Info needed please

[Diamond S]

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.

[Mexico]

My take...

1. Start feeding as soon as the rut stops until September, protien of your choice, Cottonseed or both

2. Supplements feeding will help MOST of your herd improve their antlers but not all.

3. You do not have a management plan or feeding plan in place, culls are the least of your worries FOR NOW ANYWAY.

4. I believe it takes 3 solid years of supplemental feeding to notice a considerable difference in antler growth, and more importantly let them age.

[Diamond S]

Any other comments and or suggestions?

[diamond10x]

My take...

1. Start feeding as soon as the rut stops until September, protien of your choice, Cottonseed or both

2. Supplements feeding will help MOST of your herd improve their antlers but not all.

3. You do not have a management plan or feeding plan in place, culls are the least of your worries FOR NOW ANYWAY.

4. I believe it takes 3 solid years of supplemental feeding to notice a considerable difference in antler growth, and more importantly let them age.

X2 on this, ill just add a few words in as well from the experience on our ranch...

1. Protein/cotton seed from post rut to end of velvet. Rice bran is more like corn in my opinion, as just an attractant and would be best to use during hunting season if you want to use it. Also a round of dewormer twice a year, this is important in IMO.

2. Supplemental feeding like said above will improve the herds health and definitely aid in antler development to get the most out of them, but some bucks just don’t have it in them.

3. With our experience shooting culls is a bit of a fine line and depends on your goals. We quit shooting silly looking young deer a number of years ago because we noticed some just have an off year and bucks don’t get big or reach potential until they are fully mature and old.

4. Depends on your genetic pool within the herd but in can take as little as 3 years like said or 6-7 years before you really notice a difference.

[Top Of Texas]

1. Supplemental feed has impactful results only if bucks reach old age. They peak at 6-7 yrs. If you can ensure this then can feed protein pellets or cottonseed year-round. If gossypol, the "bad" chemical in cottonseed, hurt reproduction there'd be huge areas of S TX void of deer.

2. No, won't change basic confirmation, but it can increase overall antler size.

3. Shoot only bucks that are 6-7 years old regardless of what's on their head. Culling is a total farse.

4. If bucks don't get old, then never. Well...I guess killing bigger 3 year olds might be noticable. But in ideal scenario 5-10 years.

Hope that helps.

[Diamond S]

Thanks for all of the input guys, now if I can get these guys to stay off the trigger for 2- 3 years we may have something.