Antler growth

[BBB]

What are your thoughts on when mule deer antlers stop growing. I understand it varies with latitude, however, generally speaking do you think muleys are done with antler growth already? I would like to think they still need to top off with another inch or so, but my thoughts are mid to late July they are pretty much done growing length and are starting to harden...

What do you think? Anyone have a picture to prove otherwise?

 

[swbuckmaster]

I think it matters from deer to deer and year to year. I have seen some that look complete and some that look like it will be another 3 weeks until they are finished.

as of last weekend most look about done

Archery is a year round commitment!!

 

[Deerlove]

Here in No Ut it seems most are done. There not balled up much.

 

[cjboz]

Down here in North Texas I have 2 big bucks living together so I get to compare almost daily. One is a big 8 or 10 point that is about 20-22 inches wide. He is almost done 9-11 inch tines eye guards etc. The other is about a 12-14 with a split g-3 on one side and a kicker off his other g-2. He looks to be about 3 weeks away. short and stubby still. Like stated above genetics has alot to do woth it. I hope the buck with the split g-3 grows about 6-8 more inches on each tine. I just bought a bow so in Sept. he will hopefully be on the ground.

 

[deerbedead]

It varies from deer to deer as has been said.

Older deer shed sooner each year. Some will shed any where from a day, up to a week sooner as they age. This get's them started sooner than some of the young bucks. Some young bucks shed sooner than the older ones though, so that also varies from animal to animal.

I saw a roadkill yesterday that is a massive pig with 8" bases, and pipe mass all the way up to the forks. The tines are barely forking and still have the big ball on the end. Still had a lot more growing to do.

 

[FlyFool]

So if these deer (antlers) are done growing then why do they still have velvet on for another month or more? Is there any need for velvet if the antlers are not still growing?

 

[cjboz]

What we are talking about by being done is the overall package of the set of antlers being done growing. right now they are soft with a blood vessels all over them. In this next month or so their bodies will cut off blood flow allowing the horns to harden the bone. dont get me wrong when I say they are soft they just have a 1/4 or so of the velvet skin over them and bone underneath. hope this explains a little. Next time you see a rooad killed buck in velvet stop and check out his horns there will more than likely be one busted.

 

[mathewsman]

LAST EDITED ON Jul-15-09 AT 08:29PM (MST)[p]My opinion; From now you might get an inch to 3 inches in tine length (particularly the backs) and that's it for deer. Elk are done.

 

[never_catch]

2 nights ago I watched 2 little forky bucks spar for about 15 minutes...I personlly was suprised to see it since I thought they were pretty soft this time of year too. Must not be as soft as I thought...anyways just thought I'd share what I saw!! This was in northern Utah...

~Z~

 

[Saskman]

we are late up here this year. There seems to be quite a bit of growing to do on a lot of bucks yet. We had a really cold late spring which I think slowed things down. They definately seem to be behind other years.

 

[BBB]

Thanks guys. There is a lot of good information posted above about antler growth. I agree with most of you that each buck is a little different in their growing stages. I've noticed while they are growing you will notice the tip of the points are darker-colored and bulbous in appearance. When they are pretty much done, the antler tips are a bit narrower and the velvet is more reddish in color.

 

[iliveinthewoods]

I have been impressed with antler growth in S. Utah... The deer are already pretty good sized and over the past few weeks i see the same deer and they are continuing to get bigger. I heard that as long as their is velvet they grow??

Hoyt Katera XL
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"I don't miss, I just don't hit him on purpose"

 

[ArrowheadWy]

They should be done growing by the end of July. Then they harden up for about a month and a half.

 

[TOOTHandTINES]

It really depends on the deer, i've seen deer put up to 30- 40 inches in 4 days during the first week of august. Basically if the tips of the antler are almost a blackish color, and look leathery, they still have growth in them, once they have turned that light brown and start to look fuzzy there pretty much done and are harding. I have great pics of this but unfortunatly it's of a whitetail, but the it works for muleys, and elk too.

 

[Verticalslope]

I was out Saturday and saw two nice bucks. One was still balled up on the ends of all of his 4X4 points. The other looked as though he was thinning out on the ends of his points. Just like others have stated, it's an individual thing with several factors involved.