Decent young buck. What do you think he will be this year?

[Shadow11]

This is in north ga. I started putting out corn last November. I also put up my cheapo 50 dollar cam. I haven't done either in years. After about 2 weeks a few deer started showing up. To my surprise there are 6 very young bucks around here. I've kept corn out ever since, and they are coming by pretty much daily now.

Anyway, one of them was a decent 8pt last year. I'm not sure why or how, but he had two broken points on his right side. He ended up shedding a few weeks before the rest of them did. He's quite a bit ahead of them right now.

What do you reckon he might turn into this year? What's a good way to give him nutrients without spending a fortune?

Here are a few pics from this past year and now....

 

[Tight Lines]

Nice! Put out some minerals near the corn in a mineral lick...and feed him some protein if you can...really depends on what he has access to already...can you do a small plot of clover?

 

[justus3131]

Give him about 150 grains of lead, all at one time.

 

[Shadow11]

Lol justus3131. If it was up to me I'd let him grow a couple yrs, but with about a dozen neighbors all hunting in about a square mile, I doubt that will happen. I may just have to take your advice if I get that lucky.

No ks bow hunter. It's all woods and steep hills. I don't have any equipment either. Somebody recommended buck muscle, whatever that is. Has anyone tried that? I put a mineral block out in gun season next to the corn, but they never touched it. A guy at work gave me 2 batches of homemade deer cocaine. They've messed with it a little bit, but not all that much. I picked up some purina antler advantage from tractor supply, and put about 1/3 of the bag out next to the corn last week, and they never even touched it. I sprinkled out a full box of table salt a few days ago, and the big one walked across the corn straight to it. They had it all licked up in 2 days.

 

[280 Man]

...really depends on what he has access to already...

This is what really matters the most! Most of the minerals and such used for this years antlers were established months ago!

 

[Anthony61]

Dead.

 

[Tight Lines]

Lol justus3131. If it was up to me I'd let him grow a couple yrs, but with about a dozen neighbors all hunting in about a square mile, I doubt that will happen. I may just have to take your advice if I get that lucky.

No ks bow hunter. It's all woods and steep hills. I don't have any equipment either. Somebody recommended buck muscle, whatever that is. Has anyone tried that? I put a mineral block out in gun season next to the corn, but they never touched it. A guy at work gave me 2 batches of homemade deer cocaine. They've messed with it a little bit, but not all that much. I picked up some purina antler advantage from tractor supply, and put about 1/3 of the bag out next to the corn last week, and they never even touched it. I sprinkled out a full box of table salt a few days ago, and the big one walked across the corn straight to it. They had it all licked up in 2 days.

I think it is admirable that folks feed protein, and it probably helps somewhat, however most of the studies just don't support it for growth and antler size. They crave the salt, and that's what they will go to. Build a good mineral lick and keep it replenished, at least you'll keep track of him that way...

 

[across the river]

I think it is admirable that folks feed protein, and it probably helps somewhat, however most of the studies just don't support it for growth and antler size. They crave the salt, and that's what they will go to. Build a good mineral lick and keep it replenished, at least you'll keep track of him that way...

Supplemental feeding has been proven to increase body weight in deer. When they can eat high protein food without exerting much effort to do it, then body weights go up. Healthier does typically have more fawns. Studies have also shown that mature bucks increase 10 -20" in antler size over deer that aren't feed. If you live in an area of Georgia that 90% of the bucks have 100 -115" racks, then supplemental feeding is by no means going to statistically increase you chance at killing a booner, or even a P&Y for that matter. I think that is where the notion that it doesn't help comes from, but that isn't true. Genetics is the main factor in rack size without question, but that deosn't mean it provides no benefit. It just isn't going to turn all of the deer into monsters if you don't have the genes there to begin with. I prefer to plant spring and summer food plots over pellets, but pellets are beneficial.

 

[Tight Lines]

Hey Across the River I'm not trying to argue, I've fed and I've been in clubs that feed...and like I said, I believe it helps somewhat. Personally, I've just never seen the evidence beyond placebo effect that it works...and I do agree, if you have deer that are healthier, they will have more fawns, and they will put on more weight if they don't have to exert themselves...depends on where you are really. In KS where I grew up you could put a dump truck full of protein and minerals out every day and not move the needle one bit...I also grew up where the two most important factors, genetics and nutrition are not an issue...they have a ton of food, and the soil is black and rich, and the genetics are solid...and on my leases in GA they have a ton of browse and protein, and are fat already...

I'd like to see your studies, seriously because I am curious. The studies I've read from QDMA and university programs have generally not been able to identify a statistical variance in healthy herds with supplemental feeding...I know a number of folks who have abandoned feeding...

Now, I still spend a lot of money on minerals, corn, and food plots to keep deer around, pattern them, get a census etc. though I don't really believe we are truly adding bone to old 5.5 year old beyond what he had in his DNA already...am I helping them on the margin with minerals for digestion, etc? I'd like to think so but I'm a scientist by training and I'd like to see the statistical evidence supporting it...

Enjoy getting ready for the season...

 

[across the river]

Hey Across the River I'm not trying to argue, I've fed and I've been in clubs that feed...and like I said, I believe it helps somewhat. Personally, I've just never seen the evidence beyond placebo effect that it works...and I do agree, if you have deer that are healthier, they will have more fawns, and they will put on more weight if they don't have to exert themselves...depends on where you are really. In KS where I grew up you could put a dump truck full of protein and minerals out every day and not move the needle one bit...I also grew up where the two most important factors, genetics and nutrition are not an issue...they have a ton of food, and the soil is black and rich, and the genetics are solid...and on my leases in GA they have a ton of browse and protein, and are fat already...

I'd like to see your studies, seriously because I am curious. The studies I've read from QDMA and university programs have generally not been able to identify a statistical variance in healthy herds with supplemental feeding...I know a number of folks who have abandoned feeding...

Now, I still spend a lot of money on minerals, corn, and food plots to keep deer around, pattern them, get a census etc. though I don't really believe we are truly adding bone to old 5.5 year old beyond what he had in his DNA already...am I helping them on the margin with minerals for digestion, etc? I'd like to think so but I'm a scientist by training and I'd like to see the statistical evidence supporting it...

Enjoy getting ready for the season...

I don't pay much attention to anything written by the feed companies in support to sell more products or hunters who decide to stop based on their own experience of not growing booners. Here are couple of links about academic studies. One was done by a school in Texas, and the other has quotes from a professor at Auburn. There are more out there, if you wan to look them up, but most I have read say essentially the same thing. Deer eat protein pellets, but will still eat native browse. How much they benefit from pellets depends on what native or agricultural food is available that year. Antlers growth will typically benefits 10 -20", but won't make a lot of difference in terms of antlers. And so on and so on. I am only referring to protein supplements in spring and summer, as a bunch of other studies say fall and winter feeding of corn or protein do more harm than good, but that is best saved for a different post.

https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/news-events/research-shows-feed-improves-dynamics-deer-population

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/whitetail-deer/supplemental-feeding-work

 

[Tight Lines]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Shadow11]

I've never fed them or took photos when they are growing before now. I'm not sure how to word my next question...kind of a stupid one... Does the mass continue to grow? Like above his eye at the base... Does that continue to get fatter or is that pretty much it?

Pics of him yesterday...

 

[fi8shmasty]

Grape koolaid. Sweetend with real sugar,not the artifical stuff.salt dig a little hole dump it there up mixed up in a 5 gallon bucket with water. You wont believe the deer.

 

[dtala]

mass will still increase long after spread and tine length have topped out.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Great photos Shadow!!!!

What matters is whether or not YOU like the deer and want to shoot him (and his sister, if she comes by) with gun or bow.

I personally think that anything you do to enhance habitat helps.

The degrees vary, obviously.

I find, often, that jealousy drives many opinions. Some are too lazy, don’t have the money - whatever - to make the investments.... so they don’t like it.

A lot of people have a lot of opinions and that is enough said on that topic.

 

[Shadow11]

I'm just experimenting and having a little fun. It's kind of addicting to be honest. Although it's tough going down that big hill and back up the next one with a 50lb bag of corn on my shoulder, every few days, but I still like it. I might try the koolaid thing.

I don't really care if I kill him or not. I've got a group of scumbag neighbors that have about an acre on the other side of the creek from me. They made it clear years ago that I was not going to be killing deer on my family's 20 acres, so I basically quit hunting here period. If I do hunt, I have to crawl on my knees through the thicket, without any orange on, use something that doesn't make any noise to kill a deer and get it out, etc. It's too much of a headache. They refreshed my memory again yesterday, when I went and checked my camera and put out a bag of corn. Over 1000 rounds from what sounded like 7 or 8 different guns in about an hour of time. It's all a long story. I'm not going to tell it right now.

Anyway, I hope to see the pics of him when someone does finally take him, though. I've never seen one with decent genes around here in about 15 years. I think he might have some. All of these bucks are very young. Probably not a single one over 2 years.

 

[Shadow11]

That's what it's like looking back at the house. I have to walk down that valley and back up, lol. I can't take the old four wheeler trail because it's too visible to my phsyco neighbors. If you look closely you can see my back door.

 

[Tight Lines]

Get a tree mount Moultrie feeder...

 

[Shadow11]

I had a good question a few days ago but I can't think of what it was now. But I do have this one also... That buck had 2 broken points on one side last year. Every time I see these deer in the day light, they are always pawing at each other's head, or hitting each other in the behind with their heads. Could this be why his antlers were mangled up last year?




A few from yesterday. I let my corn run out a few days ago. I finally got some more out today. They actually started digging around where the Purina stuff was at. It's all been dissolved by the rain but they have been pawing up that spot where I had put it...

 

[Jim Boyd]

That is just bucks being bucks.

Deer break antlers all the time. Fighting, rubbing trees, bad spot in the antler, etc.

Great looking pictures!!!!!