Seven years ago we started pushing the 30-06 Plus Protein and Cutting Edge minerals hard. We’re dry. We can barely get wheat to grow. We just don’t have anything for the deer. Besides a little wheat, there is a little alfalfa in the lowlands, but that’s it. So supplements work better than planting food plots. The deer love the minerals. I’ve got holes (lick sites) as big as a couch. They just keep coming back for it. And I’ve definitely seen an increase in our antler size. Our average score is up 12 to 15 percent compared to seven years ago.
Four of the top 10 and three out of the top five mule deer ever killed in Oklahoma have come off my land. One non-typical scored 242 B&C and had a 36-inch inside spread. Another typical mule deer scored in the 180-range. We’ve also produced three whitetails that score over 200 gross (180-190 net). One gross scores 225!
One day 3 years ago, our outfit harvested 16 bucks. Two scored in the 160-class, one scored 182 and one huge buck scored 190. Five years ago, we shot 36 bucks. 16 scored over 150, and three muleys scored over 160! We hunt over the mineral licks. And all our feeders are near licks. We’ve got some monsters. Our average body weight has remained stable, but the minerals made a big difference in antler size.
