Ani-Logics Outdoors

It is no secret that 3 of the biggest names in the hunting industry own some of the best whitetail habitat on the planet.  The BIG THREE I am referring to are Lee Lakosky, Mark Drury, and Greg Glesinger.  Each have a lot in common: they all own large properties in Iowa, they all primarily hunt with a Matthews bow and they all use Ani-Logics Outdoors^® protein feed as part of their overall herd management plan.  Did I mention they all shot 200-inch deer within the last month? 

Let’s break down each hunter’s recent kill and highlight how each of these professional deer managers use supplemental feeding as a knee brace, and not as a crutch.  What I mean is that they don’t depend on feed as their only source of nutrition, but they strategically offer supplement before the deer begin to hit stress periods in the late winter and droughty part of late summer to keep deer healthy throughout the entire year.  Age, genetics, and nutrition all play a big role in growing big deer, and these hunters all maximize the nutrition portion of that puzzle.  Here are their stories:

LEE LAKOSKY
Lee has been knocking down truly giant bucks for many years, but within the last 3 years his giants have reached a whole new level.  Lee made two big changes to grow bigger than average deer on his farms:  1. He switched to using Ani-Logics Outdoors^® protein deer feed.  2. He switched to using Ani-Logics Outdoors^® food plot blends.  The blends are not even on the market yet, but Lee wanted to help design blends that he knew would be a slam dunk in terms of holding deer in an area as well as giving them all the nutrients they require for maximum antler growth.  He was so confident in his blend that he planted a 17-acre food plot on one of his best farms, and it turns out, that played a major role in helping grow the biggest buck he has ever harvested!  Here is the buck Lee called “Dagger” which was a buck he watched grow for several years.

The buck was eating in Lee’s custom Ani-Logic’s food plots all summer, and when he wasn’t foraging on food plots he was eating the Ani-Supplement GOLD^® in the off season.  This buck had his cake and ate it, too!  The plethora of high-quality food options on Lee’s farm helped this buck reach legendary status.  When I met with Lee on his farm in August for a tour of the food plots, he showed me a trail cam pic of “Dagger” and outlined his strategy to get on this buck in October.  The plan worked great and Lee was able to harvest the highest grossing buck of his already stellar career, stretching the tape to over 222 inches!   

MARK DRURY
Mark has been doing things right in terms of managing his herd for mature bucks for many years, and his resumé for dropping world class bucks is just as long as Lee’s.  Mark did the unthinkable this year and harvested a buck that grossed over 200 inches as a typical.

When Mark set out to grow the biggest possible deer he could, he did not just concentrate on habitat work and food plots, he also invested in supplemental feeding.  Mark looks at his farm and with the help of his farm manager, Wade Robinson, they are constantly improving the habitat to grow and hold giant bucks.  The native grass stands on their farms are so thick that Mark and Wade can move within yards of bedded bucks and get away with it.  The native grasses also provide thermal cover for winter bedding.  Getting deer to come out of the harsh Iowa winter in good shape is not any easy task, but he uses Ani-Supplement GOLD^® as a way to bridge the nutritional gap that a hungry deer herd creates in the time of year when all other food sources have been consumed.

GREG GLESINGER
Greg has been climbing the ladder of outdoor fame for several years, and after shooting three 200+ inch deer in three consecutive years, you can see why he is undoubtedly, the best Drury Outdoors personality on their team.  Greg and his farm manager Kasey Morgan have taken an already great piece of Iowa land and transformed it into a whitetail wonderland.  They plant native grasses in areas used to access stands, so they can slip into these giant bucks’ home core without them even knowing.  His management toolbox includes prescribed fire, forest management, food plots, and supplemental feeding the most highly nutritious deer feed money can buy.  This year, his hard work paid off by harvesting the 2^nd biggest buck of his career on the opening day of Iowa’s bow season. 

This was the mega giant buck Greg called, “Triple Play.”  The buck measured an amazing 233 inches!! 

All of these three hunters have taken exceptional deer and have taken their herd management to the highest level.  People like to make statements like, “if I had a manicured farm in Iowa, I could do that, too.”  Well, why don’t you?  All it takes is years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears and an unquenchable thirst for improving habitat/herd health.  Lastly, I want to point out the tool these three didn’t use:  fences!  These deer can roam freely wherever they please and giving a mature buck all that he needs to prosper is why he stays put.  Congrats to the big 3 on a historic year:  655 inches of bone between 3 bucks killed within a 3-week span before the rut.  Simply incredible!