By planting food that will entice deer and support antler growth, you can literally grow big bucks
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What do deer need to grow good antlers?
Will Great Nutrition Guarantee Trophy Bucks?
- Factors in deer antler growth. General health greatly influences a variety of factors that affect deer antler growth, such as feed intake and hormone production.
- Deer habitat and antler growth. Environmental conditions are also a factor. ...
- Hydration maximizes feed intake in deer. ...
- The genetic footprint. ...
- Population density relative to antler growth. ...
What is the best thing to feed deer?
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What is the best deer feeder on the market?
Top 7 Best Deer Feeders of 2021 – [Reviews & Buyer Guide]
- Locating The Overall Best Deer Feeder For The Money. How would you like to be able to ensure you’re always able to find deer when you go out hunting? ...
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What is the best food for deer?
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What is the best thing to feed deer for antler growth?
Calcium and phosphorous are the two most common minerals found in hardened antlers, and so it makes sense that they are the best deer minerals for antler growth.
How do I make my deer grow bigger antlers?
Providing bucks with high levels of calcium and phosphorous can jumpstart antler growth. These minerals are beneficial for pregnant does, and aid in milk production, metabolism and bone growth. They're also key to fawn and yearling skeletal development.
What foods grow big antlers Whitetails?
By planting any of the three mentioned – clover, alfalfa, chicory – deer on your hunting property will have another food source option in addition to native sources. Spring food plots are a good way to get bucks on the pathway to growing bigger antlers for fall.
Does protein make deer antlers bigger?
Protein for Bigger Antlers One of the key nutrients in a deer's diet that can increase antler growth is protein. With protein-rich food, a buck can grow bigger antlers and body mass.
Does corn help antler growth?
With only six- to eight- percent protein (the “building block” of antlers), corn can barely support daily bodily activities for an adult deer, which does not provide antler growth. So corn does play a factor, but not much.
Do soybeans help antler growth?
Bucks bank nutrients and pull them out in summer to develop antlers up until mid to late September. Even in a top soybean state, you can't depend on grain soybeans," Doyle says. "They're cut in September or October, and once harvested, the premium protein source for antler growth is gone."
Does clover help antler growth?
Clover is one of the richest protein sources for deer–in fact 10% higher that any wheat, rye, or grain food sources. Clover also contains 300% more mineral content than most spring grains—all necessities in promoting healthy antler growth.
Can food plots improve antlers?
If a deer can consume a diet of at least 16% protein they can maximize their health, body, bone and antler development. Studies have shown that A 4.5-year-old buck fed a 16% protein diet can grow antlers 15-25 inches larger (Boone and Crockett Score) than a 4.5-year-old buck fed only a 6% protein diet.
What is the best protein for deer?
The Top 5 Proteins Proven To Grow Big Bucks In The Off SeasonTecomate. ... Double Down Deer Feed. ... Lyssy & Eckel Feeds. ... Sportsman's Choice and Record Rack. ... Purina AntlerMax Deer 20.
Is Double Down Deer Feed worth it?
Absolutely the best pellet protein that deer just love. The deer consumption is amazing on wild low fence deer. I've been feeding deer and can see amazing results on the body and antler growth of my deer. The results are amazing.
Is oatmeal good for deer?
As previously mentioned, oats are highly favored by deer and they consistently rank among the top species consumed by deer in forage preference trials. Oats are highly nutritious as well. In well-managed food plots with a neutral soil pH and good fertility, oats can contain more than 25% crude protein.
How much does protein help antler growth?
The growing antler is 80% protein (dry matter basis). Fawns require up to 20% protein to support growth and antler pedicle development. After weaning through the next year, buck fawns fed a 16% protein diet had larger antlers than those fed 4.5% and 9.5% protein diets. This is true for two-year old bucks as well.
What are the factors that affect deer antler growth?
General health greatly influences a variety of factors that affect deer antler growth, such as feed intake and hormone production.
How does crowding affect deer antlers?
Even mild crowding is a stressor that affects hormone levels, impacts feeding behavior, and leads to increased energy expenditure and even injuries due to increased movement and numbers of altercations. Bucks must be managed with their social hierarchy in mind if injuries are to be minimized and desired breeding strategies achieved.
How does climate affect deer?
Climate can affect how much time a deer spends eating, moving around, resting, etc., and how much energy it expends just staying warm or cooling down. Stressors such as traffic or roaming dogs can upset deer, raising blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol and negatively impacting feeding behavior and nutrient usage.
Why is water important for ruminants?
Water availability is critical. Research has shown that in many species of ruminants, if water intake is reduced even minimally, food intake drops also . Water must be fresh, clean, available, and away from stressors that might inhibit a deer's water intake. Maximizing water intake will help maximize feed intake.
Is it good to feed buck genetically?
Genetics, of course, are very important. If a buck is genetically programmed to be average, then the best feed in the world will make him only average. Keep in mind, however, that a lesser feed will allow him to be only less than average. However, a buck genetically programmed to have a superior rack will not achieve that growth without optimal nutritional support. If you want your bucks to achieve their genetic potential, then you must feed them accordingly.
Do deer have antlers?
Great nutrition will give your deer the opportunity to maximize their genetic potential for antler growth, but it is just one (albeit an important one) of many factors that affect deer antler growth. Even assuming that you are providing the best nutrition possible, other things, some within your control and some not, ...
Why are deer so similar to humans?
The latest research at the MSU Deer Lab has revealed that deer are very similar to humans because they are affected by a phenomenon called “epigenetics.”. In this article we are going to review a 10-year research project where we examined the relative influence of genetics and nutrition on deer body and antler size.
What is the second generation of deer?
The second generation is composed of deer that were born to mothers that were raised in our research pens on the optimal, high-quality diet. That is, they are offspring of the first generation deer (remember, the first generation deer were all raised on the same high-quality diet, but their mothers were from the wild).
Why are buck results empowering?
These results are empowering because they show a clear link between buck quality and nutrition, which is something you can improve on your property. Habitat management and supplemental nutrition will yield results. Big changes will take time. Remember that significant changes will occur on a generational timescale.
Can genetics control antler growth?
Stop worrying about genetics! Although genetics do control body and antler growth of individuals, they cannot be managed at the population scale (we will save this topic for another Gamekeeper’s article).
Did the 1960s have deer?
Prior to the 1960s, much of the southeastern US was devoid of deer. It’s hard to imagine nowadays, but state wildlife agencies spent decades stocking deer throughout their respective states. For example, in Mississippi, MDWFP released over 3,000 deer in hopes of reestablishing populations – and it worked!
Do whitetail deer eat antlers?
So it’s no surprise that deer are what they eat too.
How to increase antler size on buck?
Antler size can be improved on bucks through adding points, increasing the lengths of points or by increasing the circumference of existing antler material, thus increasing mass. A lot of hunters look for a buck with a wide-spreading rack, but I’ll take the heavy-horned freak nasty every time.
What are the objectives of a deer diet?
The objectives should be to provide more protein, minerals (phosphorus and calcium) and trace minerals for all deer . Here are few ways to get the job done: Food plots – Get a soil test for your plot area and fertilize and lime as necessary. Leached soils are low on minerals and other nutrients.
What is the most heritable trait of a deer?
Antler mass, as it turns out, is one of the most heritable traits in deer antlers. Of all the traits that a buck may get from his father for antler growth, mass is most likely to stick. So, the WYSIWYG principle applies here. Thin-horned bucks sire more thin-horned bucks.
Why is it important to manage whitetail deer?
There are numerous other positives that result from managed whitetail populations, the most important of which are healthier, more diverse plant communities for all wildlife species.
When should I shoot bigger bucks?
Ideally, hunters will shoot bigger bucks if they simply provide the genetically-best bucks on their property with optimal nutrition until they reach 5-8 years of age. As I mentioned, this would be ideal. The reality in this case is a 90 acre property that currently has bucks that are lacking antler mass.
Do buck antlers get bigger?
Antlers get larger as a buck gets older up to a certain point, then they start declining in size. There is some debate on when exactly that occurs, but I don’t think there is a single right answer here. Just as individual bucks vary in antler quality, I think different bucks peak at different years.
Do deer have antlers?
Research in livestock have found that minerals improve digestion, increase weight gains. Heavier deer tend to have heavier antlers. Fertilize – This practice is not limited to just food plots. Native browse species also benefit from nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
From fascination to education
Fast forwarding 30 years, that pursuit of knowledge has le me down many different paths, one being the Wildlife Biology program at Texas Tech University.
Minerals 101
Minerals, in a deer’s diet, are extremely important to overall health and productivity. First, you should understand there are multiple mineral requirements, some more imperative than others, depending on the situation.
Which Deer Minerals To Buy
It’s overwhelming how many mineral mixes are available these days, all claiming astonishing success or promising massive jumps in antler growth. So, how is someone supposed to decide on the right mineral and know they aren’t wasting their money?
Getting Your Mineral Sites Started
Where: Normally, having a site every 25-75 acres is key. But, you need to consider your property and the density of your deer herd, first. So, to start out, make it simple, start your sites close to where you know the deer are.
In Conclusion
Before concluding, I want to get you thinking about something I’ll talk more about in upcoming blogs. For starters, shifting your attention more toward your does and fawns.
Brandon Houston
Brandon Houston is President of H3 Whitetail Solutions. He is a graduate of the Texas Tech University Wildlife Biology program. Brandon has immersed himself in wildlife programs, organization, studies and research. Brandon loves to study and chase big, mature bucks in the Fall.
What is the mineral content of antlers?
The mineral content is also as high as 300% higher in perennials vs spring grains. What it takes to grow large antler is a lot of protein and higher amounts of calcium and phosphorous. Antlers are made up of 45% crude protein, 22% calcium and 11% phosphorous.
How many days a year do deer need to eat?
Deer need 365 days a year of nutrition. When a deer goes into the winter in good condition and doesn’t lose much weight during the winter, they don’t go through a period of compensatory gain. What that means is they immediately start using their nutrient intakes for body weight and horn growth.
Can worms cause lung problems in deer?
Most don’t know this but in areas of high deer densities there can be major lung worm issues. Lung worms some miss interpret as a deer coughing and possibly a respiratory issue, when in fact it can be an internal parasite issue. Deer with a high worm load will not put on the pounds nor will produce as many inches of antler.
