The 2020 antler conundrum

[BSK]

Although I shouldn't complain about some the monster bucks being killed this year, I'm deeply concerned about future years. First, let me admit I have absolutely no idea why antler development has been so phenomenal this year. In my area, and I'm hearing similar data from other parts of the MidSouth, antler development is up about 15 inches per age-class this year. I can honestly say I have NEVER seen anything like it. I'm seeing 10-point 2 1/2s grossing in the 120s. I'm seeing 3 1/2s grossing in the 150s. I've never seen such a high percentage of 10+ point bucks, EVER. I'm trying to enjoy this anomalous year as much as possible, but I know what's coming next year or the first year things returned to normal. Hunters all complaining the state screwed up the management because they aren't seeing the monsters they did in 2020.

Antler growth is very complicated and is not just a product of what a buck eats in summer. Just as much a part is played in how stressed the buck was in the previous year's rut and what resources he had during the winter months. A highly stressed buck coming into spring spends most of his summer resources rebuilding what he lost the last year instead of growing bigger antlers. That said, have no idea why regionwide bucks did so well this year with antler growth. But if I knew what it was, I would bottle it and sell it! I'm just not looking forward to hearing the complaints when this anomaly ends.

 

[Tom Collins]

Quick question: what are the odds of a 145" 2 1/2 in Lincoln Co? Thanks in advance.

 

[BSK]

Quick question: what are the odds of a 145" 2 1/2 in Lincoln Co? Thanks in advance.

Not impossible, considering the reputation of Lincoln County for growing some whoppers. While working on a 5,000-acre island in the Mississippi near Natchez I saw a couple of 2 1/2s killed that broke 150. But then that's some seriously productive soil growing a lot of soybeans.

 

[TheLBLman]

That said, have no idea why regionwide bucks did so well this year with antler growth.

In the absence of other factors,
my "guess" is the mere presence of more mature bucks is boosting the antler growing hormones of the younger bucks.

Although you've often heard me complain of the hunter antler high-grading of our best antlered younger bucks, nonetheless, we probably have more mature bucks than ever before.

By the way, I haven't been on TNdeer.com in a while, but checked it out again when heard you were back. Glad to see you posting, BSK.

 

[Kirk]

In the absence of other factors,
my "guess" is the mere presence of more mature bucks is boosting the antler growing hormones of the younger bucks.

Although you've often heard me complain of the hunter antler high-grading of our best antlered younger bucks, nonetheless, we probably have more mature bucks than ever before.

By the way, I haven't been on TNdeer.com in a while, but checked it out again when heard you were back. Glad to see you posting, BSK.

Glad to see you back too Mr. P.

 

[megalomaniac]

Excellent growing season with no severe prolonged drought from May through August while antlers were forming. Combine that with more and more hunters becoming selective about what they kill improving statewide age structure, and this is the result.

There are no flukes when analyzing data containing an adequate sample size. There is a reason for everything. Now we may disagree on the causality, but I assure you there is a cause.

Personally on my farms, there has been no difference in antler sizes by age class this year from the past 5 years. In fact, a bit lower for the 2.5 y/o age class. But we have been under my current management plan for 7or 8 years. Body weights for mature bucks were up 10% however over long term averages (only sample size of 2... a 4.5 y/o and a 5.5 y/o)

So how did you like Giles Island?

 

[megalomaniac]

In the absence of other factors,
my "guess" is the mere presence of more mature bucks is boosting the antler growing hormones of the younger bucks....

While this may eventually be discovered, there is no scientific evidence this occurs at this point to my knowledge.

We DO know, however, that adequate number of mature bucks in a herd pheromonally suppress the younger bucks from participating in the rut, thereby preserving the 30-40% of body weight loss the young bucks would have otherwise suffered. By going into their 2nd and 3rd seasons with only minimal rut stress the prior fall, they are allowed to express more of their antler genetic potential as they age. Exactly why we try not to remove any deer until it is 4.5 (except for the kiddos)

 

[TheLBLman]

Glad to see you back too

Thanks, Kirk!

 

[cbpedigo21]

Excellent growing season with no severe prolonged drought from May through August while antlers were forming. Combine that with more and more hunters becoming selective about what they kill improving statewide age structure, and this is the result.

There are no flukes when analyzing data containing an adequate sample size. There is a reason for everything. Now we may disagree on the causality, but I assure you there is a cause.

Personally on my farms, there has been no difference in antler sizes by age class this year from the past 5 years. In fact, a bit lower for the 2.5 y/o age class. But we have been under my current management plan for 7or 8 years. Body weights for mature bucks were up 10% however over long term averages (only sample size of 2... a 4.5 y/o and a 5.5 y/o)

So how did you like Giles Island?

I will second the excellent growing season theory. I know in my area, the crops did much better this year than they have in many years due to the consistent rainfall that was received throughout the year. I think this definitely contributed to the antler growth here. I noticed bucks of all age classes seemed above average this year. Hope we have the same conditions in 2021 and see if the trend continues.

 

[BSK]

I have to question the idea the buck age structure has improved markedly in western Middle TN. I've got a ton of data from the area, small properties to large, and I haven't seen an improvement in over a decade for most areas.

 

[Marlin308]

I hunt a 600-acre farm along the Duck River in Maury County, of which roughly 300 acres are crop fields. This year, the deer decimated the farmers soybeans around the perimeter of every field by 50-100 yards or so. There was literally a demarcation line you could see without binoculars where they had eaten the tops off the beans. As a result of the crop loss, the farmer has requested we take many more deer than usual. We also have several very large antlered bucks on camera, more so than typical.

I think the cause is a combination of factors. We've had 2 or 3 very wet years in a row, which has spurred both crop growth and mast production. The two buck limit has also been in effect for a couple years now, allowing bucks to grow older. Finally, CWD has spooked many hunters from taking deer for the freezer, and more young bucks grow up.

At least that's my non-scientific theory. But we are seeing the same thing BSK is seeing in terms of antler growth. Now we just gotta kill em.

 

[Snake]

In the absence of other factors,
my "guess" is the mere presence of more mature bucks is boosting the antler growing hormones of the younger bucks.

Although you've often heard me complain of the hunter antler high-grading of our best antlered younger bucks, nonetheless, we probably have more mature bucks than ever before.

By the way, I haven't been on TNdeer.com in a while, but checked it out again when heard you were back. Glad to see you posting, BSK.

Good to see you posting again LBL .

 

[Ski]

Eh, makes me feel like a good hunter. I tagged three big boys in two states, and put my wife on a big drop tine buck. Been an exceptional year for me & my house. I know that's anecdotal but it seems to jive with what I've been seeing across the board. It's not only big ones, either, but weird racks with lots of trash. Whatever the cause, I'm enjoying it.

My theory is a bit outlandish but not illogical, and I don't have any factual data to support it. But I think it's GMO's. Our genetically modified seeds are growing bionic crops, which have been attributed to a surge in the average human size. If GMO's are making our crops bigger, which make us bigger, then why wouldn't we expect it to make deer bigger as well? They're eating the same crops.

 

[DeerCamp]

I'll say this:

I would guess I have spent 2000 hours chasing deer inTennessee over the last 13 years.

In all that time I have killed a handful of bucks in the 130s, 1 buck in the 140s and MAYBE saw one in the 150s


It tooks me 6 minutes of shooting light in Oklahoma to pull the trigger on a deer that rough scored 156 this year.

And I'm not sure how fertile that ground is out there. It's scrub brush and looks like west texas. But a little age and healthy structure seems to be key. Who knows for sure.

 

[huntintn]

LBLman and BSK, I actually smiled when I seen them back. No clue about the growth spurts seeing I've been down last 2 seasons,but proud y'all are back.

 

[fairchaser]

Unusual antler growth is not something we're experiencing at Ames. Of course as a negative factor is the rampant CWD. Our rate is 90% in antlered bucks and 21% in does thus far.
Good to see you back. You were missed!

 

[dgolden]

Very interesting post. I was fortunate enough to shoot a nice 8 Sunday afternoon. Guessing he's 125ish. It happened so fast I didn't look to see how big of a body the deer was. When I walked up on him I instantly knew he was young. I'm guessing 2 1/2.
That's the first deer I've seen in our area that had a rack that size and a body that little. I bet he didn't way 120lbs live weight!
Glad to see you posting again, BSK.

 

[TONYUSMC]

Holy crap he's back!!! Great!!!

 

[THE DUKE]

Glad to see back bsk.

 

[Shed Hunter]

The future of deer hunting is something that has my interest peaked more so than anything right now. Which is wild because.. well we all witness the great s-show the world put on in 2020.

It's hard to know why and how specific things come about the way they do. I also photographed some of the highest end 2.5-3.5 year olds I ever have this year. Right up there with 2010-2012. The most intriguing fact is these are not supplemented deer-in any way. Some of them having no access to even agriculture. In fact, if I refer back to the majority of 140" or better 3.5 year olds I have photographed or been a part of the process of photographing them, it would almost seem the management efforts made absolutely no difference in the animal growing an unusually large set of antlers PREMATURELY.

With that being said the majority of these deer are living on our public forest land. Along with the deer I've watched I often wonder about what habitat Bobby Worthington's monsters from East TN come from. Many of these deer being deer he watched from a young age grow they're already large antlers into an appropriately larger set of antlers for a deer of that age. Key part to the last sentence being "appropriately large for a deer of that age."

An above average young buck raises my interest level more so than any deer-even a mature buck with, as referred to earlier, an appropriately large set of antlers. I continue to stress this because even with photographing a handful of 150" 3.5 year old deer I still have yet to photograph a deer that will undoubtably break 170" This being a mark I consider on even a mature buck to be an uncharacteristically large set of antlers. The highest known scoring deer I've followed (a buck I actually remember picking Mr. BSK's brain about a few times) first showed up in the winter of 2010. BSK had pointed out it was likely only a 3.5 year old deer. Sporting tall tines and long beams I figured the deer to be pushing 155-160" at 3.5. The next year he grew-but not an absurd amount. In fact, he never grew an absurd amount. The highest known score is actually from a shed antler I was given this last year by the man who killed him. (Best tip for a Sheetrock job ever) He was 8.5 when harvested. The shed antler scores 75" and he was nearly perfect as for symmetry. His antler score at death was probably under 135"

Fortunately I do have a couple of ag land deer on camera this year that have the same potential. With the increased management mentality I do wonder what kind of deer the future holds. Particularly on free range Midwestern or Texas properties where even supplemental feeding may take place in abundance. Some of these products we're quick to label gimmicks may do just what they're designed to do over time. I suppose all we can do is watch them grow up and see if they explode into a giant or not.