antler growth july aug
Whitetail Deer
In past observations what have u seen for antler growth late july / aug .
I think they keep growing until a short time before they shed velvet, but I'm sure nutrition plays a part in how much they grow.
Animals are individuals with different antler growth rates, similar to shed timing... That being said, once observed two mature bucks in full velvet on August 8th, lower their heads to one another and actually shove each other for a couple seconds, kinda like light sparring. Didn't last long, but made be believe that at least those two were in hard horn or near hard horn under velvet where feeling in bone was gone, so I imagine those two had both seize growing at that point...
I did some homework on this recently because I was hoping my deer would put on some extra inches. From what I found, most of the length has been obtained by this point (at least in TN). I think the majority of what happens from here on out is hardening. Having said that, you might bet a couple inches
Minimal growth from this point forward. Tines may put on another inch or so beams pretty much fully developed
Here is the straight/skinny from the experts.
http://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/projects/deer/news/2015/what-you-see-is-what-you-get?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+deer-forest-blog+%28The+Deer-Forest+Blog%29
I have bucks still doing a lot of growing. When the ends of their tines are round, bulbous and dark, they're still growing. When the tips begin to form points and match the shade of the rest of the velvet, that tine is done. My older bucks will start and finish growing before my younger bucks.
Now I'll go read what the experts say.:-)
Like you Oakie, went to the link to hear what the experts had to say...8^)
"Hard antlers aren’t seen until September."
WRONG... Most yes, but a few shed velvet in August...
Zbone makes sense looked over some old pics i have a small buck with one antler on march 25th . I think some growth will continue until mid aug in my area , usually most are shedding early sept seems over night
As soon as I see the tips turning black I know its over, shedding velvet within a few weeks after.
we had a fair amount of rain this spring, and none last 2 months, I hope they did there growth early . not seen a racked buck yet this month to even say.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, our blacktail deer shed the velvet from the 18th. to the 28th. With our forest diet, and few chances for crops, I believe the growth has stopped by the first of August. I see very few Columbia whitetail, so I can't comment on them.
Dave H. Roseburg, OR
Here are some pics of a back last year and currently this year and I believe that he still will grow a substantial amount. Any ideas?
Based on over twenty years of observation, most of the antler growth is completed by early August. With that said, occasionally I see one grow quite a bit in August. Western Illinois.
I checked cams yesterday, and had a couple older bucks on there. A couple of antler tips appeared a little bulbous still, but I don't think they'll grow too much more.
Redman,
On your 7/25 photo of the buck in question, you notice the tine ends that have a slightly darker, round end, with a light spot in the center? Those are ends that are still adding length. When they lose the bulbous shape with the shiny center spot, they'll be done growing. You'll notice his brow tines do not have this appearance. Also his left g2 (on our right in the picture) has lost that appearance and looks to be done growing. Of course that was 6 days ago.
I'll pull my cards again this weekend, August 1, and we'll see how many bucks are "done" and how many are still growing. I predict a mixture of both.
So here's a photo for the experts article that said they were done growing a week or so ago.
The two bucks on the left are more than likely done growing, although they might still add a half inch here or there. But the buck on the right has at least another week or 2 of adding length.
These are all young bucks obviously.
The buck on the right also has a lot more growing to do. His 3s and 4s and main beams are still fat bulbous ends. I expect he'll add several more inches yet. He's more mature than those in the last post but probably only still a 3 yr old.
oakie what camera !! very nice deer
Oakie - Good photo examples of what I stated before - "Animals are individuals with different antler growth rates"...
Thanks for sharing...
City, it's a Reconyx Hyperfire 500
Zbone... indeed.
Can see this buck is still growing just a bit on the end of his main beams. The rest of him is done. This buck is at least 4. I put that on here to illustrate the difference in the colors of the tips to show those that are still growing vs done. He won't add much more. But again, these bucks at 4+ typically seem to finish growing a bit earlier than others.
This buck is the oldest deer I know of that I have to hunt in this Oklahoma area. He's 6+, if not older. He's pretty much done growing.
This buck I'm real excited about. I believe him to be 4. I think he still has some inches to add on all his tips, but this photo was July 27 I believe? So there've been several days since this one. Still I think this is a mature buck that still has some inches to add to all those tips. Plus the kickers and stickers on his 2s are just awesome!
TWO PICS ABOVE...
1) Was taken on July 14th 2) was taken on July 30th
While some of my deer put almost nothing on during this time, this guy did. As some said above, all deer are different.
The date on this trail camera is wrong but this buck is consistent to coming to this camera. I hope to share how it's rack finishes out. It is not a shooter buck for me but it's one that comes in front of the camera almost like clockwork.
Saw 17 bucks last evening and 2 looked to be ready to start shedding. Most of our deer shed the 1st. week in sept and some early some later. I believe they do not do not put on much if any beam or tine length after thye middle of august. Shawn
From what I have found is it depends on region/your location. What zbone saw (light sparing) is their way to see if its time to start rubbing velvet off, (go by sound and feel, what they hear, and sometimes one reason why you see them with a messed up tine,etc). Here in western Texas I still have some adding inches and will usually be out of velvet come middle to the last week of September, but isn't uncommon to see some come the first part of Oct. I am not an expert just my experience.
Glass scouting yesterday evening, located 5 bucks bachelored up (4 mature, one dink) and all 5 still fully covered in velvet...
Disappointing though cause that same area gather 11 bucks last year at this time, and just a few years ago I could locate close to 20 bucks of different age groups within that area, but now can only come up with 5 that is how much our population has declined...
This one appears to still be growing a bit but nearly done.
Rob that is a heck of a buck! Hopefully you get a crack at him!!!
J; He needs more time to mature. 13 days 9 hours and 21 minutes until season opener plus about 5 hours until legal shooting time that day oughta be long enough. :)
