2012 Antler/Horn Growth....Any thoughts?

[Bombardeer]

As the hunting off season drags on, I can't help but to look at statistical data, and not just my draw odds, but precipitation data and forecasts and how the predictions and current data compare to years past.

As you all know, this past winter has been quite dry when compared to the the recent past years, and even more so when compared to the holy-crap boomer 2010-2011 water year. However, although we lacked the snow pack this past winter, the farmers almanac and the current weather trends point towards a wet cool spring and early summer - which personally I believe has the potential to offset the precip we have been lacking to some degree when it comes to horn and antler growth. If you think back to 2010, we experienced a similar out come with boomer rain events during April through June, resulting in solid rack and curl growth, evident of the 2010 hunt photos produced by Nevada's hunting community.

Yeah, it may be another waterfowler's heart break that Toulon won't fill up this year, but frequent spring showers will provide the moisture needed to establish good forage vigor and decent burn recovery success, which would likely result in average horn and antler growth and a decent elk rut.

Any thoughts?

 

[velvetfvr]

I think unit 16 where I deer hunt and the eastern part of the state still got hammered this year. I have seen solid racks every year but the hardest part is getting those racks in your palms!

 

[mevertsen]

My thoughts are this:

With the good moisture we had last year, and the mild winter we had this year, the animals should be coming into this spring quite healthy. This will definately help the antlers start out well, as they don't have to rebuild a bunch of body weight.

The summer I think will have a bigger impact on how well everything finishes out. Will there be enough moisture to keep the feed healthy enough to transfer into good growth near the end?

Marcial

 

[Califelkslayer]

IMO the current wet conditions are more important than the winter moisture we didn't get.

Everything looks great so far. Just need tags.

 

[208JBB]

The deer around Reno seem to have made it through winter healthy, and the grass is already coming up. I think if we get a little moisture all through the spring and early summer we will see some GREAT antler growth.

 

[alhefner]

I just went to the Monitor range in area 16. There is a good amount of snow left above 7500 feet on the protected slopes but it seems to have melted off all the way to the top on the south facing slopes.

There didn't seem to be a whole lot of green-up but there was some. I found very few tracks. I did find one location with good tender browse and recent tracks of several deer at one location at about the 8200 foot level.

I took a few pics that may give you an idea of how that part of 16 is shaping up: My blog about the trip with pics.

A week from now, I'm going into area 18 to check the conditions there.

 

[velvetfvr]

See you were in wallace. That is where I shot one buck but too many people and some monsters but can't kill them. I hunt farther south and antler growth is amazing and all you see are monster velvet bucks even in bad years. Looks like another healthy year!

 

[Califelkslayer]

I asked a similiar question on the kali forum. Does timely spring rains offset the lack of winter moisture?

I believe it does.

 

[NVPete]

I know he's a bull elk and not deer, and we've had a pretty wimpy winter here in eastern NV (as far as snow pack and moisture amounts), but I was surprised to see the growth on this bull ALREADY (4/29/12). Although he's not a big guy, seems his growth has almost reached the ends of his main beams. Might be just genetics on this one. (video cam pic)