Believe it or not, big bucks are both born and made! The whitetail bucks on your property may be born with great genetics, but if they don’t get what they need, they may never show their true potential. On the flip side, some bucks will never meet your expectations simply because they are genetically doomed. It’s not their fault, but not all bucks are born with the same genetic code. So how do you get maximum antler growth from your deer herd? Antler development (main beam length, antler spread, basal circumference, and number of points) is dependent upon three factors: nutrition (quantity and quality of food), age, and genetics.

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Managing the habitat for proper nutrition should be the primary management goal.  Supplemental feeding and/or planting of food plots are not a substitute for good habitat management.  These practices should only be considered as "supplements" to the native habitat, not as "cure-alls" for low quality and/or poorly managed habitats.

To be most beneficial, supplemental feeding in particular needs to be integrated into an overall deer population and habitat management program that maintains the range in good condition. Feeding programs which provide sufficient additional nutrients to be of value to deer are expensive and take a long term commitment.

Although corn is commonly used as a supplemental feed, it is one of the poorest types of deer feed available and it should not be used as the only source of supplemental feed. Its low protein level (7-10%) is not adequate for the development of bone and muscle, especially at times when the protein levels of native forages is also low. The preferred method is to use a 16% to 20% protein pelleted commercial feed, fed free choice, from feeders distributed at the rate of at least one feeder per 300 acres located within or adjacent to adequate escape cover. (more…)

What do deer eat? Deer eat mostly browse (leaves, twigs, shoots of woody plants and vines) and forbs (weeds and other broadleaf flowering plants). They do eat some grass, but only when it is young, green, and succulent. Sheep, goats, and exotic game species compete directly with the whitetail for preferred deer foods. Deer food shortages usually occur during late summer and winter months.

Adequate forage is usually available during the spring and fall seasons because of mild temperatures and increased rainfall. A variety of foods and habitat types is essential to good deer production and survival.

Deer eat a variety of plants, and different plant species become more important at different times of the year and importance can even vary year-to-year depending upon environmental conditions. The following plants are examples of some good deer foods which are readily eaten by deer when and where they are available. (more…)

Have you ever noticed that the first plants to return in a plowed, scraped, or otherwise disturbed area are weeds? Although this may not seem like much, these natural food plots could be of big benefit to your deer management program. When exposed to air, light, and water, seeds that were lying dormant in the soil begin to germinate following soil disturbance. These young, succulent plants are high in nutrient value and attract a variety of wildlife species looking for valuable forage, particularly white-tailed deer.

Disturbed sites can also serve as excellent food plot locations to supplement white-tailed deer diets during the stressful late winter or late summer periods. Areas can be lightly disked during late winter for the production of spring annuals, and then be heavily disked in early fall for winter food plots. This process can be repeated over and over and you can even sprinkle in some seeds during the spring disking to enhance  the plot. Remember, you are trying to create supplemental food for deer. You are not trying to grow a lawn. It does not have to look like a perfect stand of manicured plants. (more…)