Grow them bigger with Buckfuel Soy Sauce
Grow them bigger with Buckfuel Soy Sauce
By Tyler Frantz
PALMYRA- Observing heavy-racked bucks, healthy does and well-nourished fawns on a regular basis is the ultimate goal for anyone managing a hunting property for whitetails. But how does one help their local herd reach its fullest potential?
The answer lies in quality habitat, a variety of food sources, and perhaps a little boost in the form of mineral supplements.
There’s no doubt that minerals/attractants can help encourage antler growth during summer months, but most products on the market lean more heavily on attractants with highly elevated levels of salt content, which isn’t always what’s best for deer.
But after years of consulting with agricultural feed experts and wildlife biologists, as well as conducting their own rigorous hands-on field studies, Pennsylvania-based Bow Creek Outdoors has developed a product it feels can really make a difference in improving whitetail health- and its growing network of customers is experiencing the same impressive results.
The product is called Buck Fuel Soy Sauce, which acts as both an attractant and a dietary supplement for whitetails. It comes in a coarse, powdery mixture of local grains and essential minerals, which can be spread at various locations on a property for deer to consume and reap the full benefits of its contents.
According to BCO founder Matt Sipling, his company wanted to base its product on science, not salt, to achieve maximum results in a healthier manner.
“Soy Sauce is made with steam-cooked and flaked soybeans, which results in a greater retention of nutrients (25% protein, 18% calcium), and the valuable fat is not burned off,” Sipling said. “There is less than 20% sodium in our product, which is very different from our competitors. Salt is good for getting deer to come back to a mineral site, but too much of it is unhealthy.”
“The importance of supplementing deer is no different than humans taking a one-a-day vitamin. But to be honest, supplementing is only going to work once you have adequate food and cover to keep the deer on your property. Once these two factors are present, our supplement mix will confidently get the necessary vitamins into the deer,” Sipling said.
“For bucks, it’s all about the antler growth. If they are not getting all the nutrients they need, they are not going to reach their fullest potential. The protein and calcium in our mixture is essential for maximum antler growth. They get a lot of what they need from nature, but we’re filling the gaps with anything they might be missing to help boost the process,” he said.
“But it’s not just geared toward larger antlers. There is also a hormone called Prolactin, which affects milk production and the transition of a doe’s hide from her summer to winter coat. Both of these processes occur at the same time, and a doe’s body has to choose where to send that important substance.”
“In our supplement, the soy is providing more Prolactin for their system so they don’t have that tug of war between producing milk and switching to their winter coats. The result is healthier does and healthier fawns,” Sipling said.
Sipling recommends offering deer Soy Sauce as soon as legally permitted to do so. In most of Pennsylvania, that would be after the closing of the statewide late archery and flintlock muzzleloader seasons in January.
If desired, property managers can hang trail cameras over the mineral sites to monitor deer activity through late summer, when all food-based attractants must be cleared in advance of the mandatory 30-day removal window before archery season.
“By using trail cameras with our supplements during the offseason, we’ve really gotten to learn a lot about deer,” Sipling said. “First, it allows us to take inventory of which bucks survived from last hunting season. It proves that the deer are using our product to help them recover through the winter, and it’s also fun to watch the deer grow through the spring and summer, as we prepare for a new season in the fall.”
Adam Spittler of Pine Grove has used Buck Fuel Soy Sauce for several years and now sells it from his business, Spittler’s European Mounts and Hydrographics, located in the village of Rock.
“When I first started using Soy Sauce on my property, I liked it because the deer kept coming back which allowed me to get a lot of pictures,” Spittler said “But in using it year after year, I’ve noticed a big difference in the body size and antler growth, even in the younger deer. It’s pretty impressive.”
Spittler has personally sold over 1,000 pounds of the product this year from his workshop where he cleans skulls and specializes in camo dipping.
“I get a lot of repeat customers who, once they use it, are convinced by how much it really works. They tell their buddies, who then ask to pick up a bag or two as well, and it just branches out from there. Sales and interest have really taken off,” Spittler said.
“In a way, I believe monitoring the herd extends the hunting season year round for most people,” Sipling said. “I love getting big buck photos from customers sharing the results of using our product. It’s just great knowing we are helping the deer reach their fullest potential.”
Buck Fuel Soy Sauce is mixed on site at Bow Creek Outdoors’ Palmyra location and is sold in 16-pound bags. To order, visit www.buckfuel.com, or save on shipping and call 570-527-2024 to pick up a bag at Spittler’s European Mounts- just one of BCO’s various retail locations.
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