6sixpoint_nobrows Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 This is something that is very hard for me to beleive, but my friends say that there is a 60 day drying period for bucks before they are officaly scored, they said that the bucks antlers actully shrink a little bit? i have had a hard time beleiveing this because how would they shrink when they arnt really a part of the deer anymore, like when they are in velvet blood is flowing through there antlers, but when they lose the velvet its like bone, and after time it becomes weak and they shed the antler...So do they really shrink when they die or lose the antler? maybe im just being hard headed about this...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimT Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Maybe it is cold out where they are? Actually, they do shrink a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSGB Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false I believe what your friend told you is correct. I know they have a drying period for that very reason, they do dry out and shrink. They are losing all moisture in the antler, and when this happens, they do shrink. Maybe not visibly to the naked eye, but the numbers do tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronS Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false What DSGB said. They do this until all moisture is gone. It can take a long while and is not very noticable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherguy Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Yes they do shrink. It is not a huge amount, but when dealing with fractions of an inch for record books it makes a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Yep, they shrink. I thought that story was bunk too, until I witnessed it for real. The deer pictured below had a 21" inside spread when I taped him the day after I shot him. He officially taped at 20 4/8" [image][/image] Honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6sixpoint_nobrows Posted July 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false hmm, thats crazy, well having everyone said that they do, i guess ill beleive it...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Spread is probably the most affected dimension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false [ QUOTE ] Spread is probably the most affected dimension. [/ QUOTE ] That's right Leo. Most of the shrinkage happens in the skull, not so much the antlers (although there is some). When all the cartilage between the skull-plates shrink, it really effects the spread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Spread is probably the most affected dimension. [/ QUOTE ] That's right Leo. Most of the shrinkage happens in the skull, not so much the antlers (although there is some). When all the cartilage between the skull-plates shrink, it really effects the spread [/ QUOTE ] true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Spread is probably the most affected dimension. [/ QUOTE ] That's right Leo. Most of the shrinkage happens in the skull, not so much the antlers (although there is some). When all the cartilage between the skull-plates shrink, it really effects the spread [/ QUOTE ] Which is why I always cut a stick that's a perfect length to wedge between the main beams. I'll leave it there for 2 or 3 months. Not sure if that's legal if you want it scored for B&C or P&Y, but if you're just looking for a good mount, try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Spread is probably the most affected dimension. [/ QUOTE ] That's right Leo. Most of the shrinkage happens in the skull, not so much the antlers (although there is some). When all the cartilage between the skull-plates shrink, it really effects the spread [/ QUOTE ] Which is why I always cut a stick that's a perfect length to wedge between the main beams. I'll leave it there for 2 or 3 months. Not sure if that's legal if you want it scored for B&C or P&Y, but if you're just looking for a good mount, try it. [/ QUOTE ] I don't believe it's legal to do that if you want it officially scored but I've heard the same thing except the guy used a 2x4 instead of a stick. I lost 5/8 of an inch in spread alone on the buck I had scored for B&C last year. That's alot for one measurement when you consider all the other measurements that go into the final score. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkoholic Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Shrinkage, yes, but minimal. Of all the buck I have shot and measured the difference in green score, (usually day of kill) and three to six months later has been less than 1/4 inch. As already stated, most of the shrinkage is in the spread. due to the drying and shrinking of the cartilage. There is no way inside spread could change by more than 1/16 inch or so, as there is simply not that much cartilage to shrink. This assumes of course that the antlers were stored at room temperature, not exposed to high temperatures for long periods of time. Only if the skull plate joints were to become bent could the inside spread change that much, which means tip to tip spread would show an even more drastic change. Any significant change is/was probably the result of how it was measured, that is, at the same point on the antlers on a line that is parallel to a line drawn between the bases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevebeilgard Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false sure it's true. i've personally had a monster 10 point buck shrink to a forkhorn from the time i shot until i walked up to him. !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganHuntr1 Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false [ QUOTE ] Maybe it is cold out where they are? Actually, they do shrink a little. [/ QUOTE ] LMAO! Nice one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deershed Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false I had an official scorer for B&C tell me he had a guy bring him a frozen head with antlers still attached to be scored. When the scorer asked the guy when it was killed and how long the head was in the freezer.The hunter told him days after it was shot it was put in freezer and taken out before going to have it scored. The scorer told the hunter the rack couldn't be scored til at sat at room temp. for 60 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Yep, true. No doubt the spread shrinkage alone can be over a 1/2 inch, have seen it for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billygoat Posted July 12, 2005 Report Share Posted July 12, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false Indeed! The buck my wife shot last year, had a green ISS of 27", by the time we had him officially scored, he was just below 26 1'2"... and no- we didn't put a board on him, although knowing now what he scored, and that he wouldn't quailfy for book (even with the extra 1/2"), I probably would have done it in hind sight. Regardless... when we get to talking about bucks that are shrinking, and needing to put 2x4's inbetween their antlers... I would like to think, "hey, who cares... this is a monster in my book!"... I guess I haven't heard of many people putting boards on their fork horns?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6sixpoint_nobrows Posted July 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2005 Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false jeez...i guess they really do, thanx for clearing things up guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted December 11, 2019 Report Share Posted December 11, 2019 On 7/11/2005 at 10:09 PM, stevebeilgard said: Re: Antler Shrinkage?? true or false sure it's true. i've personally had a monster 10 point buck shrink to a forkhorn from the time i shot until i walked up to him. !!! Now that there is FUNNY!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
im your huckleberry Posted December 24, 2019 Report Share Posted December 24, 2019 Sure is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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