Antler Aid
America's best mineral blend for producing large, healthy whitetail deer.
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Grow 'Em Big, we do.
A trophy whitetail will not live on a piece of property that does not supply the necessary habitat needed to mature to his potential. Trophy habitat consists of having the proper amount of food, water and shelter to support your property’s carrying capacity. If your property is missing any of these components then you must create them. If you build it they will come… Planting food plots, building several small water holes or creating bedding areas is paramount if your vision is to manage your property for the production of trophy whitetails.
Providing your herd with a Balanced Nutrition
Program is a cost-effective practice that will
increase your chances at harvesting trophy whitetail
year after year. In most areas the price of land is
skyrocketing, so why not make the most out of what
you already have?
Today’s modern farming techniques are so effective that after the harv est little food is left behind for the wildlife. Therefore, planting food plots is an essential ingredient in any trophy management program.
A Trophy Management Program is a philosophy
which everyone associated with a piece of property
must employ. Although every piece of property is
unique and should be managed differently, there is
a constant. Landowners, Hunters, Farmers, and
neighbors must all share in a common vision.
Every property has a carrying capacity. There are only so many deer that can live in an area while maintaining a biologically and socially balanced deer herd. Proper herd management can increase the carrying capacity, but harvesting the proper animal during season can also increase the amount of trophy deer using a particular property.
Most biologists recommend a ratio of 1 Buck to
every 2 Does. This balanced buck/doe ratio allows
for a greater number of mature bucks to be more
available for breeding. This also allows the
landowner to better manage the genes that are
going back into the herd, and allow for a more
intense rut. In addition, too many does on the
property will decrease the amount of time a mature
buck will have to search for an estrus doe.
Harvesting the proper amount of does is only half of the solution. Letting smaller bucks live to see another day, and culling out the inferior gene, is the other half. When culling out the inferior gene be very careful you are harvesting an older buck. Several studies have proved that a young deer with an inadequate rack has the potential to age into a trophy. Keep in mind that many deer damage their racks in velvet, which leads to a deformed rack.
There are no excuses for ground shrinkage, culling out a young inadequate buck, or taking a bad shot at a trophy whitetail. These are rookie mistakes! DO NOT allow rookie hunters on your property that don't share the same philosophy as you do.
One thing that is usually not in control of the landowner is the discipline level of the hunters on neighboring farms. If you are practicing trophy management and none of your neighbors are, you will experience an expensive exercise in futility.
One thing is for certain, one can not catch 8 pound bass in a pond that does not have 8 pound bass living in it. Therefore, if your vision is for your property to produce 160 class deer then you can not allow hunters to harvest 130 class deer. SIMPLE!