Best Food Plot For Deer Antler Growth (Grow Big Bucks!)

Every hunting season, we all dream of bagging a huge one – a magnificent buck with massive antlers that will be the envy of friends and neighbors when they see the trophy displayed over the fireplace. Whether you plan to harvest deer yourself or invite hunters to your property, ensuring that the animals are in excellent condition will go a long way in increasing the value of this wild resource. By planting food that will entice deer and support antler growth, you can literally grow big bucks!

The best plants to grow on food plots to encourage the growth of deer antlers are soybeans, clover, brassicas and alfalfa. These specific food plot plants are high in protein which is necessary for the healthy development and faster growth of deer antlers. 

Like everything in life, what you put in is what you will get out. Unless you live in a naturally lush area filled with nutritious vegetation year-round, the deer population in your area will benefit if you plant crops to support them. Deer that have access to high-quality forage throughout the year consistently deliver larger antlers. This outcome is easier to achieve than you think.

What Should I Plant To Promote Antler Growth? 

Deer that have access to high-quality forage throughout the year will undoubtedly develop bigger antlers. The best way to provide a higher quality of food for the deer population in your area is to establish and maintain a food plot specifically for that purpose. 

Some Recommended Plants for Your Food Plot That Will Encourage Antler Growth

Soybeans	Soybeans are prolific growers and are one of the most digestible food sources of all crops. Evolved Harvest Mean Beans is a great blend with soybeans. Soybeans will produce the greatest volume of nutritious feed per acre.
Clover	Clover is a versatile and easy to grow crop that is a popular choice for those growing food plots for deer.  Clover germinates quickly after planting, and in summer, you can see growth in just a few days. There are several varieties to select from to suit your growing conditions. Whitetail Institute has developed a clover seed mix called Imperial Clover that is easy to grow and packed with all the protein necessary to grow super-sized antlers. This seed mix has been developed to attract deer and be tolerant to a range of climatic conditions. The bags are available in various sizes depending on the area you want to cover. The 18-pound bag will be enough for an area of 2.25 acres.
Brassicas	Brassicas are a great choice because they can be planted year-round.  This group of plants includes kale, rapeseed, canola, radishes, and turnips. Although not as high in protein as clover or beans, the leaves are highly digestible and are a good energy source for your deer population. The inclusion of brassicas on your deer food plot will improve the overall health of the animals. Unlike some other plants, the leaves continue to deliver greens to the deer even into the fall when other vegetation changes color. Without a doubt, the leading product in this category is Honey Hole seed mix from Antler King. This mix combines five varieties of rape and turnips that are easy to grow, even in cooler northern conditions, and is sure to attract deer. By planting in the late summer or early fall, you can provide your deer population with a sustainable food source throughout the food-scarce winter months.
Alfalfa	Alfalfa, which is also sometimes called lucerne, provides an abundant food source for deer. The leaves of this hardy plant will keep on growing even if it is heavily grazed. Best of all, alfalfa is a favorite on white-tails menu, so the buck that’s antlers you have been so painstakingly building up is likely to stick around on your plot.  Antler King has an alfalfa mix that fares well in most conditions from the south through to the northern regions. Booner Mix is a perennial seed mix that contains two varieties of alfalfa as well as clover, so your big bucks can enjoy browsing on two of their favorite antler growing crops.

Why Is Having A Deer-Friendly Food Plot Important For Antler Growth?

For healthy and robust antler growth, a white-tailed deer’s diet should consist of at least sixteen percent protein. This figure is often hard to achieve when only foraging on natural vegetation.

To increase the size of the antlers and improve the general health of the entire deer population in your area, it makes sense to increase the protein intake of the animals. As such, the antler nurturing process should begin as early as possible. Creating a successful food plot for the deer in your area is a long-term project but well worth the effort. 

When Do Bucks Get Antlers?

Immature bucks develop their first set of recognizable antlers at about one and a half years of age.

White-tailed bucks shed their antlers every year and carry their largest set at the age of six to seven years of age.  This constant growing and shedding of antlers needs a lot of energy, and by planting highly nutritious deer-friendly crops on your food plot, you can support and encourage this growth process. 

At What Age Will Bucks Have The Biggest Antlers?

From around the age of about seven, the size of the antlers will start to decrease each year. Ideally, bucks should be hunted during their prime, between five and seven years of age. Bucks start growing antlers between the ages of one and two years. 

What Time Of The Year Do Antlers Grow The Most?

Spring and summer are the two most important antler growing times of the year. During this time,  the new horn growth cycle starts and can be most influenced. Maintaining the general overall good health of all the deer in the area throughout the year is highly advisable to manage this natural resource properly.

Antler Growth Cycle:

Season	Growth stage
Spring	By early spring, the old antlers have been shed. New horn growth starts immediately.
Summer	Summer is antler growth season. By the end of summer, the buck’s antlers have hardened.
Fall	Fall is the breeding season. The bucks use their antlers for fighting with challenging bucks. By now, they’re very hard.
Winter	Winter is the season for antler shedding. The antler falls when the connection between the pedicle and the antler weakens.

Wrapping Up

The thrill and excitement of harvesting an eight-point deer with magnificent antlers can be made even more rewarding if you had a hand in the creation of such a superb specimen. Planting high-quality protein forage on your food plot will support healthy antler growth and provide the bucks with all the reserves they need. Various commercially available seed mixes have been specifically formulated, not only to promote healthy antler growth but to keep the bucks coming to your plot.