How do I fatten dem deers up!

[NorthGA_Recon]

Stop using the feeders. The pigs will never leave if there's corn out. They will destroy just about anything you put out as far as a trough or something of the like. We had a bad hog problem so we turned the feeders off and they moved on to the next property for the most part. Also putting corn out is a good way to spread disease throughout your herd.

Food plots are your friend. Soy beans and peanuts are really high in protein. Clover, rape, turnip greens, sugar beets, rye grass are all good to have out. Do some research and put in some work and in a couple years it'll be a night and day difference.

 

[mfoster]

We use antlermax but it's pricey,plant summer plots in soybeans we plant around 70 acres in beans and supplement feed year round 5 feeders on 1700 ac. 5 feeders they eat 2 tons every 6 weeks

 

[Horsehat]

Stop using the feeders. The pigs will never leave if there's corn out. They will destroy just about anything you put out as far as a trough or something of the like. We had a bad hog problem so we turned the feeders off and they moved on to the next property for the most part. Also putting corn out is a good way to spread disease throughout your herd.

Food plots are your friend. Soy beans and peanuts are really high in protein. Clover, rape, turnip greens, sugar beets, rye grass are all good to have out. Do some research and put in some work and in a couple years it'll be a night and day difference.

Agree fully with this, I would ad be ready to kill some does along with any hog you see. Two ways to increase forage intake per animal, increase forage and reduce number of animals. I would approach this from both sides of the equation. Unless you are managing a large or fenced property it is going to be an uphill climb without the cooperation of adjacent land owners. Continue management culls of poor genetics.

 

[DADI03]

Marry one

 

[Roger Wolf]

It is very possible to grow your deer if you build your property around the deer's needs. Also understanding a whitetails nutritional needs at certain times of the year is crucial to adding weight and mass to antler growth.

First you have to have a good idea of the size of deer herd you are dealing with as well as what you are trying to do.

The average whitetail needs to consume 7lbs of food a day. So depending on what your herd is like and what your goal is will depend on how much food you will need to supplement.

Second you have to understand at what time of the year you need to feed the deer and what you need to feed them.

During the Spring months March April May the bucks will have shed their antlers and begin to grow new ones. Since protein, calcium and phosphorus are all critical to antler growth and development I switch from the carbs (corn) I feed them in the Fall and Winter months to those three key foods help with the antler development.

March start on the protein by supplementing a mixture of corn and protein pellets to get the deer use to the protein pellets as a food source. Gradually make the mixture a higher rate as the spring months move in. Start out 30/70 in March and 50/50 in Early May and end up 80 /20 through spring into summer.

Also since summer in the south can be harsh, make sure you have an adequate water source. If you do not have one I would suggest supplementing water in every location where you have a food source. But be careful and make sure you practice sanitation as disease can be easily spread through a stagnated water source in the spring & summer months.

During the summer June July August I go high protein. Protein pellets, food plots that consist of high protein foods like soy beans or peas.

Fall and Winter Carbs, Carbs, Carbs......

Make sure you put out plenty of salt blocks and mineral licks.

Always gradually supplement your food source change, the spring & summer months are when deer grow so they are the most important times & water is as important as food.

Age, nutrition, and genetics are what it takes to grow big buck along with great commitment, a lot of hard work and it is not cheap but if you stick with it and see it out you will see a difference year after year. Remember it does not happen over night and you can't get discouraged after the first year with no huge results but in the long run you will see a difference.

 

[Old Patriot]

Get them off that Jenny Craig diet!