.
deer need protein in the winter months.. Cold winter conditions limit natural browse and forbs. Supplemental protein helps bridge the nutrition gap between winter and spring.
A buddy of mine added alfalfa bails to his winter feeding and he said the deer came out of last winter looking the best he can remember.
Yeah I have 16 -20 healthy dear I am feeding and the does have twins every spring, no winter kill deer here. I have more bucks coming to feed and recover than I had during season. Feeding has only helped the herd in my area.
No idea. This is the first year he's gone to the round. With our density, I'd guess he'll get more than half way through the winter with it. They hammered my first two small bales of mixed clover & alfalfa in under a month, but a lot of that get spread out and covered in snow. I need to build a manger.
Yeah I want them to have forage for the late comers when the feeder is empty. Have seen pictures of bully does defending the feeder, don't make me buy a bonus tag next year.
we used to use deer feed in the winter months on all of our managed leases... As others have said if deer will eat alfalfa it is very high in protein....either sq or round bails...
If the deer in your area are already eating corn in fields, feeding it to them won't harm their systems. I mix my corn 50/50 with cutting edge sustain feed. I will also second the recommendation of alfalfa bales. They will help the deer through the winter by providing some of the nutrients found in green matter that traditional winter browse doesn't have
It was years ago somewhere in northern Minnesota. It was a very bad winter and some organization was feeding the deer alfalfa and lots of it. Many deer died with full stomachs as their stomach couldn't digest the alfalfa. They came to the conclusion that being there was no alfalfa anywhere close in the area that was the reason and also because they fed them way too much alfalfa.
They will eat either. Alfalfa hay has a higher protein content. The couple deer breeders I know around here buy strictly high quality alfalfa hay for their stock in winter. The hay we feed our horses is a mix of alfalfa, clover, and grass. They munch on the round bales where we have it stacked when other sources are scarce
