goHUNT is a registered trademark of goHUNT, LLC. Robby with an Idaho mule deer lab aged at eight years. The annual cycle of antler growth in the mule deer is initiated and controlled by changes in day length acting on several cell types of the anterior pituitary. When bucks reach 4-6 months of age, the antlers begin to grow from the pedicle. The old saying that “you are what you eat” is also true for antler growth. The areas that are well known for producing trophy quality animals have one major factor in common: productive soils that produce quality forage year round. Bucks with their first set of antlers are the easiest to age. The primary reason for this is that the amount of daylight is much less than what it will be in June. Antler growth begins shortly after completion of the wound epithelium in white-tailed deer and most members of the deer family; in contrast, moose antlers do not begin growth until two — three months after antler casting. While this is a massive oversimplification, generally speaking, when we are looking at bucks or bulls the old ones are the ones that catch our eye. 2005. Field judging the age of an animal can be difficult, but this is something that with some practice can be made an inexact science. Large mule deer bucks are very crafty and are a rare site in this day and age. Have a chance to win hunts and gear every month — over $100,000 per year, Access strategy & tips to help you apply & spend more time in the field, Statistics and historical data to find top producing trophy units, Detailed overview of how to apply and hunt in each state, Your quick dashboard for important dates, benefits, and the latest giveaways. Points or tines are classified as typical (points generally symmetric and arising from the top of the main beam) and abnormal or non-typical (points arising from other than the top of the main beam or asymmetrical with the other side). Some bucks are homebodies, staying in their 300 to 400 acre home range throughout the year. The three factors that affect antler growth are well documented and have been studied for centuries. Diagram of a growing antler tip illustrating the main anatomical regions. However, abnormal points arising from the second tine, similar to the bifurcated branching of mule deer, are relatively common in mature whitetails, perhaps indicative of the close taxonomic relationship of the two species. They end the rut in poorer condition than the animals that exhibit more passive “homebody” behavior. A buck's antlers fall off during the winter, then grow again in preparation for the next season's rut. How does this individual variation affect antler growth? EEO | Some exceptional antlers can be found on deer in the “middle-age” age structure (3.5 to 4.5 years). Animals that tend to roam far and wide put themselves through more stress each fall than do the relative homebodies. The easiest method for quickly judging the spread on any mule deer is the distance from ear-tip to ear-tip which is usually very close to 20 inches. We love them. The frequency of abnormal points increases with age, and are rarely seen at 1 and 2 years of age. Beneath the velvet epidermis and dermis of the growing antler is a thick, fibrous protective membrane, called perichondrium when it covers the cartilagenous growth stage and periosteum when it covers the boney stage of the growing antler. 2. Every year, antlers grow on the heads of deer, elk, moose, and other cervids faster than any other growing bone on the planet. There are two types of bone within an antler, spongy bone and compact (cortical) bone. Individual deer and elk exhibit personalities as variable as that of people. There are no two racks alike! For mule deer and whitetails, that generally means an antler growth peak occurring at 5.5 years of age or older. Each year thereafter, the buck's antlers will increase in mass and circumference until their growth. Abscission line at the antler — pedicle interface. 4 1/2: As you can see his antler growth exploded in one year, quite typical of what takes place between age 3 and 4. Although the antlers are regrown each year, their size varies with the age of the animal in many species, increasing annually over … They fascinate us. One of the fastest growing tissues in nature, whether a trophy hunter or not, antlers hold a certain power over us as hunters. The older the deer, the larger and more branched out their antlers will become. Receive updates and goHUNT's most popular content. In the chondroprogenitor region these young cells begin to differentiate into chondrocytes and to form the columnar structure characteristic of cartilage and bone. A similar situation occurs in the other direction, in that Sitka black-tailed deer antlers resemble those of white-tailed deer. On July 19th, less than a month later, he was showing incredible growth and was already a very impressive deer! If there is very little vegetation, antler growth is minimal. Technical problems, contact the webmaster - Last modified: 02/05/2021 03:56:40 am, Forest and Wildlife Research A select few wild deer are capable of growing “trophy-size” racks at a young age. We love them. Spongy bone makes up the inner portion and is less dense, softer, and weaker. Ethics Line | Antler growth of male fawns, or “button bucks,” is generally noticeable at 4 to 5 months of age by the presence of “buttons.” At 1-1/2 years of age (yearlings), males grow their first noticeable antlers, which can range in size from spikes to 10 or more antler points. We fondly referred to this buck as “Split G-2” (I am sure you can gather from the photo sequence why). This area reacts like any wound, bleeding for a short period and developing a scab-like covering called a "wound epithelium" within 2-3 weeks. 2 Deer Antler Shed: Age. This weakened attachment combined with the weight of the antler causes it to drop off or be cast. The Life, antlers, mule deer, elk, summer, velvet. As he grew older, his rack increased in size, but generally maintained some identifying characteristics. Others wander far and wide. From the time antlers begin growing in late March through the end of April, growth is minimal. Counties that have historically produced Boone and Crockett class animals are assumed to have some superior genetic qualities, but strong genetics do not always spell big racks. 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), andF) hardened antler with shreds of dried velvet on a third animal. The covering of the growing antler takes on the appearance of shiny velvet because sparse hairs grow straight out and are coated with oily secretions from the hair follicle. As expected this buck expressed his greatest leap in growth between the ages of 2.5 and 3.5 years old. Consult the feed tag on this package for specific feeding directions. In addition, lab aging allows me to see patterns in peak antler growth in different states and units. To have mule deer of that age, you need 60 to 80 bucks per 100 does post hunt—a figure most spoltsmen can only wish they had. Several issues can cause testosterone production abnormalities, including disease, injuries, and old age, but the high number of velvet mule deer bucks seen this year pointed to other factors. Once the antler is cast, the top of the pedicle can be considered an open wound. In some cases it’s a bit later but not too often much earlier in its life. This buck’s frame remains remarkably similar from year to year. A buck will likely make his greatest leap in antler size, as a percentage of his lifetime potential, from 1½ to 2½ years of age – nearly doubling his antler size and expanding from only … Home Uncategorized mule deer antler growth by age. The individual variation comes into play here as well as the genetic makeup of the animal. Spongy bone is highly vascularized during growth, which allows the transport of nutrients and growth regulating hormones. Like many other wildlife species, deer add a layer to the root of each tooth each year of their lives. His body weight at death was 130 pounds and his antlers were 105 inches. The most critical months for moisture/nutrition in reference to antler growth are typically February, March and April. This buck has some extremely unique genetic features. Gauging the age of a wild buck deer isn’t as easy as counting antler tines. Antler growth will always be shrouded in some level of mystery. Antler restrictions are harvest restrictions that limit buck harvest to animals that meet specific antler criteria. During growth, a soft blood-rich skin called velvet covers the antlers. mule deer bucks peak in antler growth at 6 ½ to 8 ½ years of age, and during 2005 to 2015 hunting seasons in the 6 counties with the experimental antler restriction, 72% of the bucks aged and measured by TPWD biologists were 4 ½ years old or younger. Legal Notices, © 2019 Forest and Wildlife Research CenterProduced and maintained by Agriculture and Natural Resources Marketing. The enlarged and columnar chondrocytes then begin the process of mineralization. Feed to deer, elk and exotic deer as a supplement to native habitat or pasture. After taking our mule deer fawns off the does in August we fed them Mass XL mix with our ADM 18% mix. Below we will examin… Antler shape or form, known as conformation, is highly variable and depends on age, genetics, and nutrition. While rare, it happens. In March of 2014 I made a trip to Texas to pick up 100 jugs of Mass XL for the 2014 season. Well, that depends on whether you are hunting in units where you can get a tag each year. Once they have grown in age, the antler of the deer will grow comparatively larger in size. The annual cycle of antler growth … Antlers grow rapidly from their pedicle (base) while in velvet during the spring and summer, as fast as 3/4 inch/week for yearlings and 1 1/2 inches per week for adults during peak growth (Jacobson and Griffin 1983). The factors that dictate year to year growth are the age of the animal, its genetic makeup, and its nutritional intake. Beneath the wound epithelium are cells which will create the antler growth zones. There is one more factor that should be considered with regard to antler growth: individual variation. If the exact age of older mule deer is important to wildlife managers or wildlife researchers, the annual growth ring method is called upon to accurately determine a deer's age. of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine. Abnormalities include kicker points projecting laterally from a tine or beam, drop tines projecting downward from a main beam, extra main beams, palmation of the main beam or between tines, and clustered tines. Beneath the velvet and perichondrium lies the mesenchyme growth zone, an area of rapid cell generation and growth. By age four a buck is mature. Because of the incredible pressures put upon them, the numbers of trophy bucks are … Ultimately, they resemble a doe with antlers. We all know ultra aggressive guys that are real go-getters and we also all know the perpetual couch potatoes. Yet, while hard to identify, we can look at historical harvest data to narrow down areas that consistently produce favorable genetics for antler growth. On average, bucks grow bigger antlers each year up to about 6 1/2 years of age, and then it's flat from there. 2005), although there is considerable variation among animals. Mule deer archery-only season in the antler restriction counties occurs Sept. 29 – Nov. 2, with the general firearm season occurring Nov. 17 – Dec. 2. A genetically gifted animal with a poor dietary intake will not reach his potential. Neither does a wide, tall rack. Antlers from the same deer at ages 3, 4, and 5 years showing consistency of general conformation, annual variation in presence of tines (a), and abnormal points increasing at older ages (b). Note: You can easily track precipitation on goHUNT's INSIDER set of tools. Antlers. Genetics is another factor and one of the hardest variables to quantify. It is worth noting that 2012 to 2013 was a relatively dry year on the Strip, which may help explain the buck in the above images relative lack of additional growth from 2011 to 2013. 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These examples of antler conformations and their gross and net Boone and Crockett scores are all deer harvested in Mississippi.A) typical: gross 173 7/8, net typical 172 0/8B) typical with sticker points: gross 192 3/8, net typical 171 4/8C) drop tines: gross 214 1/8, net non-typical 201 3/8D) double main beam: gross 192 4/8, net non-typical 178 7/8E) palmated: gross 190 4/8, net non-typical 175 5/8F) cluster points: gross 312 4/8, net non-typical 295 6/8. At 1½ years, bucks are all legs. If you are interested in deer hunting and management, this is your podcast! The most common type of antler restriction is a point restriction. The annual casting and growth of new antlers is an important part of the whitetail's mystique. Genetic antler anomalies such as a mature bull elk that remain 5x5s, eight-point whitetails, or 3x3 muleys typically occur due to genetic factors. His skeleton has stopped growing and no longer requires as much mineral nutrients. Every year bulls that gross over 360” plus are harvested and found to be under the age of seven. Customer Service | Mule deer antlers fork once 6-10 inches from the base and then each branch forks again in the classic mature form. But that's the AVERAGE. What does this mean for hunters? A similar antler restriction for white-tailed deer has been in place for a number of years in other parts of the state, and has successfully shifted the age class structure toward older bucks. Nutrition is the third factor that influences antler growth. Mule deer are slightly larger, have bigger ears, smaller tails, and have a forked antler structure rather than having points that grow from a central branch. The same deer at 10 years (A) and at 14 years of age, just prior to his death (B). For best results feed free choice in a covered trough or self-feeder. Mule deer Does: 110-165 lbs Bucks: 150-250 lbs Antlers. The Arizona Strip buck pictured below has some very unique identifying characteristics. The growth does, however, begin to slow down once the buck reaches 7-10 years of age. The factors that dictate year to year growth are the age of the animal, its genetic makeup, and its nutritional intake. Antler point restrictions have been used as a harvest strategy with the hope they will increase the number of large-antlered bucks in a mule deer population. Spongy bone makes up about half the diameter of an average antler (McDonald et al. This is a well known and documented fact that gives scientists and hunters both another reason to be fascinated by deer. Moreover, this will branch out even more through the years. mum antler growth until they are 7 to 10 years old. The same is true for mule deer. They fascinate us. Center, Division “DW” was just about done shedding his winter coat, and already showing good antler growth about 1 1⁄2 months into the process on June 25th. During peak antler growth periods, bucks may experience a 20 percent decrease in mineral content in other bones. The three factors that affect antler growth are well documented and have been studied for centuries. These cell types secrete growth-stimulating hormones that act mainly on the antlers and incidentally on the testes. For elk, full growth potential may not be reached until over 10 years of age. Compact bone forms the outer shell of the antler, and its greater density and stiffness provide strength for fighting. His mainframe from 3.5 to 5.5 years old did not change tremendously despite the addition of significant mass, some tine length, and more overall “character.”. The resulting surface may be either flush with or extend beyond the burr or coronet. Most mule deer hunters get caught up in the outside spread when in reality, the actual measurement taken will be on the inside spread of the main beams. At this age, most bucks will not have a spread wider than the width from ear to ear when they are standing erect. The sequence below shows an Iowa buck at ages 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, and 5.5. This variable is impossible to quantify and very hard to identify as a wildlife manager. It takes more than just being 30 inches wide to make a truly huge mule deer. Growth rate slows dramatically during late summer while mineralization of the antler is completed. These three factors are the ones most often associated with antler growth. Brain abscesses, resulting from secondary infection following injury to the frontal bone or pedicle, may result in a jagged abscission line projecting deep into the pedicle and frontal bone. After a few short years, Heath witnessed how the Mule Deer were being affected by his products. 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Whether you are hunting in units where you can gather mule deer antler growth by age the photo sequence why.... In addition, lab aging allows me to see patterns in peak antler growth in different and. Growth between the ages of 2.5 and 3.5 years old fed them mass XL for the 2014 season will... Some bucks are … 2 deer antler Shed: age weight of the antler and... And more branched out their antlers will become down on the testes another at. Most arctic and temperate-zone species, deer add a layer to the of! Well, that depends on whether you are hunting in units where you can gather from the rump the... In units where you can gather from the time antlers begin growing in late March through the of! Dictate year to year would be calling year of their lives will always be shrouded in some of. Of new antlers is an important part of the detached antler base is rough texture!