bowhunter_mac

Okay so I was out with my hubby and we seen this nice 2 1/2 year old 8 point basket rack. We was wondering if we let him grow up will his antlers change from year to year, or will it stay pretty much the same. If anyone has a good website to go to for information on things like this or you have information yourself we would love it. Thanks for you help and happy hunting!!!

Mossy_71

Generally, a deer will not reach his full potential of antler growth until 5 1/2 years of age or older. To say what that potential would be, depends on thenutrition available to him, genetics, etc.

I read an intersting post in a different forum that offered the following data based on a buck's percentage of potential based on age.

1.5 = 10% of potential
2.5 = 25%-35% of potential
3.5 = 50%
4.5 = 65-70%
5.5+ = 70% - 100%


Here is a link to a post with data from a telemetry deer study in Louisiana that shows what a years difference can make:

http://forums.qdma.com/showthread.php?t=13582&highlight=antler+study

Hope this helps.

mondoman86

We have the sheds off of an 8 point from 1 1/2, 2 1/2, and then We killed Him at 3 1/2. His 1 1/2 old sheds scored right around 65". The 2 1/2 year old sheds scored 105", and looked identical to the 1 1/2 old sheds just bigger. Then at 3 1/2 We killed Him, and He scored 138" the rack again looked identical to the sheds, He was just much bigger. We have found sheds off of a few deer We killed, and they pretty much look the same just different sizes.

bowhunter_mac

Wow thanks for the info it really does help. Thanks for the web link Mossy. It was really cool to see the differenc between the time they were taged and when they were killed. Thanks again