This Year's Antler Growing Conditions, BSK?

[TheLBLman]

Hey, BSK, and anyone else willing to chime in . . . . .
What do think about this year's antler growing conditions, particularly along the Western Highland Rim?

My territory just a little north of your place had a much better crop of red oak acorns than was originally thought, mild winter, and food supply so far this spring is just unreal. Just hope we're not getting too much rain, as if this keeps up, may drown the fawns!

Otherwise, believe we're going to grow some way above average antlers, and can't wait to starting seeing the evidence in a couple months or so.

 

[woodsman87]

Do not know anything about this, but I saw two bucks the other day, both of their spreads were just inside their ears and they had nice looking brow tines. Hopefully they will be bigguns!

 

[BuckHunter511]

Hope he chimes in. Maybe some info about the Cumberland Plateau area.

 

[BSK]

So far, the antler growing conditions have been exceptional. But June is the top antler-growth month, so we shall see...

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I was watching a show in Illinois where they say a rainy spring is key to growing big antlers.should be a great year

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I agree, Wes. Many red oak acorns to carry them through in our area. I love wet springs. Our select cut areas are booming. Plenty of fresh lush foliage. Hope it sticks around for a while

 

[BSK]

The long-range climate forecasts I've seen suggest a cooler and wetter first half of the summer, although the second half may be hotter and drier.

 

[Good time Charlie]

I thought this was informative..did not know they were so soft in the early stages

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeK-zhpZ ... eK-zhpZCEM

 

[TheLBLman]

The long-range climate forecasts I've seen suggest a cooler and wetter first half of the summer, although the second half may be hotter and drier.

All I can say is "so far, so good".
If we're just somewhere near "seasonably" normal for the remainder of antler-growing, I'll be very happy with the weather. :)

 

[TheLBLman]

So far, the antler growing conditions have been exceptional. But June is the top antler-growth month, so we shall see...

May the best month begin . . . . . .
With a nice spring-like shower. :)
As the month of May ends with a nice spring-like shower.

Yes, this is exceptionally good, so far, at least on the Western Highland Rim.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Went just north of our place in Hickman. Hopefully this weekend will bring some more showers. All of our corn is in the ground and has been growing good so far

 

[Andy S.]

Yes, this is exceptionally good, so far, at least on the Western Highland Rim.

Same here in SW TN. We are approximately 6" above average for precipitation thus far, and double the amount for the first five months when compared to last year.

 

[TheLBLman]

It just keeps looking better.

 

[Football Hunter]

It just keeps looking better.

sure does,no lack of food or water for sure.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

A good rain every 2 weeks during the dog days of summer would suffice. The more the better. The last few summers, I would have died for a good rain every 2 weeks as it was bone dry

 

[TheLBLman]

. . . . . June is the top antler-growth month, so we shall see...

June has been beyond exceptional in Stewart Co.

It was raining the last day of May, it was raining the 1st day of June, it rained regularly during June (with near normal temps), it was raining the last day of June, and today, the 1st day of July, it is raining right now (in Stewart Co.) as I type.

I know the rainfall isn't uniform across the state, and less than two weeks ago, I saw over 4 inches fall one afternoon, while less than 5 miles away there was zero rainfall. But I believe all the Western Highland Rim has had a better than average June for growing better than average antlers. :)

 

[BSK]

Conditions look great for the Western Highland Rim (and many other sections of TN) for this year.

 

[Winchester]

Superb here in my part of east TN.

 

[TheLBLman]

"Superb" is the word! :)
It's the 3rd day of July, and we haven't yet gone 24 hours without some rain, thus far into July, following that wet June.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

There is so much quality browse available that I have small plots of beans,lablab, etc that are going untouched. Superb is definitely the word. We are over 10 inches above this date last year.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Send some of it west!

 

[TheLBLman]

There is so much quality browse available that I have small plots of beans,lablab, etc that are going untouched. Superb is definitely the word. We are over 10 inches above this date last year.

SUPERB! :D

Perhaps 2013 will be THE YEAR that Tennessee's long-standing record for a typical whitetail will be bested!

Remains amazing that our Tennessee Record Typical was taken in 1959, and hasn't been equaled now in over 50 years. Also amazing, it was taken in an Eastern part of TN, mountainous area of poor soil and little agriculture.

I bet 1959 was also a SUPERB year! :D

 

[BSK]

I bet 1959 was also a SUPERB year! :D

Or perhaps that buck was just a genetic freak. If he had lived in Iowa, he might have been a 240-inch world record. What he actual grew may have been all the local environment could grow for what was world-class potential.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

There is so much quality browse available that I have small plots of beans,lablab, etc that are going untouched. Superb is definitely the word. We are over 10 inches above this date last year.

That's always a good sign. Our timber cuts are booming now in their 3rd and 4th year. Plenty of cover to hold them in there this year for sure.

 

[TheLBLman]

I bet 1959 was also a SUPERB year! :D

Or perhaps that buck was just a genetic freak. If he had lived in Iowa, he might have been a 240-inch world record. What he actual grew may have been all the local environment could grow for what was world-class potential.

I agree, but I also already know 1959 was a SUPERB year. :)

If 1959 had had very poor antler-growing conditions, it's doubtful the Foster buck would have had such a large rack that year, even with his superior genetic potential.

My hope is the conditions are so superb this year, that many bucks with top-end antler genetics will express much more of their potential than we would typically see. In fact, I believe the odds are very high that 2013 will produce a new Tennessee record typical that tops that "freak" buck taken back in 1959 by Sonny Foster. I'd even take that speculation a step farther by saying it will likely be a mainframe 5x5 that "appears" much more "massive" than the Foster buck. :)

 

[TheLBLman]

Uh-oh. Looks like we're going a few days this week without any rain.
But believe it's now a "done deal" on "we've had incredible antler-growing conditions" across most of TN.

Considering the current deep soil moisture for mid-July, would even a severe drought (beginning today thru Fall) have much effect on remaining antler growth?

 

[BSK]

At this point, doubtful. Conditions for antler growth are pretty much a done deal.

 

[TheLBLman]

Conditions for antler growth are pretty much a done deal.

I realize that over time, many localized TN herds have become less "acorn-driven" (a big positive?), and would think that the case where you've been keeping detailed records for decades in Humphreys County.

Considering the 2012 acorn crop, the 2013 Spring, have you ever seen better overall conditions for say Humphreys County than 2013?

 

[BSK]

I haven't seen better over-all conditions, considering all factors: number of years in a row with a good acorn crop, including two good red oak acorn crops in a row; mild winter; cool and wet spring and summer; excellent browse production; excellent blackberry crop, etc.

 

[TheLBLman]

I haven't seen better over-all conditions . . . .

Same here in Stewart County, although my observations are more casual and anecdotal compared to yours. :)