Rule of thumb, as soon as bucks cast antlers they need about 18% protein and less carbs while antlers are growing. Soon as they shead velvet, they need less protein, bout 8% but high carbs (high fat) through fall and winter till casting time again. Hard to get that magic 18% from only natural browse. 18% would be if you want max antler growth for the full antler growing season. Good article about this in QDMA mag a couple months ago.

Notice I said "mineral lick". I keep the trophy rock and other minerals on the ground, year round.
Clem, in most if not all of Alabama "green up" comes before or very shortly after "antler shed". I spend a lot of time peeping through greened up bushes at antlered deer while turkey hunting.

Guess we're thread hijackers, but you're not going to get the protein needed for MAX antler growth from a mineral block. Also natural brows will only do so much. First year or two after logging or burn brows is high in protein then starts tapering off. I guess someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Heck, on here you get corrected if you're right!

You are exactly correct. In fact, you're not going to get the "Minerals" needed for maximum antler growth from a mineral block. They can't consume enough. Mix a complete "loose" mineral 50/50 with either soybean meal or peanut meal and feed it free choice. The minerals will act as a limiter and they will get all the protein and minerals they need................

The protein aids in digestion and they can eat more available forage also.

Listen.. Spoiler wasnt asking if it is bennificial to feed deer protien in the spring.. I think by now, he knows what is good or not.. I will restart this thread to the top with the initial question. Is it legal to feed protien pellets to deer in a trough style system during turkey season? If it is not legal, what is the minnimmum distance that you can legally turkey hunt with feed on the ground?

No. It is not legal. There is no minimum distance. Don't give a Game Warden reason to believe your using the bait as an aid in harvesting a turkey and you'll be fine.

So your telling me there is no minimum distance to hunt when there is bait on your property?

One more time.....

it's bait if yer too close to it....

the law/regs don't mention any minimum distance....

If yer sitting 50 yards away yer illegal

if you are 1/2 mile away yer ok

GW has to be able to show you knew it was there or should of known it was there....

I can't give you a minimum distance but a little common sense will go a long way here.....talk to your local GW and get his opinion.

troy

Thanks Troy.. I think I may have been assuming that since the "florida state law" is 100 yards for bait when turkey hunting then there "must" be a logical number the alabama folks have came up with.. I guess this ole state is a little behind on the times.. Sorry for the confusion..

Thanks again

Chris

coming from a landowner, being a landowner doesn't and shouldn't give you the right to do what ever you want. The baiting laws are ambiguous and should be re-written but I think most people that have bait/ feed out during hunting season are baiting whether or not they want to admit it or not and as others said, it's your word against the GW's word. He will win most of the time. Pretty good question about the protein pellets cause they are expensive and I couldn't imagine someone buying pellets to feed turkeys but with the laws as they are you would pay a ticket if caught, I would bet.

And that's what we're gonna do Caleb... Are you going up to your place this weekend ? Wanna try to get up with you before turkey season if possible and maybe go look at yall's place...

Won't be there this weekend. I'll be there on the 18th doing a little turkey scouting and near about every weekend after until the end of April.

10-4... I will get up with you in a couple of weeks when I go back up there then, that will prolly be a better time for me anyway...