oakcreek

This must be a new strain of antelope!!

MNpurple

My guess would be that the button buck came through the winter in better shape than the 8 point simply because the 8 point most likely had no reserves left (because of the rut) by the time winter hit. Now come spring the button buck is in good shape, ready to go, and the 8 is still recovering. While he is recovering I would guess the body naturally puts its energy into building the body back before the antlers. I would also guess that at some point that eight catches up to and passes that button buck in growth rate as eats the new growth, replenishes his mineralsand his health improves.

TJF

Do a search on the net. Seems the only new strain of antelope is apparently theone your familar with.

Tim

Schultzy

I'm guessing your right on your observation but it just really surprises me being the 8 point from last year is going to be a 3.5 year old this year and the little guy will be a 1.5 this year. This 8 point had about a 105" to 110" rack last year as a 2.5 year old. I'm sure he'll fly on by the 1.5 old when he gets his body built up a bit from the very rough winter Northern Minnesota had this year.

TEmbry

Maybe the 8 just shed later than the button buck, giving the little guy more growing time before the 8 started sprouting up.

dukemichaels

Their are about a dozen different scenario's that could cause this Schultzy... but I'll keep this post to a minimum.

Whitetail fawns are born at many different times throughout middle of spring and into early summer. This ensures the species to survive.

When a whitetail sheds his antler.. lets say on the 3rd of March... that same buck will generally (as long as he has health) shed his bone every year for the rest of his life within a few days of that March 3rd date... and then begin growing them right after... again about the same date for that individual.

Even more interesting... an individual buck will even shed his velvet every year about the same date... yr. in and yr. out. (although different biologists record slightly different results.)

So... it is just most likely that the young buck will always have an early shed date.. followed by a early re-growth start date... and ultimately an earlier velvet shedding date. (most likely)

The bigger buck probably has a late shed date... thus an later start to his re-growth.. and even his velvet shedding.

Neat stuff to witness... now maybe you can use this to your advantage while sheddin' next season.

Of course this is all under normal health conditions. (For you RockinChair)

Schultzy

Thanks Duke, I learned something today! Seriously that was some good info that I had no idea of. Good stuff!!

peakrut

Never heard or seen that one myself Duke but heck its the whitetails world and we just live in it. Good stuff maynard.

oakcreek

Well i also learned something today thanks Tim

RockinChair

Are you sure about that Duke? There are several conditions that can influence when a buck will shed his antlers. For one, social status can change. Within a healthy herd, dominant bucks will have been replaced every 2-3 years generally. Dominant bucks shed far sooner than subordinate bucks because of the stresses their body endures in becoming that dominant buck. A 1.5 yr. old 6 pt. may not shed his first rack well into February or March. However, once he becomes the main man in his land, he'll shed far sooner..let's say January 10th for example. Also climate conditions play a role as well. A harsh cold snap or extended periods of snow cover or anyother weather related incident that causes stress on the body will force him to drop early.

If you can show me some documentation or research that says bucks will generally drop around the same day within a few days I will stand corrected.