Deer Antler Question....

[Parks 788]

Fellas, does a deers antlers usually grow each year in the same general form year over year but just get bigger with age. Or will a dear that is a nice 8 pt one year grow a non-typical rack the next year? I understand that when the antlers begin growing each year they can get damaged or whatever and grow abnormally but do the genetics only allow for each deer to grow a certain "look" of antler that is similar each year?

 

[Rod Snell]

Study results I've seen from several places, including McAlester, indicates antler form is genetic, barring accident.
However, they don't get bigger each year, but peak and then get smaller. The size also depends on general health and nutrition.

 

[T-Money]

I have seen different things from different deer. Some deer will go from 8 point to 10 point from one year to the next. They usually will be at their peak around 6 1/2 years and then start to decline after that. Of course, nutrition will play a big part in that too. If it has been a dry year with little food a buck will not grow to its full potential.

Most deer, once they have reached maturity, will typically grow the same unique rack year after year but bigger, given they had adequate nutrition, until they have peaked out.

Regarding the question about a typical going to nontypical, yes it does happen. I know a guy who works on a ranch with a high fence. His main breeder buck went from a typical 12 180 class one year to a 210 class 24 point nontypical the next year, and then to a 200 class 14 point typical the next year. Not too sure what he was this year though.

 

[Parks 788]

Thanks guys, I understand about the nutrition aspect of it and genetics as well. Just watching some of these hunting shows it seems that some of the hunters know a particular deer year over year and I wasn't sure how they now if it is the same deer. Figured that the rack must be similar in shape or something year over year.

Now I just hope I see the offspring of the buck I killed in 2008. The bucks rack I got was fairly unique. Since I didn't see any good bucks last year maybe his son is getting bigger by the year and will show himself.

 

[bink98xcab]

i have 2 buck on my camera that have similar racks same split on g2 same side. the bigger buck has 9 possbly 10 points and the little guy has 7. i think genetics and nutrition win out on this , again except for damage or injury, i bet in a couple years the little 7 looks like his elder

 

[bink98xcab]

on Dominant Bucks, a guys has 3 mounts of the same deer. just used sheds from the 2 years before and a diffrent cape to mount. looked awesome!!! you could tell the mass had grew through the years

 

[Ozark Tracker]

I have a neighbor that has raised a buck for the last 6 years, he has been fed different diets, the more protien the larger the diameter of the horn, and the more length of the horn, he has damaged a horn 2 different years while in velvet, one year the damaged place grew a drop tine about 3 inches long, it's always been a 6 point except for the drop tine the one year.,
I think the genetics need to be good for a good rack and it may take time but a herd can improve on high protein diet. as far as the size of the horns.
I think when we find a good one, we harvest it, making it impossible to pass on to the next generation.
we're probably lucky to see what we see, but a healthy herd may produce a good one or two each generation from a buck that was missed during the season.
that's just what we've seen over the years.