BSK
Well-Known Member
You can get get in line behind me in that department!Every time I think I know something, in hindsight I find out how wrong I was.
I could write a book on the beliefs I have changed my mind about.
You can get get in line behind me in that department!Every time I think I know something, in hindsight I find out how wrong I was.
Most times the simple answer is the correct one!I'm not a biologist nor do I claim to be but, here is the explanation: They had an extra day of preparation due to it being leap year.
On a serious not I have seen bigger bucks than usual myself this year. It was amazing the simplest answer is the correct one!
Yep...age, genetics and nutrition are key. In that order. At times, it's debatable that nutrition beats genetics. But if they have the genetics, time will tell with age. A lot factors come into play in that 4-5 years of that particular deer's lifeMost deer don't get nutrients from food plots. But they do get supplemental nutrition and high quality. But I know places that have very big antlered deer.and they don't have any supplemental. They just have restrictions and not open as statewide season. So age has a ton to do with it. From my observations anyway. Soil yes but age is more important.
That is an incredible jump. Oddly the brows gained nothing.View attachment 63817
From 2.5 to 3.5. Assume this is an example of what you're referencing. Williamson/Marshall line.
Yeah, I thought that was odd as well, each brow did add 2 stickers each on the back sides.That is an incredible jump. Oddly the brows gained nothing.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but when I'm reviewing census data from the same property from one year to the next, and trying to find the same buck from year to year, in my opinion browtines are the best characteristic to look at. They may grow a little longer from year to year, but where they come off the beam, and any angle forward, backward, inward or outward usually stays the same from year to year on the same buck. They also often will carry little "quirks" throughout a buck's lifetime, such as a little crook one of the browtines, or one shorter than the other, etc.That is an incredible jump. Oddly the brows gained nothing.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but when I'm reviewing census data from the same property from one year to the next, and trying to find the same buck from year to year, in my opinion browtines are the best characteristic to look at. They may grow a little longer from year to year, but where they come off the beam, and any angle forward, backward, inward or outward usually stays the same from year to year on the same buck. They also often will carry little "quirks" throughout a buck's lifetime, such as a little crook one of the browtines, or one shorter than the other, etc.
The threads here lately regarding herd management and age structure have been amazing. It has made me rethink everything I was taught about deer management growing up. Going into this season after an almost 10 year break all I was told about the small parcel I grew up hunting was that there were a ton of does and no bucks. I will say I have seen several does, but only 10+ on a handful of occasions. Lots of young bucks with potential, and at least 2 mature (3.5+) bucks. Hopefully a good camera census in the off-season will give me a better picture of what I have.
Although pre and post-season censuses can provide useful information, I can't stress enough how useful data collected during the season can be. Every property is different, and sees a different pattern in buck usage, but for small properties it is not uncommon at all to see big changes in which bucks are using the property during the seasonal influences on deer behavior from August through December and January.The threads here lately regarding herd management and age structure have been amazing. It has made me rethink everything I was taught about deer management growing up. Going into this season after an almost 10 year break all I was told about the small parcel I grew up hunting was that there were a ton of does and no bucks. I will say I have seen several does, but only 10+ on a handful of occasions. Lots of young bucks with potential, and at least 2 mature (3.5+) bucks. Hopefully a good camera census in the off-season will give me a better picture of what I have.
I have years of pictures of bucks developing their racks over the course of their life's. Browtines are the only antler characteristic that stay very similar throughout the bucks life. I have a buck that I've followed for the last 3 or 4 seasons now. I guess him to be 7.5 or 8.5 this year. In 2017 he was a clean 10pt. In 2018 he dropped a g4 on the left side and went to a 9pt. In 2019 he dropped the g4 on the right side and went to a clean 8. This year he threw a droptine off his 8pt rack and is now a non-typical 9pt. In all those racks his browtines are identical!Interesting observation. But man those brows hardly changed. Now I'm going to be looking through years of trail cam pics lol.