Make Your Own Deer Feed + a Trough-Style Deer Feeder

• How to Make Homemade Deer Food: Ingredients
• How to Make Nutrition-Rich Feed Pellets
• How to Build a Trough-Style Deer Feeder

If you're looking to attract deer to your yard or hunting area, making your own deer feed is a great way to ensure they're getting nutritious, safe food. In this guide, we'll cover everything from making homemade deer food to building your own feeder. Let's dive in!

How to Make Homemade Deer Food

Creating your own deer food is easy and cost-effective. Start with a mix of corn, oats, and protein-rich ingredients like soybeans or alfalfa pellets. You can also add molasses for sweetness and apples or other fruits for extra appeal.

Here are some common ingredients for making nutritious deer feed:

• Corn: A favorite among deer for its high carbohydrate content.
• Oats: Provides fiber and energy.
• Alfalfa Pellets: Rich in protein and fiber.
• Soybeans: High in protein and fat, great for winter feeding.
• Fruit and Veggie Scraps: Use leftover apples, carrots, and pumpkins. Deer love these and they're packed with vitamins.
• Molasses: Adds sweetness and energy.

Offer the feed in small amounts to see how the deer respond, then adjust as needed.

How to Make Nutrition-Rich Feed Pellets

If you want to take it a step further, making your own feed pellets can ensure your deer get a balanced diet. You'll need a pellet mill for this process. If you don’t have pellet mill, you can press the mix into small balls.

Mix together your chosen ingredients (corn, oats, alfalfa, soybeans, and a binder like molasses) and run them through the pellet mill according to the manufacturer's instructions. Allow the pellets to cool and harden before storing.

How to Build a Trough-Style Deer Feeder

Building a trough-style deer feeder is a simple DIY project. You'll need:

• Wooden planks
• Screws or nails
• Drill or hammer
• Measuring tape
• Saw

Steps to build your feeder:

1. Measure and cut the wooden planks to your desired size.
2. Assemble the base and sides of the trough, securing with screws or nails.
3. Attach legs to the trough if you want it elevated.
4. Sand any rough edges to prevent injury to the deer.
5. Place the feeder in a convenient location and fill with your homemade feed.

By making your own deer feed and building a feeder, you can ensure that the deer visiting your area are healthy and well-fed. Happy feeding!