I am back on a lease after not having one for about 15 years. So I am trying to somewhat manage it, I have 2 like minded hunters on it with me that are pretty well newbies to management as far as being able to judge, age and score. I am not the best, but way above them. To give you a little background, I know a family that has 38,000 acres. They have some of it leased for hunting, some is crop land, some is for raising sheep, the rest is " Family land " basically a buffer between the gun hunters and them. So I have a 700 acre pasture leased inside the family land that is bowhunting only. We have a pretty good whitetail herd with the random axis and turkey coming thru. I have the other 2 guys committed to feeding protein, cotton seed, rice bran, and corn all at the strategic times. Corn will be fed year round. The biggest antler wise whitetail I have seen may be 3 1/2 years old and may score in the high 120's. All of the deer we have seen and have pics of nothing seems to be over 4 1/2 and nothing that will break the 130 mark. So I have a few questions that you guys may be able to help me with.
1. When trying to grow antlers and keep a herd healthy when is the best times to feed the protein/ rice bran. ( I have seen articles about cotton seed possibly make the deer sterile so I will feed it after the rut and stop it in August )
2. We have a lot of main frame 10 point genes as well as our share of main frame 8's Most of them are narrow and short will the protein help this?
3. As far as culls go, we have a few crazy looking rack deer ( one we call the axis buck because his antlers go backwards then curve up. They also actually twist a little in opposite directions, he has little knots for eye guards ) he is a young buck, and we are trying to decide if he needs to be taken out or see what he is next year. We also have a 10 that is pretty heavy, maybe 13 inches wide and his longest tine may be 4 1/2 inches ( we call him jawbone ) he is most likely 3 1/2 years old and a bully. Ten your assorted basket rack very tall 8 points. So is there anything in this that needs to go, and if so for what reason?
4. The all important question, typically after you start a feeding program when will you start noticing results? Such as noticeable size increase in mass as well as better antler development?
Thanks in advance for teaching this old dog a few new tricks.
1. When trying to grow antlers and keep a herd healthy when is the best times to feed the protein/ rice bran. ( I have seen articles about cotton seed possibly make the deer sterile so I will feed it after the rut and stop it in August )
2. We have a lot of main frame 10 point genes as well as our share of main frame 8's Most of them are narrow and short will the protein help this?
3. As far as culls go, we have a few crazy looking rack deer ( one we call the axis buck because his antlers go backwards then curve up. They also actually twist a little in opposite directions, he has little knots for eye guards ) he is a young buck, and we are trying to decide if he needs to be taken out or see what he is next year. We also have a 10 that is pretty heavy, maybe 13 inches wide and his longest tine may be 4 1/2 inches ( we call him jawbone ) he is most likely 3 1/2 years old and a bully. Ten your assorted basket rack very tall 8 points. So is there anything in this that needs to go, and if so for what reason?
4. The all important question, typically after you start a feeding program when will you start noticing results? Such as noticeable size increase in mass as well as better antler development?
Thanks in advance for teaching this old dog a few new tricks.
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