Gents,

I have access to a piece of Riverbottom that is two miles long with primo whitetail habitat all around. LOTS of deer but there are just so few bucks with any horn growth. Its not an age problem as they DO grow to maturity, but something is lacking. I know this may be a complex problem involving genetics,etc but as your typical modern American I'm looking for an easy, quick fix.

Would the mineral blocks sold at feed stores help?? They come in red or blue versus the standard white salt blocks. Any other ideas??

I have also thought of planting some clover that would come up prior to the alfalfa fields around this area. The problem with that is I would need a lot of clover as its a fairly large habitat.

FN in MT

I'm no expert but all the fellows I talk to tell me access to protein is the key. Hence the clover, alfalfa, and beanfield riff.

with the use of deer protien blocks and several other comodities you can really enhance the horn size on Whitetail...Texas A&M can give you all the information you require.

In my area of NW Oklahoma, I have noticed that spring rainfall has more to do with horn growth than anything else. Of course, rainfall relates to how forage greens up and the protein content.

I have one deer feeder and as an experiment, put out a trace mineral block about fifteen yards away from it. I see little or no interest in the block by deer.

Of course, at about two bucks each, putting out a few blocks won't hurt anything.

Joe.

Mineral blocks will help. The three main ingredients as suggested by research for horn growth is protein, calcium and phosporus. You can get mineral blocks with high calcium and phosporus content but I would also suggest you get one that is also high in magnesium as that mineral has been proven essential for bone(antler) growth. The protein will come better from nutritious food plots. If you can manage the buck harvest from this property then harvesting spikes and inferior racked maturish bucks will do as much as anything else to improve antler quality. I know, shooting spike yearlings is controversial but that's what Texas parks & wildlike research shows to work.

There is no witchcraft to improving your deer quality, it is hard science. Ray is correct. Contact Texas A&M.

TX A&M has a fine program for Antler development and overall herd improvement, However!!!!!!

Living on a fixed retirement income, I personally cannot afford to do all they recommend.

I came up with my own, based on information contained in the TX A&M program.

I put out Super Licks protien blocks from Purina, they are designed for all ruminats and are 24% protien, plus I keep the yellow salt blocks out that have added calcium and magnesium.

I keep both out year round, depending on the time of year, they will use one over the other, only a theory as to why. From now until late May or early June the Doe is carrying a fawn, she needs a good source of protien to keep from aborting or absorbing the fetus. Which is why I think they make more use of the blocks in winter and early spring, can't prove it.

By mid January the bucks here will start to drop their antlers. They will stay muley headed until about April or so then the antlers will start to grow again, they are really aren't bone, but more like hair, anyway, again the protien blocks get hit pretty heavy. After about Sep the salt blocks will be used more. Once the bucks start to shed the "Velvet" when the blood in the antlers starts to dry up they seem to loose interest in the protien blocks.

I have no scientific proof of any of the above, just 10 years of observations.

I live in a part of west TX that is not known for large antlers, but I have noticed an increase of rack size and more does with twins in last 5 or 6 years, even though we have been going thru a severe drought these last 5 yrs (2002 was the first year in last 6 that we got our average rainfall).

I make no claims that what I do will in any way work for somebody else, I just know it works for me and has helped improve the number of fawns carried to full term and to a limited extent has improved the size of antlers.

Hope this helps.

Pecos

Thanks for the great replies as usual. Especially to Pecos, very interesting. Regarding the rainfall situation; I think that our long running drought is Montana's biggest problem, though this past summer we had some decent rain.
This area is hunted very little, it has a good ratio of maybe 6 or 8 does to the bucks I have seen. Then again the older ones may be fairly nocturnal and the ratio could be less. I saw one 2 point, NO spikes at all,several 6 and 8 pointers and three very nice 10 pointers that would probably go 130-140 inches.

This area has some real potential I think.

I'm going to try the Purina Super Lick blocks along with some mineral blocks. Water isn't a problem as the adjoining River flows year round. And I may try to plant a few foodplots as well.

FN in MT

While I also put out minerals, I also feed year round Purina Deer Chow protein instead of just corn in my feeders. I now use Antler Max Water Shield. I have been feeding protein for 5 years. I have noticed increased fat content on the deer, pigs and the turkeys. Their meat is delicious. Antler growth seems to be increasing, although how much rain we have in the summer seems to make a difference,ie. lots of rain equals a good horn year. This is a good horn year in my area.

Great question. I've read a lot about shooting spikes and large bodied deer with small racks. Another article stated that we shoot 40% of the does as well. Remember, those doe's with bad genes pass them on.

Alfalfa and clover have more protein than deer need as well as excess calcium. Phos is usually the limiting factor which could be supplied in trace min blocks with high Phos.

Good luck!

I don't see where a few mineral blocks could hurt anything. The deer will probably use them if they need them.

I've noticed more use on my minerals after the actual block is nearly or completely gone. The deer paw and lick the soil where it was, sometimes creating a decent sized hole in the earth.

Mineral blocks are cheap and they last a long time. I'd recommend it.

Corn is high in energy and will get deer through the winter in good shape but it is also low in protein and will not do anything for antler growth.

My relatives just finished the deer season in MN. and harvested two bucks with small racks next to a hay field acrooss the road from standing corn.

While Alfala is grown across the entire state, the records come from the SE corner. What's missing? I think the deer get more than enough protien and calcium from the alfala and energy and a little more calcium from the corn.

What they need is a good management plan to shoot more does, big bodied bucks with small horns, spike bucks and more Phos in their diet to balance out the calcium.

In the future, I'm willing to pass on nice 1.5 yr old bucks with small 8 point racks and shoot more does and management bucks with large bodies (2-3 yr old) and small racks.

You can get mineral in powder. I use it and I take a spot and churn the soil some, pour mineral and salt in the spot and stir it up some, then pour some loose on top. When it rains the deer seem to scratch the ground pretty good and lick.

It can't hurt, but it takes time to see real results from a protein feeding program. I think were you really notice it is 5-7 years down the road, when the fawns that grew up eating protein are mature. You also need to realize that a small percentage of the overall deer herd in that area will even touch the stuff (20-30% on average). If you have long-term access to the property, giuve it a try. Otherwise, your just spinning your wheels unless you are using the blocks for their attractant value.

Greg R,

Your totally right. I just finished going through a few articles on whitetail feeding and management and thats the concensus of opinion........several years before a big turnaround could be expected.
I do have long term access so I am going to give it a try. For the longterm value not as an attractant, as the area is so full of whiteys that one really doesn't need to bait them. Plus I think its illegal anyway here in MT.

Like most everyone has mentioned.....It can't hurt.

FN in MT

Frank, you just can't beat alfalfa and clover for producing big, fat and healthy herbivores. It's like putting them in a feedlot.

Anyone know if Texas A&M info is on the net? and where? Or how to contact them about deer nutrition? Thanks for any help.