Antler Question

[mikewink]

What is every ones opinion on a deers antler growth in the first 2 years of it's life?

Do you think a 1 1/2 year old spike or 3 pointer needs to be taken out of the herd?

Do you think a that a small 5 pointer as a 2 1/2 year old could possibly be a P/Y or B/C at 4 1/2 or 5 1/2?

Watching the growth on property I have my own set of what is possible. Just want know what ever one thinks.

Thanks,

Mike

[toddyboman]

Do you think a 1 1/2 year old spike or 3 pointer needs to be taken out of the herd?

no

Do you think a that a small 5 pointer as a 2 1/2 year old could possibly be a P/Y or B/C at 4 1/2 or 5 1/2?

will all no....but some could given the chance to mature and grow.

[rhine16]

#1. no

#2 P&Y- yes... B&C no

[Randy]

One thing is for sure, they stop growing when they are dead...

[wtnhunt]

Do you think a 1 1/2 year old spike or 3 pointer needs to be taken out of the herd?

No I don't. A year and half old spike may well be a decent deer at maturity. Some biologists claim the theory of "once a spike always a spike" to be total nonsense, there was a pretty good segment on NAW a few years back where Dr Kroll followed a deer that was a spike in its first year, that deer later grew to be quite a nice buck, one that most folks would be proud to hang on their wall. I would tend to agree that you don't get a good picture of deer's potential in their first year of antler growth.

Do you think a that a small 5 pointer as a 2 1/2 year old could possibly be a P/Y or B/C at 4 1/2 or 5 1/2?

Doubtful it would be a booner at 4.5 or even 5.5. Poper maybe, really depends on what kind of 5 pointer we are talking, missing brows, missing g-3 on one side or just points that are not developing yet? If the deer has good genetic characteristics it will likely have more than 5 points at 2.5, but some 2.5 year olds grow long main beams and have decent mass, but lack tine length or even tines, but grow them in the following year. Think some may depend on how early/late the deer start to grow their antlers and on when they are born. Other factors like stress and food sources will also play a role.

[Rhino]

Do you think a 1 1/2 year old spike or 3 pointer needs to be taken out of the herd?

Nope. It's a hot issue though. In a deer study done at Mississippi State (controlled pen circumstance) a 1 1/2 year old spike grew to be a B&C class buck at 5 1/2.

Do you think a that a small 5 pointer as a 2 1/2 year old could possibly be a P/Y or B/C at 4 1/2 or 5 1/2?

P&Y...yes. The % of bucks that can possibly grow B&C class racks is very small.

[aldridgem1]

Thats a good question i have always wondered myself. I have passed several bucks as those and wondered if they would ever grow to be a mature buck or not. My thought is that the spikes probably wont ever be a p&y buck but the small basket bucks could possibly. thats a good question i wish i knew myself

[Nickel]

#1 no

#2 maybe. I have seen 5 points with 17 inch spreads that have good genes and I have seen 5 points with 4 inch long beams and 6 inch spread and only weigh about 80 pounds.