Supplemental Nutrition

Category: habitat-food-plots
Topic keys: supplemental-feeding, nutrition, deer-nutrition, mineral, nutricrave-corn, nutricrave, fetal-programming, baiting, minerals, supplemental-feed

Current guidance

As of 2026-06-28, the most recent claim on this subject.

The show frames late winter as the peak nutritional stress period for deer and, where legal, endorses supplemental feeding: Don recommends a complete, balanced ration rather than straight corn, and pushes NutriCrave corn for its more-than-double calorie content versus typical ag corn. Where feeding and minerals are banned, as on Don’s Illinois ground, he says nutrients must instead come directly from food plots, citing diversity of plant sources for varied minerals and vitamins. Don calls bans on supplemental feeding, and biologists’ claims that it spreads CWD, misguided, arguing it improves rather than harms herd health. Terry frames maximizing deer nutrition as a stewardship duty. Aaron Gaines, aligned with Don on mineral supplementation, has been featured discussing feed and mineral tags and herd health on the show’s TV segment.

How the guidance evolved (most recent 120 of 211)

2023-01-15 Don explains that Real World will start selling harvested NutriCrave corn to feed deer, contracting a farmer to grow many acres, discovered after accidentally cross-pollinating NutriCrave with a high-protein red corn. 53:38 — Episode #152 - Are Trade Shows Dying?
2023-01-15 Real World decided not to mix the accidental red corn into the NutriCrave seed they sell, so they can control who grows this higher-protein deer corn. 55:19 — Episode #152 - Are Trade Shows Dying?
2023-01-15 Terry says the harvested NutriCrave deer corn isn’t available yet, but a custom bag has been designed and ordered ahead of the fall harvest. 55:58 — Episode #152 - Are Trade Shows Dying?
2023-01-15 Don hopes to ship the new deer corn by October 1, sold in one-ton bulk bags or smaller 40-pound bags. 58:32 — Episode #152 - Are Trade Shows Dying?
2023-02-05 Don said the key to fetal programming is getting the doe on the highest nutritional plane before she conceives, which happens during the rut. 9:21 — Chasing Giants #155 - Hilarious Episode Live from Middlefield, OH
2023-02-05 Don said that if Ohio eliminated corn piles, it would become the best state in the nation for producing big bucks. 76:16 — Chasing Giants #155 - Hilarious Episode Live from Middlefield, OH
2023-02-19 Bronson Strickland explained at Salina that overloading a mineral mix with one nutrient like salt limits how much a deer will consume, restricting other micronutrients. 44:40 — Episode #157 Frost Seeding Clover - Soil Builder - Switchgrass
2023-02-19 Don says their corn tests at 12-13% protein straight from the field, cutting costs versus formulating feed from lower-protein corn. 52:38 — Episode #157 Frost Seeding Clover - Soil Builder - Switchgrass
2023-03-12 Bronson says deer voluntarily restrict their diet by about half even with abundant food, because their metabolism and focus shift in fall and winter. 65:20 — Episode #160 - Live with Dr. Bronson Strickland at Whitetail Master Class
2023-03-19 Terry recommended buying Dr. Strickland’s book on Amazon, which covers breaking through the antler ‘glass ceiling’ through management. 6:41 — Episode #161 - Live from Last Master Class - Inside QuietKat E-Bike
2023-03-19 Dr. Strickland’s book explains that fetal programming sets the genetic ceiling for how big a buck’s antlers can ever get. 6:57 — Episode #161 - Live from Last Master Class - Inside QuietKat E-Bike
2023-03-19 Terry said quality mineral supplements do more than boost antlers, also supporting herd health, parasite control, and doe lactation. 60:19 — Episode #161 - Live from Last Master Class - Inside QuietKat E-Bike
2023-05-07 Don explained that as corn yields have climbed toward 200 to 300 bushels per acre, protein, fat, and other nutrient levels in the corn have declined. 31:30 — Episode #186 - Regenerative Ag Practices
2023-05-07 Don noted that because Illinois bans supplemental feeding and mineral placement for deer, he relies on food plots to provide nutrients instead. 36:53 — Episode #186 - Regenerative Ag Practices
2023-06-04 Terry relays Doctor Strickland’s point that deer regulate their diet, seeking out whatever specific nutrient they need at a given time of year. 43:24 — Episode #172 - Don is really worried about EHD in 2023
2023-06-04 Terry announces NutriCrave deer corn will be available for southern customers around the beginning of October, pending drying and packaging. 52:12 — Episode #172 - Don is really worried about EHD in 2023
2023-06-11 Terry said drought conditions will affect the agriculture corn market and NutriCrave’s yields, and it isn’t yet known how much corn will be available to bring to market. 14:59 — Episode 173 - Can you find joy in killing GIANT Bucks?
2023-06-11 Don reported that the local grower producing over 200 acres of NutriCrave deer corn for the company has gotten rain he hasn’t received, so that field is in better shape than his own property. 15:50 — Episode 173 - Can you find joy in killing GIANT Bucks?
2023-06-11 Don said the company may also buy corn from acreage being grown in Northern Indiana and Iowa if needed to supplement the NutriCrave harvest. 16:13 — Episode 173 - Can you find joy in killing GIANT Bucks?
2023-06-25 Terry suspects the increase in ticks and flies he’s observed on trail camera deer may be linked to reduced supplemental feeding under Kentucky’s new rules. 29:41 — Episode 175 - June Food Plot Update
2023-06-25 Dr. Strickland has explained that deer adjust their diet, including mineral consumption, based on what nutrients they need. 30:30 — Episode 175 - June Food Plot Update
2023-07-16 Terry mentions Kentucky’s supplemental deer feeding season opens August 1, saving a related story for next week’s episode. 72:51 — Episode 178 - The Bucks and The Corn are Growing Fast
2023-09-24 Terry clarified NutriCrave deer corn is not yet available to individual consumers; only dealers can currently place orders. 70:53 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
2023-10-08 Don says NutriCrave corn offers about 1.5 times the protein, three times the fat, and over twice the calories of typical neighboring corn, giving deer more nutrition. 58:01 — Episode #190 - Prep for Youth Season - Green Light on Babe
2023-10-15 Don describes NutriCrave corn as taking on a life of its own, drawing major outside interest. 47:58 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
2023-10-15 Don announces next year’s NutriCrave corn will come in two maturities, a 100-day and a 112-day variety. 50:25 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
2023-10-15 Don asserts deer can tell the difference between genetically modified and non-GMO corn or soybeans. 60:02 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
2023-10-22 Don reports the farmer harvested the 220-acre NutriCrave deer corn field this week. 14:11 — Episode 192 - End of October - Tactics and Plans are Changing - PRE RUT!
2023-11-19 Don reported Ohio dealer JV’s Feed has already purchased two semi loads of NutriCrave deer corn. 8:52 — Episode #196 - Lock Down Breaking Loose as Weather Changes
2023-11-19 Terry explained the corn wasn’t picked earlier because it would have had too high a moisture content. 9:15 — Episode #196 - Lock Down Breaking Loose as Weather Changes
2023-11-19 Don explained NutriCrave corn needs to dry down on the stalk to raise its nutrient levels. 10:00 — Episode #196 - Lock Down Breaking Loose as Weather Changes
2023-12-03 Don said this year’s drought reduced NutriCrave nutrient test results across the whole Midwest compared to recent years. 38:41 — Episode 198 - Buck Traveling Long Distances After The Rut
2023-12-03 Don recounted learning that corn must dry down on the stalk after a Minnesota customer’s NutriCrave corn, harvested too early, was refused by deer. 39:20 — Episode 198 - Buck Traveling Long Distances After The Rut
2023-12-31 Don announced that Real World’s new NutriCrave Deer Block, combining NutriCrave corn with Maximizer Plus mineral and Expect Healthy Deer technology, was releasing that day. 25:12 — Episode #201 - New Year, New Tools, New Websites
2024-01-14 Don states Real World holds exclusive rights to NutriCrave corn from their breeder, and no one else legitimately sells authentic NutriCrave corn. 71:03 — Episode#203 - Post Season Scouting and Project Advice
2024-01-21 Don recounted sitting in a blind one frigid afternoon and seeing over 50 deer, including 16 to 20 different bucks, all feeding on his NutriCrave corn plot. 2:14 — Ep. 204 - Hinge Cutting - Don Critiques Specific Projects
2024-03-03 Don states NutriCrave Corn cannot be bought elsewhere since Real World owns exclusive rights to it from the breeder who created it. 55:56 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
2024-03-03 Don says Real World grew NutriCrave seed corn in Mexico this winter to gain an extra generation of genetic improvement. 56:18 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
2024-03-03 Terry reports a customer sent test samples comparing Ag Corn versus NutriCrave, pulled February 13 and tested February 23. 57:51 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
2024-03-03 Don announces a significant share of this year’s NutriCrave Corn sales will go to livestock feed rather than deer food plots. 58:39 — Episode #210 - What to do with Bush Honeysuckle
2024-04-28 Terry notes NutriCrave corn requires weed control done before planting rather than a post-emergence herbicide application. 14:04 — Episode #218 -Spring Food Plots - Is it time to plant?
2024-04-28 Don announces Real World has sold out of its hundred-day NutriCrave corn, though the 112-day variety remains in stock. 14:37 — Episode #218 -Spring Food Plots - Is it time to plant?
2024-06-02 Don explains typical ag farmers are paid by the bushel and have no financial incentive to grow higher-protein corn since yield, not nutrient content, determines their pay. 24:36 — Episode 224 - Saving Fawns and Farming for Nutrients: Insights from Don Higgins
2024-06-02 Don notes Illinois law bars him from using mineral or supplemental feed, so all of his deer herd’s nutrition must come through his food plots. 25:22 — Episode 224 - Saving Fawns and Farming for Nutrients: Insights from Don Higgins
2024-06-02 Don explains Real World’s new fertilizer is high in nitrogen, and what sets it apart from typical fertilizers is the added micronutrients beyond standard N-P-K. 33:55 — Episode 224 - Saving Fawns and Farming for Nutrients: Insights from Don Higgins
2024-06-02 Tanner Stay reported that NutriCrave corn he planted last year produced the biggest ears he’d ever seen, with deer walking a quarter mile past other standing corn to reach it. 36:45 — Episode 224 - Saving Fawns and Farming for Nutrients: Insights from Don Higgins
2024-06-09 Terry said this time of year is the most pivotal period for mineral application for both antler growth and doe lactation. 19:39 — Episode 225 - Big Antlers this Spring Mean Big Decisions this Fall!
2024-06-09 Terry recommended having mineral out since January or February since deer consumption peaks right now. 20:24 — Episode 225 - Big Antlers this Spring Mean Big Decisions this Fall!
2024-06-09 Terry advised against hunters mixing their own mineral ingredients like garlic into feed, saying it’s usually a waste of time. 55:16 — Episode 225 - Big Antlers this Spring Mean Big Decisions this Fall!
2024-06-30 Terry notes Kentucky allows supplemental feeding, letting hunters bait does to a feeder near a barn without disturbing the property. 43:00 — Episode 228 - Is Iowa Really the Best State?
2024-08-18 Terry stresses that nutrition is a herd’s best defense against EHD, and supplementation must start in winter and continue through spring. 18:51 — Episode #235 - Is EHD Back in 2024? Bucks Dead in Indiana!
2024-08-18 Terry warns that stockpiling nutrition products now, in a panic over EHD, is already too late to meaningfully help the herd this season. 19:06 — Episode #235 - Is EHD Back in 2024? Bucks Dead in Indiana!
2024-08-18 Don advises getting supplemental nutrition to deer weeks or months ahead of an EHD outbreak, not after it appears. 19:13 — Episode #235 - Is EHD Back in 2024? Bucks Dead in Indiana!
2024-09-16 Terry recommended building a year-round nutrition program well before an EHD outbreak occurs, since it’s too late to help deer once an outbreak starts. 14:44 — Episode #239 - EHD Is Closing in on Don’s Farm!
2024-09-16 Don compared deer nutrition supplementation to daily vitamin C use, saying consistent year-round supplementation, not a one-time dose, builds real resilience. 15:43 — Episode #239 - EHD Is Closing in on Don’s Farm!
2024-09-22 A drone flew over Don’s NutriCrave corn plots about ten days earlier and broadcast seed to overseed them. 6:51 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
2024-09-22 Don recommends diverse, nutrient-dense food plots so deer can balance their own diet across different plants’ vitamins and minerals. 46:08 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
2024-09-22 Don wishes Illinois allowed supplemental feeding and mineral outside hunting season, similar to Iowa or Indiana’s regulations. 47:33 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
2024-11-17 Don states nutrition determines how close a buck gets to its genetic antler ceiling but can never push it past that ceiling. 38:06 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
2024-12-22 Don highlights that NutriCrave corn has more than double—about 2.2 times—the calories of regular ag corn, helping deer through winter. 20:59 — Episode #253 - Do Not Overcomplicate Habitat Projects!
2024-12-29 Don plans to split his farm 50/50 between NutriCrave corn and Gen-two soybeans next year, overseeding both crops via drone with different cover mixes. 13:20 — Episode #254 - Don Improving Cell Cameral Locations, No-Till Food Plots, and Winter Habitat Projects
2025-01-19 Don has roughly 100 acres of winter wheat on his section that’s now exposed by melting snow, giving deer a green food source through late winter. 2:21 — Episode #257 - Too Early to Shed Hunt - Show some compassion!
2025-01-19 Don recommends supplemental feeding now, since late January is when natural food is scarcest for deer and the most critical time to feed. 74:53 — Episode #257 - Too Early to Shed Hunt - Show some compassion!
2025-01-26 The raffle winner also receives 1,000 pounds of NutriCrave corn for the first fill of the Coonless feeder. 45:57 — Episode #258 - Live Podcast from Mt. Hope Ohio
2025-03-10 Terry announces Aaron Gaines has agreed to produce recurring Chasing Giants TV nutrition segments, roughly every six to eight weeks, on improving herd health. 47:21 — Episode #263 - Live from the Iowa Deer Classic
2025-03-30 Terry announced this week’s Chasing Giants TV video features Dr. Aaron Gaines discussing deer nutrition through mineral supplementation. 61:53 — Episode #266 Making a Good Stand a Great Stand
2025-04-06 Don says he and Aaron have been in frequent contact and are aligned on views regarding mineral supplementation. 11:03 — Episode #267 - Spring Whitetail Habitat Projects - Is it Go Time?
2025-04-06 Don asserts there is no way some marketed deer products actually do what they claim. 11:38 — Episode #267 - Spring Whitetail Habitat Projects - Is it Go Time?
2025-04-06 Terry says when experts like Strickland or Gains speak, he needs to listen more than argue. 12:28 — Episode #267 - Spring Whitetail Habitat Projects - Is it Go Time?
2025-04-13 Terry said they need to schedule Aaron Gaines to discuss minerals on the podcast. 12:52 — Episode #268 - Thermal Drone Tells the Truth on Don’s Farm
2025-04-20 Don says seeing those two poorly-fed captive bucks grow giant racks proved to him a deer can produce a giant rack without proper nutrition. 20:53 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
2025-04-27 Aaron says his interest in deer nutrition really started back in 2012. 6:40 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
2025-04-27 Aaron shares that this is the first year he couldn’t supplemental feed after his area entered a CWD containment zone with a feeding ban. 37:53 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
2025-05-04 Don’s clover, winter wheat, and deadly dozen plots have greened up nicely this spring, giving his deer good nutrition despite the wet weather. 1:55 — Episode #271 - Cool Wet Spring Concerns for Antler Growth and Nutrition
2025-05-04 Nutritional products are set to be tested on Don’s Ohio properties this year. 5:13 — Episode #271 - Cool Wet Spring Concerns for Antler Growth and Nutrition
2025-05-11 Don explained that because Illinois bans supplemental feeding and minerals, he farms for nutrients directly in his food plots to supply deer with nutrients otherwise in short supply. 2:21 — Episode #272 - Farming for Nutrients - Better Food Plots
2025-05-11 Don noted that NutriCrave Corn is a seed example of farming for nutrients, offering higher protein, fat, and calcium than typical corn. 2:58 — Episode #272 - Farming for Nutrients - Better Food Plots
2025-05-18 Don states NutriCrave corn has more than double the calorie content of typical agricultural corn. 20:08 — Episode #273 - Clover Maintenance and Spring Planting
2025-05-18 Don says a buck eating NutriCrave corn instead of typical ag corn gets more than double the calories, helping it survive winter and set up for better antler growth. 20:18 — Episode #273 - Clover Maintenance and Spring Planting
2025-05-18 Don says because Illinois bans supplemental feeding, you have to deliver nutrients through food plots, and Mighty Micros is the ticket for that. 21:53 — Episode #273 - Clover Maintenance and Spring Planting
2025-05-18 Don previously worked with state senator Chapin Rose on a supplemental feeding bill that failed to pass a few years back. 24:56 — Episode #273 - Clover Maintenance and Spring Planting
2025-05-25 Don explains that because he cannot legally supplement feed or minerals in his state, deer nutrition on his farm has to come entirely from plants. 35:02 — #274 - Soil Health: The Foundation of Successful Food Plotting
2025-05-25 Don says NutriCrave corn provides more than double the calories of typical ag corn for deer on his farm. 35:50 — #274 - Soil Health: The Foundation of Successful Food Plotting
2025-07-20 Don plans to film a Chasing Giants TV video showing off his NutriCrave corn plots. 7:06 — Thermal Drones, Trail Cameras & Big Buck Strategies | Chasing Giants Podcast #282
2025-07-27 Terry reports his Nutri-Crave corn food plot is shaping up to be the best corn crop he has ever grown. 1:57 — Episode #283 “Best Corn Ever? Don & Terry Reveal 2025 Plot Results + Fall Food Plot Timing Tips”
2025-07-27 Don planted two rows each of his original NutriCrave corn seed alongside test corn varieties in the same plot to compare them. 4:30 — Episode #283 “Best Corn Ever? Don & Terry Reveal 2025 Plot Results + Fall Food Plot Timing Tips”
2025-08-17 Don relayed that Duane estimated Terry’s NutriCrave corn plot at 252 bushels per acre based on population and ear size. 2:15 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
2025-08-17 Don reported that two experienced farmers who planted NutriCrave the same year both produced over 300 bushels per acre. 4:01 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
2025-09-21 Don argues home-brew mineral mixes are inferior, asking why every cattle farmer wouldn’t use them if they were really the best approach. 46:53 — Chasing Giants Ep. 291 | Don’s Public Land Quest & the “Turning Point” Buck Story
2025-10-12 Terry tested deer corn against field corn on his tractor’s front pile; trail cameras showed the field corn untouched while the deer corn was completely wiped out. 10:15 — #294 From Old School to High Tech: Don Higgins Reflects on 40 Years in the Deer Woods
2025-10-26 Joe credits the Real World Wildlife Products Maximizer Pro Plus mineral and his home-grown Nutri-Crave Corn for helping the buck survive late winter. 18:03 — “200-Inch Nebraska Giant: Joe Chambers’ Incredible Buck Story | Chasing Giants Ep. 296”
2025-11-30 Don said nutrient-rich soil produces nutrient-rich plants, which in turn produce nutrient-rich food for deer, whether grain or greens. 29:32 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
2025-11-30 Don said a deer eating NutriCrave corn instead of standard ag corn gets more than double the calories from the same half-pound serving. 28:45 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
2025-12-07 Don announces Real World’s Whitetail Management Conference in Arthur on February 25-26, featuring speakers Dr. Aaron Gaines and Dr. Clifford Shipley under the theme ‘real science, real results.’ 14:11 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
2025-12-07 Don states Dr. Aaron Gaines, developer of the Expect Healthy Gear technology, is an animal nutritionist whose feed company supplies more U.S. hog operations than not. 14:50 — Late Season EXPLOSION! Why Giants Are Falling Everywhere | Chasing Giants #302
2025-12-21 Don recommended feeding a complete, well-balanced ration rather than straight corn when supplemental feeding deer in winter. 47:18 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
2026-01-04 Don announces the Real World Whitetail Management Conference, themed ‘real science, real results,’ will feature Dr. Aaron Gaines presenting on the Expect Healthy Deer technology. 58:00 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
2026-01-11 Don relays a YouTube video where a cattle farmer explained the nutrient content difference between grass-fed and grain-fed beef. 21:27 — Most Hunters Get This Wrong | The Hard Truth About Killing Mature Bucks | Chasing Giants #307
2026-01-11 Don explains that diversity of food sources is key because different plants carry different minerals and vitamins that deer need. 23:12 — Most Hunters Get This Wrong | The Hard Truth About Killing Mature Bucks | Chasing Giants #307
2026-01-25 Dr. Strickland’s research pen at Mississippi State proved that a doe’s nutrition during pregnancy sets that fawn’s development up for life. 8:58 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309
2026-01-25 Don recommends high-fat NutriCrave corn in late winter because it gives deer more than double the calories of typical ag corn to help them survive the cold. 15:30 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309
2026-02-01 Don explains that late winter is the peak period of nutritional stress for deer, when quality food sources are in short supply. 5:37 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
2026-02-01 Don thinks it’s ridiculous that states like Illinois ban supplemental feeding outside of hunting season during severe winter conditions. 8:25 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
2026-02-01 Don explains cottonseed feed is called “triple 20” because it contains roughly 20% protein, 20% fiber, and 20% fat. 9:22 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
2026-02-01 Terry describes Texas ranchers feeding deer from super sacks set in the field with the tops cut open, letting deer eat straight from the exposed feed. 10:34 — CULLING BUCKS: Why Shooting 3½-Year-Old 8-Points Actually Works | Chasing Giants #310
2026-02-08 Don Higgins learned from raising captive deer that they require a much higher-fiber diet than cattle. 9:17 — Snow, Sheds & Sorghum: Late-Season Deer Survival | Chasing Giants #311
2026-02-08 Don Higgins noted that captive deer needed to be wormed three consecutive days because their digestion is much faster than a cow’s, which only needs one dose. 10:07 — Snow, Sheds & Sorghum: Late-Season Deer Survival | Chasing Giants #311
2026-02-08 Terry Hamby said hunters and land managers should focus on maximizing deer nutrition and health as stewards of God’s creation. 50:07 — Snow, Sheds & Sorghum: Late-Season Deer Survival | Chasing Giants #311
2026-04-12 Terry credits Doctor Shipley and Duane Hopkins for helping design the elk and whitetail nutrition program on the Kentucky property. 24:17 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
2026-04-12 Don wants his deer to have the best possible nutrition year-round, not just a summer food source to create a doe factory. 33:02 — Don Higgins Breaks Down His Favorite Properties of 2026 - Chasing Giants #320
2026-04-26 Terry plans to plant a bunch of blackberries this year as a new food source for deer on his property. 18:19 — Don Shares Personal News + The #1 Mistake Hunters Make | Chasing Giants Podcast 322
2026-05-03 Don criticized wildlife agencies for cracking down on hunters who supplement-feed deer outside of season, arguing it makes no sense given deer’s actual nutritional needs. 49:18 — Prayers, Peace & Planting Strategy | Spring Food Plot Advice | Chasing Giants 323
2026-06-07 Don noted NutriCrave corn has a distinctive deep orange color. 38:33 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
2026-06-07 Don recalled spotting NutriCrave corn from 100 yards away on an Ohio farm just by its color, and confirmed it with the client. 39:04 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
2026-06-07 Don explained that as corn yields have increased over time, nutrient density has decreased, which is why NutriCrave corn hasn’t caught on with big agriculture due to yield drag. 41:33 — The Biggest Mistake Food Plotters Make in June | Chasing Giants #328
2026-06-14 Don explains that captive fawns denied access to dirt developed digestive issues, which is why he learned fawns need dirt for gut microbes. 26:47 — #329 | Why Don Higgins Gets More Excited About July Than Opening Day
2026-06-21 Don relayed Bronson Strickland’s analogy that a doe acts like a switchboard, signaling her fawn what kind of nutritional environment it will be born into. 40:49 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
2026-06-21 Don said the National Deer Association’s biologists oppose supplemental feeding, claiming it spreads CWD, which he calls nonsense. 52:48 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
2026-06-21 Don argued that supplemental feeding actually makes deer healthier rather than spreading disease, contrary to some biologists’ claims. 53:05 — #330 - Can Supplemental Feeding Add 15”+ to a Buck? Don Higgins Answers
2026-06-28 Terry announces Dr. Aaron Gaines is producing a Chasing Giants TV video educating viewers on reading nutrition value in feed and mineral tags. 43:43 — Making Good Tree Stands GREAT | Don Higgins’ Best Habitat Tricks + Doubting Thomas Premiere

Contradictions & open questions

Places where the show’s advice on this subject appears to disagree with itself, either between speakers or over time. Both claims are shown as they were said, with dates. Nothing here is resolved — which one applies is the reader’s call, and the owners’.

Guidance may have changed: Differ on when fetal programming’s critical nutritional window occurs: pre-conception nutrition during the rut versus nutrition during pregnancy itself.
- 2023-02-05 Don said the key to fetal programming is getting the doe on the highest nutritional plane before she conceives, which happens during the rut. 9:21 — Chasing Giants #155 - Hilarious Episode Live from Middlefield, OH
- 2026-01-25 Dr. Strickland’s research pen at Mississippi State proved that a doe’s nutrition during pregnancy sets that fawn’s development up for life. 8:58 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309
Guidance may have changed: Differ on whether fetal programming sets/raises a buck’s genetic antler ceiling, or whether nutrition can only affect proximity to a fixed genetic ceiling, never the ceiling itself.
- 2023-03-19 Dr. Strickland’s book explains that fetal programming sets the genetic ceiling for how big a buck’s antlers can ever get. 6:57 — Episode #161 - Live from Last Master Class - Inside QuietKat E-Bike
- 2024-11-17 Don states nutrition determines how close a buck gets to its genetic antler ceiling but can never push it past that ceiling. 38:06 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
Guidance may have changed: Differ on whether straight corn (even enhanced) is appropriate winter supplemental feed: one advises a complete balanced ration over straight corn, the other recommends NutriCrave corn specifically for late winter.
- 2025-12-21 Don recommended feeding a complete, well-balanced ration rather than straight corn when supplemental feeding deer in winter. 47:18 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
- 2026-01-25 Don recommends high-fat NutriCrave corn in late winter because it gives deer more than double the calories of typical ag corn to help them survive the cold. 15:30 — Texas Hunt, Brutal Cold, Late Rut Behavior & Winter Habitat Decisions | Chasing Giants Podcast #309

Questions on this topic (60 of 116)

Brad Hemmire asks whether Don strategically plants NutriCrave corn around certain stands to funnel deer along the edges. 65:50 — Episode #132 - 2022 Buck Forecast Part 1
Paul asks how much Don learned from his herd of pinned deer that translated into his hunting success. 37:22 — Episode #41 - Don and Terry start a new December Series called “Make A Good Spot Great!”
Terry asked whether hunters need to watch their deer’s food situation more closely given how early this cold winter arrived. 21:29 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
Listener Montana Moritz asked about winter supplemental feeding regimens and whether feeding could do more harm than good. 44:31 — When Managing Deer Means Saying NO to Giants | Chasing Giants Podcast #304
Kirsten Tepe from Oakland City, Indiana asks what breeders feed captive deer to reach over 1,000 inches of antler and whether Real World products could increase antler size. 34:53 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
Terry asks whether nutrition merely helps a buck reach its genetic antler ceiling or actually raises that ceiling. 37:09 — Episode #248 - Big Buck Down! Wes Delks Joins Us to Discuss UHAUL
Is there a nutritional tie between feed/mineral intake and fawn production, and does timing matter for when that benefit occurs? 14:09 — Episode #14 - Don and Terry talk deer during the superbowl…
Since bucks can lose up to 50 pounds during the rut, does helping them recover weight then benefit later fawn production and antler growth? 9:35 — Episode #14 - Don and Terry talk deer during the superbowl…
Beyond just feeding corn, what should hunters look for in a supplemental feed program? 24:35 — Episode #14 - Don and Terry talk deer during the superbowl…
Alan Miller asked whether a deer fed mineral-mixed supplemental feed keeps eating it after meeting its mineral needs, or stops once it’s satisfied. 49:26 — Episode #127 When to Plant Fall Food Plots?
Terry asks Don to walk through his social-media series debating whether genetics, age, or nutrition matters most for a deer herd. 13:57 — Episode #269 - Genetics, Nutrition, or Age (which is more important)
Joel Miles asked whether supplemental feeding and mineral use mainly benefit neighboring properties, since young bucks disperse away from their birth farm. 20:17 — Episode #15 - Passion vs. Discipline
John asks whether milo is viewed as a lesser-preferred deer crop compared to modern corn and beans, given the shift away from it. 41:12 — Episode #165 - Farmers Planting Early Creates New Opportunities - EARLY SPRING
An anonymous listener from Guthrie, Kentucky asks if someone else is really selling the same Nutri-Crave Corn cheaper through the same distributor, or if it’s a sales gimmick. 40:34 — Episode #154 - Dogs Running Loose on Don’s Farm. HE IS NOT HAPPY!
Justin Ray, new to Kentucky hunting, asks whether it’s better to pour supplemental feed on the ground or use a feeder, and what type. 48:26 — Episode #148 - Are Bucks Shedding Antlers Early This Year?
Why did Real World undersell NutriCrave corn’s actual yield potential? 52:45 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
Can you explain what makes NutriCrave both a hybrid and non-GMO? 56:09 — Episode #191 - Babe Out In Daylight - Giant Corn Yields for Food Plotters
Cody Walker asks whether GMOs, herbicides, and insecticides could cause deer mutations, sterility, abortion, or abnormal antler and body size. 29:32 — Episode #119 - Memorial Day Tribute and Aging Bucks on Trail Cam Pics
Josh from Westphalia, Michigan asks whether deworming deer in spring boosts antler growth, what product to use, and what to feed inexpensively otherwise. 35:00 — Episode 199 - Dewormer in Deer Feed, Tractors, Screens, and Windmills
Joseph Miller from Hopkinton, Iowa asked why his horses eat Maximizer Plus deer mineral he’d set out for deer, and whether it’s safe for horses. 49:10 — Episode #176 - Don’s Advice for Battery High Prices
Emery Miller asked why his deer ignore the Maximizer mineral and always choose Trophy Rock when offered side by side. 39:11 — Episode #231 - Timing is Key: When to Plant Fall Plots
Do deer avoid food plots after spraying them with glyphosate, and are there long-term health effects for deer from glyphosate exposure? 18:02 — Episode #125 - Wheat Prices May Change Late Season Hunting
Is it a misconception that mature bucks won’t eat from feeders, and does it improve the longer feed is out? 53:30 — Episode #258 - Live Podcast from Mt. Hope Ohio
As an Ohio resident, what would your wish list be for supplemental feeding and baiting regulations? 57:08 — Episode #258 - Live Podcast from Mt. Hope Ohio
Terry asked Don to explain why deer eat the tender nipped-off tips of woody browse this time of year. 8:30 — Snow, Sheds & Sorghum: Late-Season Deer Survival | Chasing Giants #311
Mylon Yoder asked whether a mineral claiming to make nighttime bucks feed in daylight is real or just a marketing scheme. 47:10 — Episode #264 - Big Rope Scrapes and Big Bucks!
An audience member asks Don and Joe whether long-term use of deer minerals actually helps antler growth and is worth the cost. 13:42 — EPISODE #107 - Don Knows How To Fire Up Southern Folks!
Daniel Morell asks Don to explain the difference between supplemental feeding and food plots, given states are banning feeding over CWD concerns. 58:32 — Episode #90 - November 7th - WHERE IS THE RUT
Terry asked whether a deer searching for food in the corn-versus-soybeans debate is seeking carbs, protein, or simply anything to fill its belly. 4:00 — Episode #11 - Merry Christmas and Late Season Insights
What percentage breakdown of browse versus forbs makes up a whitetail’s diet? 34:53 — Episode #160 - Live with Dr. Bronson Strickland at Whitetail Master Class
Matt Markway asks what to use for herd vitamins in Illinois since mineral can’t be put out there. 44:33 — Episode #240 - If Don Was DNR, How He Would Make Illinois Better Than Iowa
Eric Wolf asked whether he should remove all older does as soon as possible to ensure buck fawns get maximum nutritional benefit before birth. 54:45 — Episode #92 - Don in Facebook Jail?
Kevin Boyer asked whether feeding deer before fawns drop causes does to have fawns near feeders, drawing coyotes to hunt fawns close by. 26:46 — Episode #163 - The Hype of Chestnut Trees…
Jim asked whether feeding deer new food once natural food is gone, especially late in the season, could cause them to starve with a full stomach. 51:32 — Episode #147 - Winter Buck Inventory… More Important than Summer?
Terry asks what type of corn testing they’re pursuing against NutriCrave — green leaf, dried-down grain, or both. 17:55 — Episode #273 - Clover Maintenance and Spring Planting
Dustin asks whether to use a feeder instead of dumping bait on the ground, if feeders spook mature bucks, and whether to add mineral to supplemental feeding. 14:08 — Episode #123 - How much does Don spend on batteries for trail cameras?
Kelly Shanley asks why it’s important to get soybean plots to maturity for late-season pods, and what soybeans offer that a fall blend like Deadly Dozen doesn’t. 43:23 — Episode #123 - How much does Don spend on batteries for trail cameras?
Don asks whether Terry is growing NutriCrave corn to put in his feeders. 17:58 — Episode #123 - How much does Don spend on batteries for trail cameras?
John Stewart from Milton, Iowa asks what to plant on just three acres of food plots, plus which supplemental feed to use in the off-season. 49:35 — Kill More Deer. Feed Hungry Kids. | Boone Brothers | Chasing Giants 306
Grady Hostetailer from Sugar Creek, Ohio asks whether Don and Terry recommend supplemental feeding deer this time of year and what benefits it provides. 27:08 — Episode 175 - June Food Plot Update
Can a healthy deer herd get all needed minerals and nutrients from a bag alone, without a food plot program? 95:06 — Episode #95 - Live from Guthrie, KY
Nathan Beiler asks how much supplemental feed and minerals would help deer on Don’s farm given his strong food plot program. 48:11 — Episode #215 - Could 2024 be a fantastic antler growing season?
Travis Peters asks whether he should quickly harvest bucks with small, seemingly deformed racks on his Georgia property. 41:02 — Episode #67 - WATCH OUT FOR FAWNS! Don and Terry both have a close call!
Should NutriCrave corn be planted in the same field as regular ag corn? 42:01 — Episode 225 - Big Antlers this Spring Mean Big Decisions this Fall!
Mike Russell asked why dry spring and summer months causing a drought reduce buck antler growth. 32:53 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
Terry asked Don for an update on the status of NutriCrave deer corn, which he had posted about earlier that day. 69:19 — Episode #188 - Apple Trees for Whitetails
If leading the DNR, how would you write laws that permit supplemental feeding while preventing baiting? 9:15 — Ep# 205 - Don shares trail camera pictures from 2023
If using the Nutri-Crave Corn deer block, is it necessary to also put out Maximizer Mineral, and when should mineral go out? 64:20 — Ep# 205 - Don shares trail camera pictures from 2023
Should someone till, broadcast beans, then plant Nutri-Crave corn over the same ground, or stick with corn alone? 35:50 — Episode #262 - The Controlled Burn on Switchgrass GONE BAD!
What effect does the new higher-protein NutriCrave corn have on deer herd health compared to soybeans? 52:29 — Episode #46 Dual Bolt Crossbow Opinions and New Products from Real World
What role does mineral play for antler-growing bucks, fawning/nursing does, and newborn fawns, and what does each need nutritionally? 28:31 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
Don asks for Aaron’s opinion on whether nutrition and/or genetics are the answer to managing diseases like CWD. 32:47 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
Don asks Aaron whether supplemental feeding bans meant to slow CWD are actually warranted. 35:57 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
A seminar attendee asked Don what regulation change Ohio could make to improve its deer hunting. 20:22 — Episode #47 - Hunting Ethics, Annual Cycle Of Whitetail, Should we leave Social Media?
Listener Brian Prior asked Don’s opinion on supplemental feeding, whether he practices it, and his recommended feed type and duration. 49:07 — Episode #47 - Hunting Ethics, Annual Cycle Of Whitetail, Should we leave Social Media?
A listener asked whether he could plant something instead of using minerals at his food plot mineral sites. 33:44 — EP #286 - Preparing for Hunting Season: Plots, Cameras & CWD Truth
Jeremy Slooter asks whether Don would supplementally feed and use mineral year-round in Illinois, what feeder types he’d use, and how he’d situate feeders relative to stands. 66:38 — Episode #113 Prepare Now… Results Come Later!!!!
If deer can sense what minerals or vitamins they’re lacking, why isn’t feed separated by nutrient instead of combined? 29:25 — #279 - Live Hot Seat! Don Higgins Faces Tough Questions from Dealers | 2025 RWWP Summit
Terry asked what nutrients the deer herd needs in late season — fat, protein, starches, or carbs — beyond just shelled or ear corn. 27:07 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301
An anonymous Pennsylvania listener asked whether NutriCrave corn’s high oil content is safe as cattle feed, and how its yield compares to standard ag corn. 50:08 — Late Season Starts NOW — Cold Fronts, Bucks on Food, and Thanksgiving Reflections | Episode #301

Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.