Improving your natural habitat.......

[dogdoc]

The motto--"you are what you eat" is so true when it comes to the whitetail deer. Unfortunately, most natural foods don't contain the proper amount of protein for optimal body growth, fawn production, milk production, and antler growth. As we all know food plots and proper mineral supplementation can help in these areas. But there are also things you can do to help the nutritional values of your natural foods.

Hard mast such as acorns, beechnuts, pecans and others are critical to a whitetail's diet. They are high in carbohydrates, which is quick energy and heat for those cold days and stressful days during the rut. Fertilizing these trees may help in not only the amount of mast produced but the quality of mast produced. In my opinion, a fertilized tree also produces a better tasting hard fruit---which may help draw the deer to a particular tree--closer to your deer stand. I fertilize my hard mast trees with 1 pound of 10-20-10 fertilizer per one inch of trunk diameter. I take my post hole diggers and dig small holes around the drip line and fill those holes with the fertilizer. This helps keep the fertilizer from washing away. In areas with lots of oak trees this can be quite expensive. Find the trees that were the best producers in previous years, or the trees that are close to your hunting stands.

Soft mast such as apples, pears, or persimmons are a big plus if they are on your land. These trees will respond very well to fertilization. These trees are very susceptible to "web worms"---these worms will dramatically decrease fruit production. Liquid insecticides (I like sevin b/c of it's safety) will kill these webby pests. I like to use a higher nitrogen fertilizer with the fruit trees but fertilize at the same rate as the hard masts.

Browse such as honeysuckle and greenbriar are like ice cream to a baby. They are very palatable but unfortunately have low protein levels in poor soil. I will fertilize these in early spring with a high nitrogen and moderate phoshate fertilizer--you can increase the protein by 50% with fertilization. This will even make the honeysuckle and greenbriar taste better. Greenbriar has a tendency to climb high in trees which makes it impossible for a deer to reach. Take a pair of garden shears and clip the briar about 4 feet high. This will put more energy into the lower plant as it makes more buds that the deer can reach.

Another bushy-plant I like to fertilize is wild sandplums and wild blackberries. These will also respond well to a high nitrogen fertilizer.

There are tons of native plants that deer will eat. I have only mentioned a handful that will respond to proper fertilization. This will in turn help the overall condition of your herd.

good luck
todd

[jdickey]

One person that often gets overlooked when planning food plots, etc... the local Agricultural Agent. Most of the time they are very helpful in determining what works best your area.

Somtimes all that is needed, IS to fertilize the existing natural habitat. The Ag Agents can help you with soil testing and formulate a planting strategy for your area. They can provide you with the area growth patterns for trees and shrubs that can be used in your hunting areas.

All you gotta do is ASK!