Good Antler Growth..

[JMAR85]

Does an easy winter affect antler growth come spring? This passed fall we had a big time acorn crop and a relatively easy winter, so I would have to believe that the bucks are going into spring in fairly good condition. Does that help in terms of antler growth?

[JoeRE]

I think spring weather has a big impact. Extreme winters one way or the other do too - they usually go hand in hand with early or late springs.

Early spring green up with lots of moisture going into the summer seems like it can tack on a lot of extra inches for some bucks. Late springs have the opposite effect.

I always point to spring 2013 as the most glaring example, very late spring in the midwest and everybody around here was complaining about there being no big bucks come fall. I swear that late spring knocked many big bucks down 10+ inches gross score from what they would have been on an "average" year.

Last spring was very good, early green up with good moisture, and this spring looks to be just about as good. A bunch more giants will be hitting the ground this fall particularly with these back to back good years.

[UofLbowhunter]

I kinda would think so. I would almost have to think if they had food to recuperate after the rut better surly there spring health would be better for antler development. My .02 worth. But im no biologist either

[stash59]

It's gotta help. BIG thing is enough moisture well into summer so the plants can uptake plenty of nutrients/minerals. I saw this big time out west with bull elk. Drought years the racks always averaged out quite abit smaller.

[JMAR85]

Thanks for the info guys. It'd be neat to see a study done on this.

[JoeRE]

It's gotta help. BIG thing is enough moisture well into summer so the plants can uptake plenty of nutrients/minerals. I saw this big time out west with bull elk. Drought years the racks always averaged out quite abit smaller.

Yea I think in arid regions there is even more of an impact than here in the midwest where water and food are much more plentiful.

I would like to see a study done on this too. Would be very easy to simulate different weather trends on pen raised deer....

I looked at the data of bucks being entered into some state recordbooks and entries from 2013 were down for every state that I looked at - Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan if I remember right. 2010 was a great antler year and most had more entries. But there were other trends too, wasn't black and white. Record books for Iowa and Wisconsin seem to have less entries with every passing year - not because less bucks got shot, although some might think that, but just less hunters are interested in official score.

[stash59]

It's gotta help. BIG thing is enough moisture well into summer so the plants can uptake plenty of nutrients/minerals. I saw this big time out west with bull elk. Drought years the racks always averaged out quite abit smaller.

Yea I think in arid regions there is even more of an impact than here in the midwest where water and food are much more plentiful.

I would like to see a study done on this too. Would be very easy to simulate different weather trends on pen raised deer....

I looked at the data of bucks being entered into some state recordbooks and entries from 2013 were down for every state that I looked at - Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan if I remember right. 2010 was a great antler year and most had more entries. But there were other trends too, wasn't black and white. Record books for Iowa and Wisconsin seem to have less entries with every passing year - not because less bucks got shot, although some might think that, but just less hunters are interested in official score.

I think some of it has to do with "lose lips sink ships". You gotta tell what county it came from. This can start a "feeding frenzy" if your in a less known trophy area.

[headgear]

It is super easy to see in the bigwoods, good rain years and mild winters = taller tines or really bigger spike and fork bucks running around. During the bad years everything is stunted. I can't help but wonder what a couple of my bucks would look like had I shot them on those good years.

[Nocturnal]

It is super easy to see in the bigwoods, good rain years and mild winters = taller tines or really bigger spike and fork bucks running around. During the bad years everything is stunted. I can't help but wonder what a couple of my bucks would look like had I shot them on those good years.

I agree to this and have wondered the same too.

[moondoondude]

Yes, those effects are definitely present. However, it could be argued that a less stressful fall, mild winter, and early spring will lead to later antler casting. Later antler casting can mean less time for antler development. Would you say that the 5+ year old deer that shed in late January with baseball bulbs growing out of his head already would be better off than the 5+ year old deer that just shed last week? Ultimately, I will take a mild winter and an early spring pop whenever it occurs - and I think the deer would agree.

[Mibowfreak]

Yes, those effects are definitely present. However, it could be argued that a less stressful fall, mild winter, and early spring will lead to later antler casting. Later antler casting can mean less time for antler development. Would you say that the 5+ year old deer that shed in late January with baseball bulbs growing out of his head already would be better off than the 5+ year old deer that just shed last week? Ultimately, I will take a mild winter and an early spring pop whenever it occurs - and I think the deer would agree.

Great point.

[stash59]

Yes, those effects are definitely present. However, it could be argued that a less stressful fall, mild winter, and early spring will lead to later antler casting. Later antler casting can mean less time for antler development. Would you say that the 5+ year old deer that shed in late January with baseball bulbs growing out of his head already would be better off than the 5+ year old deer that just shed last week? Ultimately, I will take a mild winter and an early spring pop whenever it occurs - and I think the deer would agree.

Interesting point!! Wouldn't a wetter spring/summer cause faster antler growth? Just thinking outloud here!

[mainebowhunter]

Buddy just sent me pic of a huge ks dropine buck on their ground still holding.

[JoeRE]

And I just saw a big buck last week that had big nubs at least 3" long already. Definitely is a wide spectrum this year!

Even if a hard winter means all bucks shed early, the body of the buck is more depleted going into the antler growing cycle and that is the biggest factor of all IMO...

One factor I wonder about is if there is a sweet spot in buck to doe ratios that results in minimal stress and maximum antler growth.

Too many does means the bucks have to keep rutting for several months to breed them which is bad.

But also too few of does, say a ratio of 1:1 or even below that (which has been promoted by some who only care about what they see rut hunting as "good") and the competition between bucks during even the shorter rut is so fierce many get hurt and very worn down which is also bad.

I would throw a WAG out there and say something around 1.5:1 up to maybe 2:1 doe to buck is close to the sweet spot in terms of buck health.

[thwack16]

Yes, those effects are definitely present. However, it could be argued that a less stressful fall, mild winter, and early spring will lead to later antler casting. Later antler casting can mean less time for antler development. Would you say that the 5+ year old deer that shed in late January with baseball bulbs growing out of his head already would be better off than the 5+ year old deer that just shed last week? Ultimately, I will take a mild winter and an early spring pop whenever it occurs - and I think the deer would agree.

I've wondered this point as well. I feel like the buck that sheds late will catch up, but I'd like to see a study done on it.