They are pounding the Pro Antler now

  • magnumlure
    Posts: 100
    #202976

    Rut is pretty much over in OK….This is the time last year when the bucks came back to the feeders HUNGRY and ready to put some weight back on…..Well they are back again this year!

    Yummy! these deer are WAY spoiled! LOL

    bowhuntmn
    Posts: 130
    #116304

    Looks like they are hitting it hard!
    I have a question for you, and others in the south, regarding antler mass.
    I am wondering if deer in your area pack on the mass as they mature, like our northern deer do? I know that northern deer are typically heavier weight wise, but it seems that even the largest of the southern bucks do not stack up mass wise to northern bucks?
    The supplementing that you do (year round?) obviously is huge, but I supplement seemingly much less than you; and I see great results, whether its from the mineral supplement or not.
    Somedays I wonder if northern deer are almost a different breed…
    I don’t want it to sound like a bash, or an amateur post, but I see all these thin, tall tined, wide racks on the southern deer whereas the northern bucks tend to be heavy and gnarly.

    magnumlure
    Posts: 100
    #116308

    Good question, and one I am going to add to the Nutra Deer website.

    Well comparing deer in WI and MN to Deer in the non Ag areas of NE OK is kinda like comparing a orange to a grapefruit. Both look about the same but there are some really HUGE differences in the two…..There are deer in Canada that make our OK deer look like dogs and crazy as it seems our OK deer in NE OK are larger than some in the South and Eastern parts of the country. The age, nutrition and genetics of a buck do matter on mass to some degree, but our deer will never have the mass yours do.

    This is a very BIG subject and one that can cause quite a lot of debate but bottom line is the whitetail subspecies look about the same in general but differ a lot in body weights, antler mass and size, fawn weights, etc.

    FYI: There are at least 6 different subspecies of whitetail deer in North America that have evolved over time to master the regional climates they must live in. The farther North you go the bigger the deer. THe bigger the body size of the deer is proportional with the antler mass they grow out of their big heads to some degree.

    When you feed supplemental protein and mineral you have to:
    1) Understand the basic herd anatomy you are dealing with in your geographic region.

    2) Only measure your results against deer from the same geographic region.

    3) Document the size of the animals regarding body weights and antler sizes from year to year to show a true picture of the supplemental feedings results. The most productive way to accomplish this is if you have some basic understanding of your deer herd before you start your supplemental feeding program.

    Everyone has to measure supplemental feeding results against average deer from their geographic area. You can not measure results against freakishly huge deer or below average deer from your area.

    I hope I shed some light on the differences between your deer and ours. I wish we naturally had the mass your deer do, but I think they would look very disproportionate with the heads of our 150 lb bucks! I feed protein and mineral to try and turn those skinny wide racks to more massive racks!

    Might I ask, how do you use supplements, what your results consist of, and how have you documented them? I quote from your post….
    “I supplement seemingly much less than you; and I see great results, whether its from the mineral supplement or not.”

    Thanks for a great question an one that will help lots of other folks!

    bowhuntmn
    Posts: 130
    #116313

    That is some very good information, and they are all things that I had a hunch on. It is clear that the survival needs of all the whitetails differ based on their geographic location. Sometimes I forget that these deer have the same general goals as humans; breeding, and survival
    If we so choose to, we can enhance their lives (and their racks) through feeding.
    I will say that, when compared to you, I have only become serious about deer nutrition and supplements in the last three years. We (my dad and I) have revamped just about everything in regards to what we plant, feed, and how often and how much of each three years ago.
    The conclusions we came up with, and this is all of our own research and opinions, have brought down Pope and Young (140’s +) animals the last three years, and have actually put me in the same playground with a couple of booners.
    Point 1: Survival:
    We have started to plant food sources that supply a steady amount of food to the deer as they pertain to the seasons. Sure we still have “kill” plots scattered all over, but our meadows have selectively been turned into 2+ acre forage for spring, summer, fall, and winter plots. We still leave CRP/Switchgrass up as much as we can. We have also planted several apple trees that we plan to maintain and care for. Additional pine and cedar trees were also planted into certain ridge tops and points. These are, in my opinion, investments that will allow for good hunting for many years to come.
    My next point, and just as important as food/cover, brings me to supplemental feeding. I know of hunters in my area that claim food plots to be supplemental, and in their case it may be a supplement to corn or alfalfa. To me supplemental feeding is more along the lines of mega-dosing minerals, vitamins, and protein. If you press me hard enough I may give out some details, but we have come up with a couple of variations of attractants, vitamin/mineral supplements, and protein additives all in one. Everything we make is from “scratch”, and nothing is name brand or marketed for whitetails at stores.
    We quickly started noticing more deer, bigger deer, and more “huntable” deer.
    We keep a much closer eye on inventory through cameras, and many hours spent glassing from a distance via truck, scout stands, etc. I’ve had issues with keeping a close on eye on some of the bucks throughout the year, but they always seem to show up mid summer and stick around for a while.
    This is just the changes that I have made recently, not saying it is right or wrong, but I am hardcore to the bone when it comes to whitetails regardless. The changes have required an increase in investments of time and money.
    I have learned lots of lessons about deer in the last couple of years, and am typically very quiet about it to the “community”, but you have sparked my interest and good information is being shared on these boards!

    bowhuntmn
    Posts: 130
    #116315

    Not to hijack your thread, or add another choppy post on my end, but I did forget to mention a couple of other things that I think are a work in progress but still very beneficial for the future.

    We have very little for water sources nearby, so small ponds have been added to key locations. Typically, I place ponds near food, or near bed. This allows for easy access for the deer, and for easier access to the deer for me. We use old rubber roof liner, and just make depressions in the spot of our choice. Typically less than two feet deep in the middle, but about 7-8 feet across. These are easier to make in the first place, and allows the deer to feel more comfortable when compared to the one old cattle pond we have on the property.

    Also, once we realized how disproportionate our buck/doe ratio was to begin with (1:6-8), we began to harvest does selectively. It is pretty difficult for me to gauge the buck:doe ratio effectively, but after many hours of glassing and using cameras I came up with an estimate I was comfortable with. In our zone we are allowed up to 5 deer a year with one legal buck included in that limit, so we have taken 5-6 mature doe each of the last three years along with a mature buck. I am hoping this will work out, and I have already noticed more bucks cruising this last fall than in previous years. I am not sure if we need to take some more doe from our properties, but this winter/spring will hopefully allow me to make that decision.

    mossydan
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    Posts: 7727
    #116317

    Hey Jeff I thought Id put this in here too. The DNR here in Iowa says the antler mass that the bucks here have is due too all the soybeans that grow here. Evidently studies have been made and the nutrition that soybeans have to offer is very good for antler building and probably bone mass in thier body frame. The farmers that like to fertilize less alternate thier fields growing corn one year and beans the next in the same area, They alternate so its easier on the soils and they don’t have to fertilize as much, cutting costs. Another thing here in Iowa is the alfalfa fields, theres alot of them in Hilly areas where soil erosion might be an issue. One of the reasons genetics are the way they are is because the winters are colder and Genes trigger thier systems into putting on alot of weight to make it through until spring.

    One of the rerasons why the deer are smaller in body size in the south is because the winters aren’t as cold and long going without necessary nutrition and its easier for them to make it through. If the winters were long and cold there the deer would also be bigger. Its nature protecting itself. Theres always a demand for nutrition and the harsher the climate the more the demand. With bucks focuseing on mating they aren’t eating as much. Thier focused on going from area to area looking for does to breed and leaving thier nutitional needs for second place in importance. Anyway you can supliment the nutrition they need at anytime of the year, especially the demands of prerut and during the rut is an asset. If thier food also tastes good to them that makes the demand even better like the sweetness of alfalfa and corn and the nutrition of soybeans. If you ever put a piece of alfalfa in your mouth and chew on it, it tastes sweet as does the field corn here, alfalfa being the sweetest Thats why commercial cattle feed is full of alfalfa. I talked to a butcher one time and he told me the reasons northern and southern beef are diffrent is the cold winters. He said that northern beef have thier body fat on the outside of the meat and more southern beef have it marbled throughout the meat. The northern beef have it on the outside of the beef under the hide to protect them from the cold. Winters the main reason why deer are bigger here and it all has to do with the demand for storage of body mass befor the cold sets in and haveing to do it year after year. Storing body weight is essential to making through the long winters, especially the colder winters with deep snow cutting off thier food supply. In all the areas where I’ve hunted when there was deep snow on the ground showed me two things. One was they paw over the alfalfa fields until they get to the alfalfa and they spend hours feeding on it all night eating all they can to fill thier daily needs. The other is they browse on small limbs from smaller bushes completely filling thier stomachs. When you clean a deer here in Iowa where its fairly hilly they have both alfalfa and small limb browse in thier stomachs, so this is where they get most of thier nutrition. The long cold winters and the very available nutrition here have everything to do with body and antler size. It doesn’t matter if its north or south, the more you can feed them the better they do and the bigger they get and the better chance genetics will be passed on for next year. Someone who is feeding thier deer herds helps tremendously keeping thier immediate deer stable.

    kooty
    Keymaster
    1 hour 15 mins to the Pond
    Posts: 18101
    #116318

    This is great stuff guys!! A few questions come to mind. I’m trying to utilize what works for you guys out in SD. Many of the things we have tried have failed. We simply don’t have that great of soil and our moisture in the latter part of the season has been next to nothing. We also have laws that prevent us from trying other things.

    BowhuntMn,
    1. How many acres do your Dad and you own/manage?
    2. Apple trees, isn’t it true you need a couple to pollinate each other? Do they need to be different breeds?
    3. Have you tried planting any white oaks?
    4. Can you suggest a place to start looking for used rubber roofing? We also need to give our deer more spots to water.

    Jeff,
    Something I learned last weekend from Todders is we need to get as many statistics from our deer as possible. I’ll be honest, we’ve never weighed a deer in my life. Because the deer in our region roam so much, we have a hard time knowing which deer are “our” deer. Can you suggest other ways to learn more about “our” herd. I was thinking maybe trying to get the neighbors on board with weighing etc…

    Again, GREAT STUFF guys!!

    magnumlure
    Posts: 100
    #116323

    It sounds like you are very much on the right track in my opinion and your hard work has and will continue to pay off.

    I look at my properties like this…..

    1) Security cover is a must have. Its the most important variable in deer management in my opinion. Especially for large adult deer.

    2) Water is vital to their survival.

    3) Good browse is also vital to their survival.

    4) Supplemental feeding in almost every open range situation with protein, mineral or vitamins is not a necessity its a luxury. Extreme cold, snow, and ice are exceptions that take the lives of whitetail deer anally. Supplemental feeding in these situations can help deer survive.

    5) Man made manipulation with supplemental feed and protein is a serious matter but one lots of folks take seriously. No one wants to harm their deer herd….The correct ratios of protein, vitamins, mineral and trace mineral can enhance a deers health and antler growth but we as stewards of the lands need to make sure we are feeding products that don’t harm our wildlife in the long run. Studying deer nutrition can help folks get a basic understanding of the ruminant digestive system and how it absorbs nutrients. Antler growth is a truly remarkable thing. How a buck can process these nutrients and turn them into 150 to 200 inches of antler in 6 to 7 months is a remarkable feat that fascinates us to the core……

    6) Longevity in supplemental feeding programs is where the BIG dividends will pay off. These animals need to be harvested correctly with each managers goals in mind.

    7) Buck to doe ratios are important and this brings me to genetics. Everyone wants their prize bull breeding their cows and we want our most magnificent bucks to do most of the breeding in their territory ensuring they pass along superior genetics. A very high doe ratio can:
    A. Deplete high quality natural browse causing all deer to suffer. This puts more stress on a supplemental feeding program.
    B. Compete for supplemental feed causing the feed bill to skyrocket.
    C. Overpopulate a area after they have had access to supplemental feeding. More and healthier does mean more and healthier fawns that have access to high quality milk and feed.
    D. Be bred by any buck that comes along at the right time ensuring the genetics from dominant animals do not get passed along.

    There will be many folks read our posts that will stay in the shadows. Readers will agree, disagree or have no opinion on our goals. The most important things folks need to do take away from this is supplemental feeding done correctly is a great thing if you enjoy benefiting deer herds year around. It keeps our eyes open. It keeps our dreams alive. It keeps us involved with whitetail deer and the thought deer hunting the first cool fall days of the new season. Its whitetails…..365 days a year…..

    magnumlure
    Posts: 100
    #116324

    Quote:


    Jeff,
    Something I learned last weekend from Todders is we need to get as many statistics from our deer as possible. I’ll be honest, we’ve never weighed a deer in my life. Because the deer in our region roam so much, we have a hard time knowing which deer are “our” deer. Can you suggest other ways to learn more about “our” herd. I was thinking maybe trying to get the neighbors on board with weighing etc…


    1) How much land do you all have access to?
    2) What are your objectives or goals?

    These are the first questions that need to be addressed. #2 is a doozie….A lot of thought must go into your objectives in order for someone like me to understand what you are trying to get accomplished and recommend techniques and products to help you meet them.

    kooty
    Keymaster
    1 hour 15 mins to the Pond
    Posts: 18101
    #116326

    Quote:


    1) How much land do you all have access to?


    We control 240 acres. This is a pin head in my opinion. Our land consists of 2 parcels. The north 80 is detached from the main 160. Basically the 80’s southwest corner touches the 160’s northeast corner. The deer bed in the 80 and travel through a gate into the 160.

    The north 80 is all CRP separated equally by 3 tree groves. These trees consist of Russian Olives, Evergreens, and some fruit bearing bushes. I need to get a better inventory of these tree types. We only access this land to check cameras and freshen mineral sites. We plan to add a couple water holes to this land as it’s bone dry most of the year. We are also planning to plant some small winter wheat patches as potential kill plots next fall.

    The 160 is where my parents farm/house/buildings/pheasant operation is located. We currently plant food plots in the following break downs. 20 acres, 4 acres, 3 acres. We are adding more trees to this land in the fall of 2012. We basically want to box in this land in the next 10 years. The goal will be to provide another safe haven. However this property is also utilized for pheasant hunting. A necessary evil for now…. The bulk of this section is a 100 acres of prairie grass that is currently rented and harvested once a summer.

    See the attached crude drawing of how our land sits today.

    Quote:


    2) What are your objectives or goals?



    That’s easy, shoot a booner every year.

    Our goals, to provide our family and I opportunities to shoot deer that are in the 125 class and up. Both archery and rifle hunting. No neighbors practice QDM so our goal is to make our land as good as it can be come fall so the mature bucks stick around. With our little amount of land, we simply can not compete with the volume of agriculture in the area, so the key is making our little slice the best it can be come fall when all the other crops are out or coming out. SD generally has a limited rainfall each summer so I think water is a wildcard we can use to our advantage. I watched a lot of deer head to the existing water this fall.

    I’m out of time today, but I’ll try to put together a 2012 = 2015 map of the land with my thoughts. Any suggestions are welcome!

    Brad Juaire
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 6101
    #116332

    A great post with lots of good information!

    We’ve owned our property in MN for 6 years now and each year we’ve done some things to improve the overall health of the deer and the habitat. We own a decent sized property so we are fortunate that we can practice QDM and control most of the outcome. Here are some things that we have done:

    1. Established and designated certain bedding areas where we never enter. We are fortunate that we have a lot of good bedding areas and really never had to create them (by supplemental planting or hinge cutting). We also have plenty of water located throughout the property so needs there.

    2. The next thing we did was to establish mineral site locations and placed trail cameras on them. This accomplishes many things:

    a. Helps us take inventory of the total number of deer on the property

    b. Help us track buck to doe ratio

    c. Help us take inventory of the bucks and track their patterns.

    d. And most importantly it assists in providing mineral supplements for the deer. We switched to NUTRA Deer Antler Builder this year and seen a significant increase in overall consumption.

    3. The next thing we did was plant food plots consisting of corn, beans, rape, winter wheat and turnups. The goal here is to provide the deer with something to eat year round. We now have six 1-2 acre food plots and all but one have all of the above.

    4. This year we also implemented a supplemental feeding program. We purchased two 600 lb Boss Buck Feeders and we’ve committed to feed the NUTRA DEER Pro Antler Builder deer feed. Here are the reasons why:

    a. This will help us track deer population. We are not looking to increase the total population by supplemental feeding. Each property can only hold so many deer based on the habitat. This must be in balance and something to be aware of.

    b. We are hoping more deer will hold on our property versus traveling to other neighboring food sources.

    c. This will help us track buck to doe ratio

    d. This will assist in tracking which bucks are on the property.

    e. Hopefully we will find more sheds in the spring.

    f. And most importantly we want to improve the overall health of the deer herd.

    One thing to keep in mind that many variables such as habitat conditions, food availability, deer density, deer hunting seasons and other deer management practices can all impact the consumption of supplemental deer feed.

    mossydan
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    Posts: 7727
    #116350

    Hey kooty, heres something that goes on down here and its only an observation. Every since I’ve been a kid I’ve always kicked up more deer in brushy and over grown areas even though there were big timbers near by, even with creeks going through the timbers. Trees are an asset but have you thought about planting alot of low lying brush and shrubs in some of the areas. By size I mean 2 too 5 acres of heavy brush. I’ve kicked up many many bucks while rabbit hunting along heavily weeded fencelines and the heavy undergrowth along railroad tracks. Only a suggestion but what if you planted the fencelines with heavy brush between timbers. What I have found out is that heavily brushed areas is an escape route where deer feel they can hide themselves quickly if needed. Id hunt an area anytime and 10 fold that was heavily brushed instead of 5,000 acreas of pristene clean timber. Deer need a place where they feel they can disappear in when they need too instead of running 500 yrds through an open field or clean timber. They need heavy cover to, feel safe in an area, thats why thier always in the corn down here until its picked. I don’t know your situation and the lay of your land and this is only a suggestion.

    todders
    Shoreview, MN
    Posts: 723
    #116403

    This has been one of the most educational threads I have seen in a while . There are plenty of great minds that frequent this site and I can’t help but to think about what changes to make next spring! One question I have with supplemental feeding, ( I understand there are thousands of variables) is how to calculate the right amount of tonnage to provide? How many feeders per 240 acres, how many lbs per day and do you switch the feed throughout the season to give them what they need when they need it most? Lastly… what would it cost per day for a minimalist approach to running 4 or so feeders? How often do you need to fill the feeders and how do you access them with a couple hundred lbs of food through 2′ of drifted snow? I am not trying to hammer anyone for specific answers when I can’t provide the ideal holding capacity but am intrigued by the idea and need to figure out if it can fit in the budget .

    mossydan
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    Posts: 7727
    #116409

    Just a suggestion Todd but if it were me Id try to come up with a sum of money that I could spend lets say in a 6 month period, maybe the $500.00 mark just for experimental purposes. Maybe start with feeding around September when things start to dry out and become less tasty and to get them ready for the rut. Then through the fall and winter months maybe feed suppliment when they need to fatten up and gain nutrients, just an idea of a partial feeding program to help them through the winter. Maybe just a feeding program through the harshest times of December through early March when they would depend on it the most, especially in deep snow. Id bet Jeffs got a feeding program right down that alley or something of a rule of thumb for a starting point.

    todders
    Shoreview, MN
    Posts: 723
    #116450

    A budget sounds like the most “reasonable” way to start this project and is a good idea. My only problem would be to make sure I am doing enough to actually help most of the deer in our area and not just one or two families of does? Go big or go home , sep-dec/jan are pretty well covered for us with plots but it is the end of winter I worry about the most. I would also like to give them the extra boost of protein and whatever else they need to help with antler development in early spring when the forest has not yet greened up with goodies.

    magnumlure
    Posts: 100
    #116497

    Quote:


    This has been one of the most educational threads I have seen in a while . There are plenty of great minds that frequent this site and I can’t help but to think about what changes to make next spring! One question I have with supplemental feeding, ( I understand there are thousands of variables) is How many feeders per 240 acres,
    how many lbs per day and do you switch the feed throughout the season to give them what they need when they need it most? Lastly… what would it cost per day for a minimalist approach to running 4 or so feeders? How often do you need to fill the feeders and how do you access them with a couple hundred lbs of food through 2′ of drifted snow? I am not trying to hammer anyone for specific answers when I can’t provide the ideal holding capacity but am intrigued by the idea and need to figure out if it can fit in the budget .


    My answer would be……

    1) Start small, not big. Learn as you go….

    2)Get a buck to doe ratio calculation at one feeder. Place this feeder in the middle of you farm. Deer will travel 1/2 to 3/4’s of a mile about any day to feed if there is a good food source. Don’t be shy about putting this feeder where its easy to access either. Make it as easy on yourself as possible. Over time the deer will get accustomed to you driving in and filling it up.

    3)If you are seriously considering a free choice feeding program do not settle on anything less than a 600 lb feeder or you will be spending all your time this winter and next summer filling it up.

    4)Your deer herd will tell you how much feed your going to need. This is why you should start small and not get burned out quick. One good feeder location is a lot better than 4 bad ones.

    5) My budget would be from now until spring green up to start with. If you can afford more than that keep feeding with the understanding that usually in the spring the consumption will decrease until about August then it will increase again in the fall.

    6) In the winter I would figure the deer up north would eat around 3 to 4 lbs of Pro Antler each per day. Once you start, you need to stay committed until the deer have access to a lot of nutritious green browse in the spring. I think you will be amazed at the health of the deer going into the spring.

    Brad Juaire
    Maple Grove, MN
    Posts: 6101
    #116506

    Todders – you’ve asked some very good questions about supplemental feeding and I was in your same exact shoes at one time. I see Jeff Williams replied above me as I was writing my response but I’ll post it anyways.

    The first thing you need to do is set some goals and devise a deer feeding management plan. What are you trying to accomplish? What does success look like? How much time and money are you willing to invest? It’s important to understand that this is a long term commitment. This isn’t something you just do for a while and stop. The deer will eventually depend on that supplemental food and if you take it away, there could be some devastating impacts especially during the winter months. You will also not be able to see the long term benefits if you only do it for a short period of time. I also suggest that you read the laws in your state in regard to supplemental feeding.

    Now I will try and tackle how many deer feeders someone will need and how much deer feed.

    That’s a great question and there are so many variables to think about such as other food sources, time of the year, deer density, habitat etc… Keep in mind, I’m new to this and learning as I go and certainly don’t have all the answers but I’ll give you my two cents.

    Let’s assume an average deer eats about 7 lbs. of food per day – this includes what they eat on a food plot, natural browse, deer feed etc.. A deer will not eat 100% out of a feeder. Their diet is very complex and they need a variety of food sources. From what I’ve read and understand, once a deer accepts the deer feed, it will eat about 25% – of their diet from deer feed. That’s just under 2 lbs. per day. This certainly varies by the time of the year and as other food sources come available. In the Midwest, the amount of deer feed consumed will be a lot more in the winter (3-4 lbs) versus the summer months (1-2 lbs). Also, if the habitat and natural browse is poor, the consumption rates will most likely increase. Now you can start doing the math by calculating 2 lbs of feed by the number of deer estimated on your property. Then you can calculate how much deer feed per day you will be running through your feeder(s) and how often you will have to refill them and how much it will cost you per year. Now before you do that – ask yourself this question. Will every single deer eat 2 lbs of feed out of the feeder every single day? That would be great but it doesn’t work that way especially when you are just starting out. A few will start out and has time goes on, more and more deer will join in. Be patient and let the deer tell you how much deer feed you will need. Again, the goal is to get them to eat as much as they are willing without sacrificing your habitat and browse. Start out small and work your way up.

    Prices in deer feed vary a lot as well, but there are some things you need to think about.

    First off the deer need to eat it. Wouldn’t it be great if the deer would just take their vitamins and minerals like we do in a pill? Well it doesn’t work that way. If it doesn’t taste good, they won’t eat it and it doesn’t matter what the ingredients are in the deer feed. It’s also important to understand that it will take the deer some time to get used to the feeder and the deer feed. Don’t expect your mature bucks to just go in and start eating the deer feed. It certainly happens but it will take some time. The does and fawns will move in pretty fast and once that buck fawn eats it, odds are he will eat it again and again, the next year and following years to come because he grew up eating deer feed out of a feeder. Secondly, you need to choose a deer feed that is high in protein so the deer are getting the maximum benefit. Then it’s all about the consumption rates. The more they eat it, the better chance that deer has to reach the desired protein percentage (16-18%). It’s no secret that NUTRA DEER is a sponsor on this site and I feed their Pro Antler Protein Deer Feed. However, that is not the reason why I feed it. I use and endorse their products because I feel it’s the best in the industry not only in the ingredients but also the consumption rates. Dr. James Kroll “Dr Deer” feels the same way and recently did a feeding experiment. He gave Nutra Deer’s PRO ANTLER Protein feed his coveted seal of approval. The deer on his research facility loved the Pro Antler and chose it over the 2 best selling national brand. You can read about it here:

    Dr. Deer’ s Report

    OK – I’m done with the plug… If anyone has more questions about the Nutra Deer products or if you want to purchase some, you can send me a PM or email.

    In order to help the deer get used to the feed, we mix it with 50% whole kernel corn. The goal is to eventually wean them away from the corn so they are only eating the deer feed. Corn provides very little nutritional value to the deer. It’s recommended that you start out with an automatic feeder so you can spray the feed out on the ground and to set it up on a timer. As the deer get used to the feed and feeder, you then switch to free choice feeding allowing the deer to eat as much as they want – when they want. This is where you want to get to and once you do, you then can forecast how much feed you will need and the costs associated. There is no reason to switch feeds during the year if you use the right deer feed like Pro Antler. It has everything they need year round.

    Another investment will be to choose a good feeder. I did a ton of research and eventually purchased two 600 lb. Capacity Automatic Deer Feeders from BOSS BUCK . I decided to purchase this size because I live 1.5 hours away from our hunting property and figured in the long run I would save money on gas by not having to run up there all the time to fill them back up. I’ve spoken with the owner of Boss Buck – Tom Boyer numerous times and he’s a great guy and in my opinion has built the best Deer Feeder in the industry. If anyone is interested in purchasing a Boss Buck feeder – please send me a PM or email and I can get you set up.

    Getting the deer feed to the feeder during in the winter months. Try and place your feeders in high traffic areas where it’s easily accessible for the deer and for you. You also want it close to a good bedding area so the deer can conserve their energy as much as possible. I’m fortunate that I can drive up to my feeders with my truck. In deep snow, I’m hoping a sled pulled behind a snowmobile will get the job done or a 4-wheeler with tracks. I have not encountered this yet.

    Hopefully I’ve answered a lot of your questions in regard to supplemental deer feeding. The last thing I want to say is it’s a lot of fun and something to do during the winter months with friends and family. It gets those kids out of the house! It will also be exciting to see the benefits for years to come.

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