Rut Aftermath

[MDBriggs]

Long post sorry guys, but like I said in an earlier post I seem to be getting a crazy amount of bucks with broken antlers. Seems to be mostly youngin's. This is just from one field! just thought I would share.

 

[BSK]

That is one downside to a more balanced sex ratio and an older buck age structure. Lots more competition between bucks, which leads to more fighting and more broken antlers.

 

[MDBriggs]

That is one downside to a more balanced sex ratio and an older buck age structure. Lots more competition between bucks, which leads to more fighting and more broken antlers.

Is there any truth to the myth, that a "big" deer must be causing the carnage?

Another question, is it fact that a 7pt offspring will be 7pts or do they just have the potential... It just seems like a buck shouldn't get its genetics for antler growth souly from the father, when it gets half of its chromosomes from father/mother? The reason I ask is because I killed a very large/ old 7pt earlier in the season, but I do seem to get a very large amount of young 7pts on camera from the same area... just curious

 

[BSK]

Is there any truth to the myth, that a "big" deer must be causing the carnage?

No, I've watched yearling spikes snap off an antler while fighting with another spike. Lots of broken antlers just means lots of competition between bucks of any age.

Another question, is it fact that a 7pt offspring will be 7pts or do they just have the potential... It just seems like a buck shouldn't get its genetics for antler growth souly from the father, when it gets half of its chromosomes from father/mother? The reason I ask is because I killed a very large/ old 7pt earlier in the season, but I do seem to get a very large amount of young 7pts on camera from the same area... just curious

The heritability (genetics) of antlers is still little understood. In fact, little research has been conducted on this topic. Of the research that does exist, it is really hard to say what antler traits a male offspring gets from his father. From data put together and analyzed at UGA, where they have had many generations of deer in their research pens, and the parentage of every buck is known (who the mother and father are), they found that sons of the same father do not produce antlers similar to each other, and few if any sons have antlers that look like their father's antlers. However, all of the sons of the same mother DO have similar size and shape antlers. From this data, it appears that mother does are passing on antler traits to their sons that are expressed (grown). However, what genetic antler material fathers are passing on to their sons is unknown, as sons don't grow antlers that look like their father's.

So on a given property, when over the years you see the same shaped antlers appearing over and over, it is probably a local doe social group that is spreading that genetic pattern to all of their male offspring.

 

[RatherBeHuntin]

Looks like a good problem to have.

 

[MDBriggs]

Is there any truth to the myth, that a "big" deer must be causing the carnage?

No, I've watched yearling spikes snap off an antler while fighting with another spike. Lots of broken antlers just means lots of competition between bucks of any age.

Another question, is it fact that a 7pt offspring will be 7pts or do they just have the potential... It just seems like a buck shouldn't get its genetics for antler growth souly from the father, when it gets half of its chromosomes from father/mother? The reason I ask is because I killed a very large/ old 7pt earlier in the season, but I do seem to get a very large amount of young 7pts on camera from the same area... just curious

The heritability (genetics) of antlers is still little understood. In fact, little research has been conducted on this topic. Of the research that does exist, it is really hard to say what antler traits a male offspring gets from his father. From data put together and analyzed at UGA, where they have had many generations of deer in their research pens, and the parentage of every buck is known (who the mother and father are), they found that sons of the same father do not produce antlers similar to each other, and few if any sons have antlers that look like their father's antlers. However, all of the sons of the same mother DO have similar size and shape antlers. From this data, it appears that mother does are passing on antler traits to their sons that are expressed (grown). However, what genetic antler material fathers are passing on to their sons is unknown, as sons don't grow antlers that look like their father's.

So on a given property, when over the years you see the same shaped antlers appearing over and over, it is probably a local doe social group that is spreading that genetic pattern to all of their male offspring.

Thanks BSK

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

It happened to me Saturday morning. The buck I was after finally shows and half of his rack was broken off. That is the first time I have ever intentionally let a 4.5 yr old buck walk off. It was depressing to watch him walk off after all the work and hours I had invested into seeing him.

 

[Hunter 257W]

That is a cruel twist of fate, Hillbilly. I've got 2 does already so am only hunting for a mature buck from here on. Not sure what I'd do if I see one with an antler broken off. Probably the same as you did. With 2 in the freezer already, I sure don't need the meat.

 

[Andy S.]

It happens. Late season has been notorious for me seeing some dandies with broken and half racks, only to never be seen again in later years.

 

[BMan]

My first buck this year was an 8 with a broken G2 about one inch above the main.

He'd been fighting. Don't know if he'd been winning, but he'd definitely been fighting.