Antler Growing Question

[bgleaton]

I was looking at game camera pictures recently and comparing them to years past and I would have thought that we would see bucks further along in their antler growth. I am seeing several bucks growing their main beams past the brow tines and G-2's, but I would have thought that they would be a lot further along with all of the rain, 12,000lbs of protein, 3,000lbs of cottonseed and a managed deer herd. Do antlers grow at the same rate/time every year? I know that a lot depends on nutrition and rain, but will we start seeing the big jump, due to the rainfall, in June and July?

[Mexico]

Antler growth timing is based on day length, has nothing to do with rain. Rain can definitely and usually does make them grow bigger though.

[tbgascorer]

It all depends on when they shed as to when they will start. I try not to look too early because I am always disappointed and think they should be further along.

[gingib]

Antler growth timing is based on day length, has nothing to do with rain. Rain can definitely and usually does make them grow bigger though.

x2

[Fmjag64]

I recall the deer dropped their horns pretty late this spring so may be a little behind.

[unclefish]

I came across an interesting picture/chart of the process and timing of shedding/growing.





Stages of antler growth.
A) one day after antler shed,
B) 15 days after shed, scab still attached,
C) 30 days after shed, scab is shed (A, B, C same animal),
D) about three months after shed by different animal,
E) about five months after shed antler growth is completed, with one additional month used to complete hardening and drying of velvet (D and E same animal), and
F) hardened antler with shreds of dried velvet on a third animal.


It's all about when they shed which is tied to testosterone levels which is tied to daylight length. Shedding starts the process of growing new head gear.

[elgato]

I came across an interesting picture/chart of the process and timing of shedding/growing.





Stages of antler growth.
A) one day after antler shed,
B) 15 days after shed, scab still attached,
C) 30 days after shed, scab is shed (A, B, C same animal),
D) about three months after shed by different animal,
E) about five months after shed antler growth is completed, with one additional month used to complete hardening and drying of velvet (D and E same animal), and
F) hardened antler with shreds of dried velvet on a third animal.


It's all about when they shed which is tied to testosterone levels which is tied to daylight length. Shedding starts the process of growing new head gear.

This,

I have a large variability in antler growth right now. I've got one buck I can count 22 points on and others just to the G2. All depends on when they shed of which there can be over a months difference depending on the buck.

[EastTexun]

Good info!

[Grayson]

I wouldn't worry about it. Although it's fun to watch them grow, you can't really put much stock in your game cam pics until late August/September. Some bucks will be almost done growing in July, while others will blow up and put on a ton of inches in August. Each buck grows at a different rate.

[El General]

in 2013-2014, we had a deer that shed on Christmas Eve 2013 and one deer that was still hard horned in March when my camera battery ran out.

Both deer were hard horned by early September and I think both are the same age. It also seemed like the more mature deer were hard horned earlier than the young 2.5 and 3.5 year old deer.

The deer that shed his horns early did so because he was injured.

[bgleaton]

Thanks for all of the info. This is great information. I probably just need to be patient. I just get impatient when I'm seeing Elgato's bucks as well as other bucks that are already 140in and they still have 2 months of growing to do...very jealous.

[gmac]

The timing chart above is excellent. I was getting worried about my herd as they are behind all others that I have seen on here. But our rut was late this year, in to middle of December and antlers didn't drop until mid March. My deer show to be right on track with the above.

[CEO]

Never seen that chart before, great info.