Hunters across the white-tailed deer’s range know that one of the best deer management practices out there is providing free-choice supplemental feed. In Texas, many hunters use food plots in the fall for deer hunting purposes, but more ranches use protein feeders for deer hunting than other other method of supplemental feeding. Protein pellets were initially offered in troughs, then came the feeder tubes and now this interesting protein feeder design from a well-known manufacturer.
Texas Hunter Products, a San Antonio based company known for making quality products for outdoor enthusiasts for over 50 years, has developed and patented a new feeder that makes feeding protein pellets easy and cost effective. Bob Brock, the company’s president had this to say about the feeder, “It’s one of the simplest and most affordable ways to accelerate antler growth in deer populations.”
The benefits of supplemental feeding as a part of an overall deer management operation have been well-document by numerous scientific studies. One big problem many hunters have is that they try to dispense protein pellets using times feeders, but it always ends in disaster. One problem is that the feed is not fed fast enough to prevent mildew, and the other problem is timed feeders do not provide adequate, supplemental nutrition.
This new protein feeder design features a patented two-part funnel system that doesn’t require any moving parts, but always keeps the high-protein food fresh. The design provides deer with clean, dry supplemental feed on demand. That is a good thing for whitetail deer as well as the hunter, because the costs of wasted feed can add up fast.
“It’s important to get a good fit for the rain guards that are installed around the feed ports. These rain guards help prevent water from getting to the feed and ensure that the feed remains dry and fresh” says Brock. Also included are heavy-duty legs with large welded footpads and 24-inch stabilizing stakes used to anchor the feeder to the ground. And the feeder is affordable at just under $230.
The manufacturer says the feeder will dispense corn, protein pellets, soybeans and black-eyed peas. The majority of hunters fill their feeders from 50 pound bags, so it helps that the feeder is easy to fill at less than 6 feet in height. “It’s easy for the customer to fill, it’s easy for the deer to eat and the feed remains dry and fresh. Those three things coupled with a quality protein feed are the key ingredients to improving the antler growth of a deer population”, says Brock.
I think the design of this feeder will work well for most whitetail deer hunters because it is simple, easy to transport and easy to fill. It is perfect for those that have a deer lease. For landowners and hunters interested in using protein feeders to improve their whitetail deer management program and deer hunting, a free-choice protein feeder is a step in the right direction. To get adequate nutrition to each and every deer on your property, a protein feeder density of at least one feeder for every 250 acres is recommended.