Here is a before and after picture of a buck on the C4 - first one was taken late October (ignore the date on the picture - didn't have the camera properly set...) the second one was taken mid-January. Notice the unbelievable weight lose from the rut! He is also a bit busted up from fighting.
Bucks run themselves in the ground "chasing tail" during the rut and it is not uncommon to lose a few during late winter that have run themselves down so much they just can't recover. It is important to make supplemental feed available to them during this time if you expect them to make it to spring in good shape and ready to start growing the next set of antlers. Many people feel this needs to be a high protein pellet but that can actually be harmful during this time of year. What is far more important to the deer nutritionally this time of year is digestible energy. Dr. James Kroll, who helps us manage the property and created our habitat plan and wildlife management plan has us start supplemental feeding of corn starting early January until the first part of March. This allows the bucks unlimited access to a high energy feed anytime they want it. We switch back to a balanced pellet ration that we have specially blended under Dr. Kroll's direction from March through the early part of the deer season to make sure the bucks attain optimal antler growth. Of course we keep the food plots in top condition to give them access the a palatable browse that is good for them as well. We plant Buck Forage Oats, Buck Forage Chicory, and a Red Clover from Kenland Seed that seems to grow much better here in East Texas than white Clover. All or very nutritious and the deer love all three. They always seem to prefer the food plots and the natural browse first but certainly hit the supplemental feed as well.
By the way - this buck is only about 3.5 years old so our feeding plan must be working!
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| Pre-rut pic of a buck on the C4 |
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| Post rut pic of the same buck on the C4 |
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