Farm and Ranch life
- Thread starter Baker
- Start date
ghilliehunter
5 year old buck +
Baker,
That is a giant!!! Congratulations!
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Congrats Baker!!
MB 25 3/8, tines-5",12.4,12.2,7, 20"mass. probably dropped it within last 24 hours. Amazing how Recoynx cameras shrink deer at night.
Here's a few thoughts I put together on feeding protein.I realize some find it controversial or even dangerous. My experience is it can be a very powerful part of a management program done effectively. Considering how many thousands [ millions? ] of tons of protein are fed annually for deer lots of folks are in agreement.
bigbendmarine
5 year old buck +
Baker, question for you on the optimal timing of impacting antler growth... is there a month you find it most critical to begin pushing nutrients SPECIFICALLY for horn growth?
Here's why I ask, and promise I didn't miss that you like to begin pellet feeding in February for multiple reasons (nutrition for pregant does, milk production, etc).
I ask as I'm not quite ready to invest in the cost of feeding pellets but AM contemplating doing some selective tree thinning and leaving some cut stumps to serve as "mineral stumps", pushing increased nutrient-rich leaves due to the imbalance between the large root system and now-missing tree (guessing you may have seen / heard MSU's discussions of the "mineral stump" phenomenon).
What surprised me about the MSU podcast on cutting stumps is they advocated doing it in June, and though I appreciate that might be about the time maximum horn production is kicking in, I thought about thinning / cutting a bit earlier to give time for new plant growth to be pushed and to have the bucks benefiting from good nutrition leading into even the initial horn growth. Since I'm in North Florida I could thin / cut anytime without much worry of trees being hurt by brutally cold temps. Have even debated cutting a portion now, and then doing bit more cutting each month for the next few months.
My place isn't fenced, and is relatively small at 112 acres (and with 20 of that pond water), and being unfenced land in North Florida I don't have any unrealistic expectations of pushing out 150+ scoring bucks. That said, as Florida goes my neck of the woods is a bit more fertile than more sandy areas of FL so I do see bucks regularly in the 110 to 130 range. May not budge the needle at all, and even if not I'll still be doing some cutting I want to do and will enjoy. So with ALL that long write-up shared, again just curious to know from your management experience what month you would think absolutely most critical to begin pushing nutrient load for antler growth (and understand the answer may still be February for maximum year round nourishment!
).
Here's why I ask, and promise I didn't miss that you like to begin pellet feeding in February for multiple reasons (nutrition for pregant does, milk production, etc).
I ask as I'm not quite ready to invest in the cost of feeding pellets but AM contemplating doing some selective tree thinning and leaving some cut stumps to serve as "mineral stumps", pushing increased nutrient-rich leaves due to the imbalance between the large root system and now-missing tree (guessing you may have seen / heard MSU's discussions of the "mineral stump" phenomenon).
What surprised me about the MSU podcast on cutting stumps is they advocated doing it in June, and though I appreciate that might be about the time maximum horn production is kicking in, I thought about thinning / cutting a bit earlier to give time for new plant growth to be pushed and to have the bucks benefiting from good nutrition leading into even the initial horn growth. Since I'm in North Florida I could thin / cut anytime without much worry of trees being hurt by brutally cold temps. Have even debated cutting a portion now, and then doing bit more cutting each month for the next few months.
My place isn't fenced, and is relatively small at 112 acres (and with 20 of that pond water), and being unfenced land in North Florida I don't have any unrealistic expectations of pushing out 150+ scoring bucks. That said, as Florida goes my neck of the woods is a bit more fertile than more sandy areas of FL so I do see bucks regularly in the 110 to 130 range. May not budge the needle at all, and even if not I'll still be doing some cutting I want to do and will enjoy. So with ALL that long write-up shared, again just curious to know from your management experience what month you would think absolutely most critical to begin pushing nutrient load for antler growth (and understand the answer may still be February for maximum year round nourishment!
).There probably isn't a ' best month' answer to your question at least not one that correlates to using mineral stumps as protein source. I think it is absolutely critical for bucks coming out of the rut to recover as quickly as possible. With the rut they can lose as much as 25% of their body weight, have injuries that need healing all at a time when nutrition is typically lower in many habitats. Antler growth starts a couple weeks after antler drop and if the bucks are still run down and licking wounds peak antler potential may never catch up. So that is a very critical period for me making January on in to February very important. { Still usually adequate acorns in Dec. around here } Unfortunately that is a time of year where tree stumps are typically dormant as well offering little value.Baker, question for you on the optimal timing of impacting antler growth... is there a month you find it most critical to begin pushing nutrients SPECIFICALLY for horn growth?
Here's why I ask, and promise I didn't miss that you like to begin pellet feeding in February for multiple reasons (nutrition for pregant does, milk production, etc).
I ask as I'm not quite ready to invest in the cost of feeding pellets but AM contemplating doing some selective tree thinning and leaving some cut stumps to serve as "mineral stumps", pushing increased nutrient-rich leaves due to the imbalance between the large root system and now-missing tree (guessing you may have seen / heard MSU's discussions of the "mineral stump" phenomenon).
What surprised me about the MSU podcast on cutting stumps is they advocated doing it in June, and though I appreciate that might be about the time maximum horn production is kicking in, I thought about thinning / cutting a bit earlier to give time for new plant growth to be pushed and to have the bucks benefiting from good nutrition leading into even the initial horn growth. Since I'm in North Florida I could thin / cut anytime without much worry of trees being hurt by brutally cold temps. Have even debated cutting a portion now, and then doing bit more cutting each month for the next few months.
My place isn't fenced, and is relatively small at 112 acres (and with 20 of that pond water), and being unfenced land in North Florida I don't have any unrealistic expectations of pushing out 150+ scoring bucks. That said, as Florida goes my neck of the woods is a bit more fertile than more sandy areas of FL so I do see bucks regularly in the 110 to 130 range. May not budge the needle at all, and even if not I'll still be doing some cutting I want to do and will enjoy. So with ALL that long write-up shared, again just curious to know from your management experience what month you would think absolutely most critical to begin pushing nutrient load for antler growth (and understand the answer may still be February for maximum year round nourishment!
I am familiar with the Ms. podcast on the subject. As other on here have observed I see almost zero utilization of sweetgum stumps. I thin timber every year, have some gum as well as an assortment of oak species, pine, and other hardwoods. I see most of the grazing on the various oak stumps especially willow and water oak. My timber thinning is always in the summer typically anywhere from June to Sept. Not sure it makes any difference. I don't notice any greater grazing pressure on stump regrowth than anything else in thinned timber, ....green briar, honey suckle , devils walking stick etc., etc.
Not sure this is helpful or what you are looking for...just my experience
