ALL I SAW WAS HORNS!

Big antlers, that's what raises most deer hunters' blood pressure.  Interest in antler development has sparked a vast body of research that is now of benefit to us all.

Last time, in Article #1, we discussed how you could directly impact the quality of deer you harvest on your lease or hunting property.  Proper gender ratios, proper age structure and overall herd health are important considerations but for our purposes we are going to focus on antler development and herd health. "The Big Three" factors affecting antler development are Age, Genetics and Nutrition. 

One factor sometimes overlooked in the age/antler development matter is the time of year the buck is born.  This directly relates back to the previous rut and estrous cycle.  If the doe was not bred in the first primary rut and was bred in a later estrous cycle, sometimes even as late as February, then the resulting fawn will be nearly 3 months behind developmentally. 

When fawns conceived in the primary rut are going into their second fall they will likely have forked antlers, possibly 6 or 8 points.  Fawns conceived in later estrous periods might only have spikes in their second fall.  However, this developmental gap seems to narrow after the second fall. 

The only way you can influence antler development with regard to age is to pass up younger bucks.  In otherwise normal conditions you can expect to see some animals in record-book proportions starting around 4 1/2 years of age, rarely sooner.

GENETICS:
Just like people, deer are born with a genetic code that dictates what potential their characteristics have, including antler development.   Some bucks are destined to become absolute monsters while most make up the majority of  "average" bucks.  Nature has a way of perpetuating the species and it is through this "survival of the fittest" that the strongest specimens propagate the next generations.  There is very little you can do to affect the gene pool in the area you hunt.  You can, however, do a little research into what regions have been producing larger numbers of big bucks and try to hunt there.

NUTRITION:
Now for the good news!  Science has proven beyond doubt that with proper nutrition, you can grow dramatically larger bucks up to two years faster than those same deer would achieve on their own with natural foods.  Proper nutrition has many benefits beyond antler development.  Reproductive success, stress resistance and proper social behaviors are all additional benefits of good nutrition.

Antler development hinges on two primary nutritional components: protein and minerals. Highly digestible protein and a mineral package during the "antler growth cycle" is the key to maximizing antler development.  The antler growth cycle begins with the casting of the prior year's rack, generally occurring in February.  From then until the buck rubs his velvet, usually late August, you can affect how big his rack will be that year. 

Once he rubs, there is no longer any flow of blood or nutrition to his rack and all growth stops for that year.  In order to have the maximum impact on growth, you must keep an abundant source of at least 18% protein available to your deer through the antler growth cycle.  You can provide high quality protein at this time of year in several ways including pelleted feeds, food plots and nutrition blocks.  This will be covered more comprehensively in a later article.

The second half of the " big antler" equation is mineral supplements. Providing a scientifically proven balance of dietary minerals and vitamins during the same antler growth timeframe will work with the protein to unlock the genetic potential in your bucks.  Beware of fad recipes and homemade mixes.  Nutrition is a science. 

Animal nutritionists can best determine proper amounts/ratios of nutrients.  Just because you hear that calcium is important to antler development doesn't mean you should have a "special blend" whipped up that is heavy on calcium.  Vitamins and minerals interact and improper amounts can cause serious side effects. 

Mineral supplements are among the easiest nutritional components you can use.  Simply pour a bag of granular mineral powder on the ground or on a stump in an area of deer travel.  Keep these sites filled from February through August.  Establish at least one 20-pound mineral site per 40 acres of deer cover.

WHAT ABOUT THE DOES?
So far we focussed on the impact of nutrition on bucks.  A healthy deer herd means healthy does too.  Fortunately does have similar nutritional needs that follow a similar schedule but for different reasons. 

HOW ABOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR?
We've covered nutrition from February through August with regard to protein and minerals.  Now it's early autumn and the deer have different needs.  Bucks are putting on weight and gaining condition for the rigors of rut and winter.  Does are trying to re-gain condition following the reproductive process and fawns are eating all they can to prepare for their first winter.  These reasons dictate a change in the deer's diet to a lowered protein, increased carbohydrate menu.  

Carbohydrates are good sources of energy and assist in putting on needed weight.  Extra energy is even more important than protein so at this time of year a diet with about 14% protein is acceptable providing you have increased the energy components.  Corn and oats are good carbohydrate sources but not so good for protein.  Fall is a good time to supplement your protein pellet program with a mix of corn and oats.  This will carry the deer through the rut and into the winter at which time the cycle repeats itself.  This is a somewhat simplified version of the annual deer nutrition cycle that you can use to grow bigger bucks sooner and support a healthier herd overall.

Next time we'll discuss specific products you can use and how to use them to meet these nutritional demands.

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