The Whitetail Institute’s 30-06 Thrive is an Outstanding Attractant and Nutritional Supplement for Fall and Winter

30-06

An Outstanding Attractant and Nutritional Supplement for Fall and Winter

The Whitetail Institute’s 30-06

Thrive nutritional supplement is an incredible attractant, but unlike other attractants it is also a true nutritional supplement scientifically formulated for the unique needs of deer during the fall and winter. As such, it’s an optimum tool for helping your deer minimize losses in health and body weights during those stressful seasons.

When it comes to supplements for deer, it can be tempting to focus heavily on spring and summer and less so on supplements designed for fall and winter. That approach can yield benefits, but any manager who truly wishes to maximize the antler size, body weights and overall health of their herd would be wise to develop a year-round strategy for nutritional supplementation. It’s no secret that fall and especially winter can be rough on deer. Dwindling food sources, the rut and energy-sapping winter weather can take a heavy toll on deer health, and bucks can lose up to 20 percent of their body weight. Thrive is scientifically formulated with a specific balance of energy, protein, mineral and vitamin components to help deer maintain body weight and overall health during the fall and winter. It’s nutrient-dense for winter stamina, helps deer maintain muscle mass, and helps replenish critical minerals and vitamins. It also includes antioxidant nutrients that help deer 50 WHITETAIL NEWS / Vol. 30, No. 1

maintain a healthy digestive system and aids in muscle and tissue recovery.

Consider also that no matter where you live, your deer only have about 200 days during the spring and summer in which to grow antlers. Thrive doesn’t extend this window, of course, since it is of fixed duration. Instead, Thrive helps your deer make the best use they can of the short antler-growing window. That’s because antler growth in bucks is a secondary sex characteristic, meaning that it is secondary to something else, in this case recapturing health losses sustained during the previous winter. It stands to reason, then, that the better shape your deer are in after winter, the sooner your bucks can direct more nutrients toward antler growth.

Thrive is the fourth product in Whitetail Institute’s 30-06 line up. The other three (Imperial Whitetail 30-06 Mineral/Vitamin supplement, 30-06 Plus Protein Mineral/Vitamin Supplement and 30-06 Mineral Supplement Block) are all designed to be used in spring and summer. They’re scientifically formulated to provide the specific nutrition deer need to help push antler growth as close as possible to their genetic potential, keep does in top shape during the late stages of pregnancy, increase their milk production for newborn fawns, and promote overall herd health. Thrive now brings the Whitetail Institute’s lineup of 30-06 products full circle by helping deer maintain body weight and overall health during the fall and winter.

FAQ

Can I use Thrive year-round? You “can,” but it’s optimum to transition between 30-06 Mineral/Vitamin Supplement or 30-06 Plus Protein during the spring and summer, and Thrive during the fall and winter.

When should I start my Thrive supplement sites? You should start your Thrive sites once bucks have hardened their antlers and cooler fall weather arrives. In most areas, this generally occurs in September or October. Continue feeding Thrive through the fall and winter until it is time to transition back to 30-06 Mineral/Vitamin Supplement or 30-06 Plus Protein as spring green-up occurs.

How many Thrive supplement sites are needed? Research indicates that you should provide a supplement site for every 40-100 acres of available land, depending on the size of your herd and quality of the habitat. Once you have observed the usage of your sites, you can better determine the exact number of total sites needed.

Where should I create my Thrive supplement sites? As with other 30-06 supplements, site selection is extremely important with Thrive. Deer prefer to be in cover, so select a site in a wooded area where deer feel safe, preferably just off a well-used trail, crossing, funnel or natural feeding area.

How can Thrive be used? Thrive is designed for use in ground sites, trough feeders and gravity feeders. Thrive can be used by itself or mixed with corn at a rate of 10-20 pounds of Thrive to 100 pounds of corn.

How much Thrive should I use in a site? When first creating a supplement area, use approximately 10-20 pounds of Thrive per site. Always keep the area well-supplied to encourage continued use by deer.

Caution: Thrive is so attractive to deer that some states consider it bait, so be sure to consult your local game laws before using or hunting