We started using Whitetail Institute products seven
years ago on our property and our deer herd has improved tremendously during
that time. Although we live in a heavily hunted area with extreme winter conditions
— 150-plus inches of snow last year, we have seen the best buck crop this past year
since we started our QDM process on our farm. The first eight deer we saw this
year were all bucks. More amazing is that the first five all met our 8- points-or-better
requirement and the rest were very healthy animals. We have been really
successful with the Winter-Greens product and I firmly believe it helps our
bucks make it through the toughest part of the winter here in Northern
Michigan. Moreover, some of my neighbors have started to use it and they have reported
better bucks too. Attached is a photo of my 15-year-old niece, Lauren Czarnota,
with one of those 8-points. This was Lauren’s second year to participate in the
Michigan Youth Hunt. She passed on 15 or more deer last year because she wants
to practice the QDM process I’ve started on our farm. She passed on seven more before
this beauty stepped out into our No-Plow plot we have in our woods. Her dad
“Ziggy” was glassing a couple of does and a spike or four point that had showed
up for an evening snack of the No-Plow. I’d bet he really wanted her to take
the 4-point because he is not 100% sold on the QDM when everyone around you
shoots — “if it’s brown it’s down.” But Lauren stuck to her strategy and said
“I hear more coming from the left.” Before her dad could get a good look at the
deer and voice his opinion on what to do next, she lay a perfect bead with her
.270 just behind the shoulder and the deer only ran 25 yards. She about knocked
the field glasses out of her dad’s hands as he was about to tell her what to
do. Ziggy, that girl doesn’t need anyone to tell her how to shoot deer, she
just needs someone to try and beat the biggest deer that’s hanging on the
living room wall. You should see the body size of our does and fawns during the
past several years. It is amazing what Whitetail Institute products have done
for our herd. Now if I can only get more of my neighbors to support our new
camp motto; “Let ’em go, let ’em grow — If Lauren can do it — COME ON GUYS.”
Keep up the good work Whitetail Institute.
