COMBAT POST-RUT STRESS & MORTALITY WITH QUALITY WINTER NUTRITION

DON’T SKIP WINTER SUPPLEMENTS
Far too often in the first months of a new year we see hunters and property managers take their foot off the gas pedal when it comes to managing their deer herd’s nutrition.  With the hunting season over, it’s easy to want to take a break, forget about the feeders and cruise through until spring — or at least until antlers drop.

Unfortunately, this management mistake is likely costing you a serious drop in the performance potential of the bucks on your property when fall rolls back around.  The 60 days following the rut are the most crucial time to set your deer up for success.

SURVIVING THE RUT
This same 60-day period is also the most grueling time of the year for deer as they survive extreme weather conditions and have insufficient, low-quality forage available to them.

The rut is physically demanding on bucks as they are chasing does, lose interest in eating and suffer injuries from fighting.  The result is a significant loss in body condition and high stress levels, leaving them vulnerable in the dead of winter when groceries are hard to find.  Without a proper supplementation plan, it’s not unheard of for a property to lose half its bucks to malnutrition, injury, or infection once the rut has ended.

PREPARING FOR ANTLER GROWTH
In this post-rut situation, providing a well-balanced, high-energy supplement will not only help maintain your deer population, but will ultimately serve you well in promoting antler growth later in the year.

Remember that bucks start growing their new antlers as soon as the old set drops.  However, if the deer is in poor health and lacking body condition, he will have to replenish that body mass first before putting nutrients toward antler growth.  By providing winter supplementation, you can prevent major loss of body condition, improve nutrient utilization, and keep bucks ahead of the curve for growing antlers later in the year.

CHOOSE SUPPLEMENTS WISELY
While choosing to provide a free choice winter supplement is a step in the right direction, be careful when selecting a product that will fit the bill.  Many protein supplements on the market are very high in starch and sugar from grains and fillers.  These products may do more harm than good by causing acidosis — and potentially death loss — in an already stressed deer population.

Instead, choose a high-energy supplement like Rack Revolution Magnify that will immediately start building back body condition without wreaking havoc on the rumen with mass quantities of starch.  Magnify also offers highly digestible protein, fortified trace minerals, digestion support and other essential nutrients to help deer get the most out of their native habitat.

At the end of the day, successfully managing a deer herd is a year-round job.  Don’t lose ground at the first of the year by letting your deer backslide during and after the rut.  Offer a wintertime supplement, and you’ll not only be rewarded with bigger bucks in the fall, but you’ll keep your deer close to home too.