It’s hot and dry, but it’s also nearly July. Nothing new with some intense heat during the summer months, but there should soon be something worth seeing on your game camera. June marks the mid-way point for antler growth in white-tailed bucks. Up until now it’s been about bucks getting their foundations set, but the next 8-10 weeks will be about putting on the really good stuff, so if you’ve not placed out your cameras then get ready to do so.
July is the month when most of us are kicking it by our favorite watering hole, but bucks are out there trying to maintain stable nutrition during what can be a stressful time of the year. Most places in the eastern half of the US have received good amounts of rain this year. Some places have received way more. Not a good thing if your house is submerged, but have comfort in knowing that antler growth in bucks will be better than average this fall.
That middle-aged buck you were watching last year – well, he may really catch your eye in a few weeks.
Antler Growth Takes Food
Source: “This is the time of year when bucks seek out two key elements. First, they scour areas for food with a protein level of at least 20 percent. During this time of year they’ll devour more than 15 pounds of food each day.
In my Western backyard alfalfa hits the spot, but across the Midwest deer also seek out soybeans and clover-based food plots. They need the best nutrition possible since antler is growing at the fastest rate during the next two months (nearly half an inch per day under the right conditions).
Second, bucks seek shady refuge. Home territories shrink if food and water are in abundance. Find a bachelor herd of bucks now and you should be able to keep tabs [using game cameras] on them until they strip their velvet in early September.”
More on Antler Growth in White-tailed Bucks
- Daily Antler Growth in Bucks
- Deer Antler Growth Photos by Month
- Whitetail Antler Growth Timeline with Photos