Nutrition and Antler Growth

Why are bucks in the same area at such different stages of antler growth?

Each year around the same time the antlers begin to grow and for a lot of us the trail cams come out
and the excitement begins! Just the other day my neighbor sent me a video of a buck he had out back
that was well outside his ears and had significant mass and length on all of his beams already, clearly
going to be a dandy. While a couple hundred yards away at my place I have been seeing multiple bucks
but nothing of that caliber, most of them just starting to split or showing little length in the beams... is
my neighbor messing with me? It wasn’t until I checked trail cam pictures from last year and noticed
that I had multiple bucks similar to the one in my neighbor's photo, within the same time frame last
year. While some deer are just more genetically gifted than others, there is a lot more that goes into this
process that may be unique to your piece of land, and there’s a good chance it’s something that you
have full control over!

The Importance of Nutrition
The months following the rut are extremely important for the following years antler growth because
bucks are trying to recover from the physically demanding breading season they just went through,
exhausting their bodies completely, Depending on the buck to doe ratio at your farm, the length of
breading may vary, leaving some bucks very malnourished. You throw a harsh winter on top of that and
that’s a formula for disaster. This is why getting the proper nutrition all year around, especially during
this recovery period is one of the single most important things you can do to ensure the highest quality
of whitetail at your farm.

One of the best ways to start getting the nutrients back into your herd is by putting in early season food
plots, using feedersor mineral sites with high quality blends of proteins and necessary vitamins and
minerals. If you don’t have the equipment or space to put in a plot, I recommend Ani-Logics Ani-
Supplement Gold. When it comes to year-round whitetail nutrition that improves antler growth, body
condition and herd health, this is it. Supplement gold is packed with 16% protein, vitamins, probiotics,
essential oils and micro minerals. This formula was developed by veterinarians in response to EHD
infection on their property. Not only does this feed help grow big antlers but it puts healthier deer on
your ground! 

So while you may think that the corn or bean fields that are planted in the spring supply enough
nutrients to the deer that you will be chasing, think again. Most of these fields are completely wiped out
come end of season, leaving slim pickins as far as nutrients for your recovering bucks. So make sure
there is no lack of easily accessible food sources on your property all year round. Look at that recovery
period as being just as important as being in a tree stand during the rut. Put in a little extra effort during
these months and reap the benefits come season!

Also...
A few days after I received the text from my neighbor, the same buck from his picture showed up and
has been hanging around out back in my alfalfa field. Turns out, I can trust my neighbor after all!
So next time you're watching deer out back or checking cameras and you’re not seeing the big boys,
maybe it’s the nutrition, or maybe they just haven’t showed up yet!