When is the Best Time to Provide Nutritional Supplements for Deer?
While supplementation is useful year-round it is most beneficial during spring and summer. As soon as antlers are shed, the buck’s body is preparing for new growth by mobilizing minerals in its body and changing its eating habits to recover from the rut. He will consume extra protein and energy needed for weight gain and antler growth. Spring and summer are the times of maximum antler growth. Antlers in velvet are composed of mostly proteins, while hardened antlers are roughly half protein and half minerals with calcium and phosphorus comprising the majority of the minerals. Therefore, it is vitally important that buck deer receive a diet high in protein, calcium and phosphorus during spring and summer while antlers are in velvet. Spring and summer is not only the time that bucks are in velvet, but also the time that does are providing milk and that the fawns are rapidly growing and building up reserves for their first winter. It is ideal to establish Easylix® Trophy Deer Block locatio
