What a whirl wind 2018 has been already, a great year so far for us at Oak Creek Whitetail Ranch. In order to be the Best Hunting Ranch in the world we started the year off by attending several of the best conventions wear we meet up with long time friends and some of the best outfitters in the world. It was a great show season for me due to Angi and the boys being able to go to the shows with me.

At the Ranch

You all know we strive to have the biggest whitetail in the world, well, in order to do that, we switched the feeding program over to a new cutting edge technology called fodder, the new fodder system is a hydroponic growing system for grains which has been working great so far and the deer are loving it.

This system is not being used in the United States much at this time, but it is catching on. You will see it more and more in all agricultural operations including cattle, poultry and even swine operations in the near future. It has lowered costs and improved the health,look and welfare of the animals tremendously.

Daily Routine

Our morning ritual in our new 28’ x 32’ building is to add 250 pounds of wheat and 20 pounds of sunflower seed into trays in the system along with our vitamin and mineral. Each day, for six days, the seeds sprout and grow a little more each day. It grows to an impressive six to eight inches tall, with a root mass of about three inches.

In a short six days, that 270 pounds of seed produces 1700 pounds of feed per day. To break it down approximately 1 pound of seed (.18 cents) produces 6.25 pounds of fodder taking the feed cost down to $57.6 per ton of fodder. Each deer consuming approximately 2% of their body weight per day. No soil, no nutrition, just water for 18 seconds every hour. VOLIA, the best digestible nutrition known to man, 2000 calories per 20+ pound mat. It is amazing to see this feed as it develops.

To see this system from start to finish, watch the video below. Comparing this year, so far with the records  from previous years, the bucks are at least a month ahead of schedule in horn growth. We have already seen bucks outside their ears, with good brows and G2s started (4/1/18).

New Fodder System From Start To Finish

If you have any questions about this new fodder system, just let us know. We would be happy to tell you about it or give you a tour. You can also click here to go to our YouTube channel where you can watch many more videos from the ranch. While you are there make sure to subscribe and ring the bell. You don’t want to miss a single video from Oak Creek.

Turkey season is upon us and the weather has not been cooperating. The gobblers are still henned up. Calling them away from them from the hens has been tricky. Fawns should be arriving mid May along with planting season. Before you know it it will be deer hunting season and we will be gathered around the fire reminiscing about last years hunts.