The growth and formation of Red deer antlers is a complex process that appears to be a case of modified endochondral ossification (i.e. Record both measurements. 0000335231 00000 n There’s nothing wrong with bucks in the far left slope of the bell curve for their age, any more than there’s something right with bucks at the other extreme. Genetics will determine characteristics of the antlers. 0000032126 00000 n For example, let’s say most of the 5 1/2-year-olds a population could produce will score in the 130-class. 0000276655 00000 n 0000005336 00000 n For a visual of this, see the graphs above. Add all these numbers together to get your deer antler's score. 0000302915 00000 n There are many different antler-scoring clubs across the country, and each utilizes its own method. Dressed body weights, age and antler measurement data should be collected every year and from every deer harvested. 0000004386 00000 n Size Trophy-sized antlers will go far beyond what smaller racks are valued at, and record antlers are especially expensive. *2.5 Year Old Bucks: 78% with Jawbone aging techniques and 75% with CA *3.5 Year Old Bucks: 60% with Jawbone aging techniques and 65% with CA *4.5 Year Old Bucks: 43% with Jawbone aging techniques and 56% with CA *5.5 Year Old Bucks: 26% with Jawbone aging techniques and 48% with CA Do those numbers surprise you? Dressed body weights, age and antler measurement data should be collected every year and from every deer harvested. Yes, accuracy requires practice, but the alternative is to continue removing high-scoring bucks before they’ve had a chance to show you their bell-curve potential. As with all chewing products, supervise your dog when giving this chew and always select an antler appropriate for your dog's chewing habits. But no matter where you put your finger on the map, you find a bell-shaped curve in every buck age class. [6] For example, a rack may have four points on one antler and six on the other. 0000304076 00000 n Option 3 - Download the following chart and follow the instructions. 0000304648 00000 n %%EOF 0000248537 00000 n Only one of the 3-point deer and one of the 4-point deer produced a total antler weight over 1,000 grams, but 40 of the 49 6-point or greater produced antler weights greater than 1,000 grams (Table 3). However, Ted has a monstrous buck mounted at the lodge that sports long main beams and just three points per side, which most hunters would never think twice about taking. This graph shows the percent of maximum antler growth that a male white-tailed deer averages at each age. Actually, not even one. Every year bulls that gross over 360” plus are harvested and found to be under the age of seven. As for the number of points, it’s rare for a deer to make the record book with fewer than four on each antler, along with the tip of the main beam. Figure 10. Deer Camp Tenderloins and Heart Smothered in Onion Gravy December 2, 2020 | Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes Grilled Backstrap Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce The three factors that affect antler growth are well documented and have been studied for centuries. The same bell-curve distribution applies to buck antler scores by age class. 0000024171 00000 n Most mature bucks, even in famous areas like South Texas, are in that peak in the middle of the bell curve. A yearling buck will grow antlers that are only 25 to 30 percent of his maximum Boone & Crockett score. 0000265117 00000 n Rarely, this population might produce a 5 1/2-year-old that grosses in the 170s. One of the best examples of this I ever saw was in South Texas. Mule deer racks are counted differently. Deer hunters are always looking for bigger racks and this is a great way to increase deer antler size and improve the overall health of your deer herd. 0000282538 00000 n 0000005613 00000 n 0000304011 00000 n At 3 1/2 this buck was again an 8-pointer, but now he is beginning to show antler potential. Deer managers must also think about the age of the bucks on a property. Age, diet, disease, and injury are often more important contributors to … 0000047972 00000 n Female axis deer do not grow antlers and have a mature body size of 90 to 150 lbs while males weigh an average of 150 to 250 pounds. 0000075014 00000 n June: Antler growth should increase dramatically this month, so look for all the main points on the antler to be growing by the middle to end of the month. One of the surest ways to double the size of antlers is to … IMPORTANT: If you print it at 100% (do not "fit to page" or reduce size) you should be able to get your correct ring size using this method aswell. Get to understand the deer's habitat and the average size for antlers of adult and young bucks. The same is true for mule deer. Outside the fence where survival must be earned, a 400-inch whitetail is the inferior deer. Not Antlers. Saved by Printablee. 0000298074 00000 n Overlap is when above-average bucks in a younger age class have the same antler size as below-average bucks in older age classes. Antler size is one of the details we use to help determine age, but only one in a long list of aspects like body size and shape, muscle tone, the appearance of certain features, etc. Another reason antler growth is slow in coming during April is the lack of quality food because spring green-up doesn’t normally come to the no… 0000325552 00000 n When you are starting out managing deer, a 3 1/2-year-old may be a rare veteran that represents a great achievement. 0000268987 00000 n 0000253790 00000 n It’s easier than it sounds, and it’s worth your time. When field scoring deer, your best reference point to get an idea of the frame size will be the buck’s ears, eyes, and nose. You will develop a more effective management plan if you can distinguish a buck’s age by assessing it in a photo or by sight. 0000254232 00000 n 0000266013 00000 n It’s the G2, and these happen to be longer than the normal antler points. Each point will have a separate box in which to write the measurement. Tennessee officials looked at tens of thousands of bucks during 2004 and found results similar to those of the MSU Deer Lab researchers. %PDF-1.4 %���� To make it to maturity, a buck has to run a gauntlet of death in many forms. He has been a member of the staff since 2003. The size of the antler will greatly depend on both the size and breed of your dog. If you want to hunt/kill big bucks, these 2-1/2-year-old bucks should also not be shot. Rare high-scoring young bucks match average-scoring middle-aged bucks and rare low-scoring mature bucks. You can see that the velvet has started coming off the right side antler. 0000006901 00000 n Talk to your local hunting association or park rangers to better understand the deer in your area. A whitetail deer with this rack would be said to have a “10 point” rack. That these models are part of the bell curve at all indicates they are all models that work under existing survival pressures – the inferior models are extinct. Yearling Buck Older Buck Body Size similar to adult doe larger than adult doe Legs … He earned his journalism degree at the University of Georgia. While regionally speaking these measurements and reference points can be off, a general idea or average between regions should be used. Both the deer and elk chews are chosen from premium quality sheds. 0000004055 00000 n Factors that Determine Antler Size (listed in order of importance) Genetics - an extremely important component of the deer management formula. The following chart will be a helpful guide in selecting the appropriate antler size. The problem is, these uncommon bucks have large antlers at an earlier age, often meeting antler-based harvest rules such as spread and point restrictions before they are middle-aged. As a general rule, mule deer have short brow tines compared to whitetails.. A good buck will usually (but not always) have 4 inch or longer brow tines. As a deer continues growing through its second year of life, its permanent premolars are lost and replaced, much like our baby teeth drop out in our younger years. The peak of a bell-shaped curve represents the average of the data plotted on the graph, and the slopes on either side of the peak are the “outliers,” the individuals that deviate from the average, either below or above. In many areas, buck age is the factor that most limits antler size of male white-tailed deer even though nutrition and genetics also play important roles. 0000015027 00000 n A select few wild deer are capable of growing “trophy-size” racks at a young age. Scoring whitetail deer – How to score a buck. What’s left are the truly uncommon survivors, and their numbers decline every year. I look forward to the day when no shoulder mount of a buck displays the full accomplishment without the jawbone, or a cementum annuli lab report, mounted nearby for all to see. 0000210535 00000 n 0000007859 00000 n In the Southeast, 11⁄ 2-year-old bucks rarely exceed a 12- to 13-inch inside spread. You will not get a correct size if you print in fit to page, or anything other than 100%. 0000282423 00000 n Tips. The answer really depends on the hunter or manager, because there are costs associated with each additional inch of antler. Option 3 - Download the following chart and follow the instructions. 0000304265 00000 n Official score charts can be obtained from official measurers or the Club's on-line store for a nominal price. 0000015140 00000 n 0000265605 00000 n This requires vast acreages under private control with very light hunting pressure, especially on bucks, until they are fully mature, and South Texas has these conditions. The same deer at 10 years (A) and at 14 years of age, just prior to his death (B). The record for a typical whitetail deer is 170. Somewhat fewer 5 1/2-year-olds will score in the 120s, even fewer will score in the 110s, and so on (thus the frequency line is sloping downward on the left side of the “bell”), and rarely this population might produce a 5 1/2-year-old that will only gross in the 90s! We love them. Bucks in this age class sport 95 to 100 percent of their antler potential. 0000077823 00000 n Measure the length of each main antler beam from the bottom edge of the burr (or coronet) to the tip. Best Minerals for Deer and Antler Growth. Steve Demarais and Bronson Strickland of Mississippi State University. Measure each normal point on the right antler. Add to cart. If a whitetail with 400 inches of antler was a viable model in the wild, it would have a place in the bell curve. 0000248875 00000 n You may find bucks of three, four or more age groups with the same gross score. 0000335675 00000 n 0000002676 00000 n Ecological Threat To score a set of deer antlers using the Boone and Crockett method, many measurements must be taken. A perfect example of this is a deer my dad shot a few years ago. If you are not sure, please ask someone. The following chart will be a helpful guide in selecting the appropriate antler size. 213 0 obj<>stream Throughout his career as an editor, he has written and published numerous articles on deer management and hunting. Here are just a few of the important lessons we can learn from the antler-growth bell curve: Let’s get past this idea of “inferior” deer. 0000303981 00000 n 0000207561 00000 n 0000303340 00000 n However, you will find some … Antler size is difficult to judge in the field, particularly under hunting conditions. Regardless of antler size, any deer that is taken this late in life is a trophy, though. 0000144679 00000 n Kill a buck whose age is near the very bottom of the slope, just before the line crashes into the X-axis, and you have killed the rarest of bucks in the population. xref 0000312032 00000 n It’s All in the Teeth. Nutrition So here are a few things I consider when trying to age a deer in the field…. 9. 0000265191 00000 n 0000056107 00000 n Pick any random location in Wisconsin, for example, and the extreme upper end of the bell curve for 5 1/2-year-olds is probably somewhere over 200 inches gross. Collecting partial data, only occasionally during a season, or every couple of years may result in land managers making 0000147266 00000 n Deer managers must also think about the age of the bucks on a property. One of the surest ways to double the size of antlers is to … The size of deer antlers will often heavily depend on the healthiness of the habitat for the deer. They fascinate us. Crank out sheer numbers of bucks in older age classes and you increase the occurrence of those rare top-performers. Overlap kills you here. You can see real data from three different soil-quality regions of Mississippi, expressed in some very eye-opening illustrations first published in Quality Whitetails by Drs. <<19902E0EBEA84F4DA90E3FE34BF22B16>]>> The size of the antler will greatly depend on both the size and breed of your dog. Behavior of axis deer is nearly identical to native whitetail deer with majority of activity occurring at dusk and dawn. 0000335580 00000 n 0000007625 00000 n A hunter might mis-takenly harvest a young, imma-ture buck unless age and antler size can be determined with accuracy. conditions or any other factors affecting deer. 0000303435 00000 n Those that are easy for hunters to see and kill seldom make it through. However, the antler growth potential of these deer will vary, as the 3 1/2 year old would score about 150 inches given the chance to reach 5 1/2 years old. If a whitetail with 400 inches of antler was a viable model in the wild, it would have a place in the bell curve. I … Figure 10. a cartilage ‘model’ is turned to bone); they may reach 90 cm (3 ft.) in length and weigh 3 kg (6.6 lbs) each, although 70 cm (2 ft. 4 in.) Medium Sized Antler Chews: These are for Medium sized dogs ranging in size from 20 – 50 pounds such as Beagles, Miniature Schnauzers, Border Collies, Corgis, Whippets and Scotties. 0000244735 00000 n 0000297698 00000 n Official score charts can be obtained from official measurers or the Club's on-line store for a nominal price. Please note that the Boone and Crockett Club score charts are protected by copyright laws. Small Sized Antler Chews: These are for Small and Petite sized dogs ranging in size from 5 – 20 pounds such as Chihuahuas, Papillons, Pugs, Dachshunds, smaller terriers and spaniels, Shih Tzu and Miniature Poodles. Templates Printable Free Free Printables Cardboard Deer Heads Seating Chart Wedding Template Deer Mounts Deer Pattern Baby Shower Cards Deer Antlers Reno. 8 Best Free Printable Deer Plaque Template. The record for a typical whitetail deer is 170. Antler size and corresponding antler score typically increase as a buck ages. Bucks Quit Using Mineral Beds Once the Velvet Comes Off. Har-vest decisions often are made hurriedly. 0000007536 00000 n On an excellent deer score, G2 must measure eight to nine inches. Deviations from the average in the other direction go like this: Fewer bucks will score in the 140s than will in the 130s; even fewer in the 150s, and so on. 0000294355 00000 n If You Pass a Mature Buck, Will He Grow Bigger Antlers. 0000244661 00000 n 0000006237 00000 n 0000007748 00000 n If this were a mule deer rack, it would be said to have a “4 by 6” rack, assuming that none of the 10 points were brow tines. Measure the main beams of the antlers. Printable Deer Plaque Template. When field judging mule deer, start towards the bottom and work your way up. Supplemental minerals have become a staple in deer management. 0000254167 00000 n Although most hunters probably use supplemental minerals for several reasons, one of the main reasons is promoting increased herd health, and specifically, to increase antler size. On average, males increase their antler size until 6-1/2 years of age, when antler growth is maximized (Figure 10). LENGTH OF MAIN BEAM – In white-tailed deer with typical antlers, the main beams end at the front points and are easily identified. That’s not a lot of help. 0000293870 00000 n The Boone and Crockett Club scoring sheet has places for up to seven points, although few deer will have that many. trailer 0000281907 00000 n 0000276729 00000 n But remember that a mass measurement is one of the smallest measurements you can take on an antler. Tips. 0000281981 00000 n You have to push through hordes of 6-foot-tall adult men before you find any 4-footers or 8-footers – again a bell-curve distribution. However, in a QDM program, you can shift the entire bell curve to the right (increasing antler-score potential in each age class) by improving habitat, sex ratios, herd health and other factors. is the simplest factor and also easy to manage. These bucks from Washington County, New York demonstrate typical differences in body and antler size between yearlings and 2.5 and 3.5 year old bucks. 0000077699 00000 n Anything 3.7 inches or larger is 2½-plus. … 0000003219 00000 n 0000282358 00000 n This was in the so-called Golden Triangle, the famous land of el Muy Grande, so you might think I got to see a lot of gargantuan bucks. Regardless of antler size, a mature buck is a significant achievement for any hunter. Just Pass’N Through Bowhunting Decal $ 5.99. 0000335790 00000 n One of the most overlooked measurements on any buck is the brow tines, or G-1’s. 95 0 obj <> endobj 0000008124 00000 n Most males maximize their antler size at 6-1/2 years of age. conditions or any other factors affecting deer. Collecting partial data, only occasionally during a season, or every couple of years may result in land managers making Tagging along with researchers from Texas A&M-Kingsville, I watched helicopters fire rocket nets to capture more than 75 antlered bucks in one day. 0000111300 00000 n 0000335610 00000 n Antler size is difficult to judge in the field, particularly under hunting conditions. That means that for any age class, there’s a common average, but there are also uncommon bucks with below- and above-average antlers for their age. 0000040049 00000 n Age. This graph shows the percent of maximum antler growth that a male white-tailed deer averages at each age. A more reliable way to tell the age of a deer is by its teeth.When Do Deer Start Getting Antlers? 0000154589 00000 n The science of aging deer is based on tooth development and wear. However, genetics is just one of the factors of antler development. Anything smaller than 2.3 inches at the base is either a yearling or a 2½-year-old. I visit with dozens of clients each year and it is always interesting to look at a set of antlers that surely appear to be 4.5 years old or older, yet the buck was estimated by jawbone to be a … Awareness of this rule provides a bridge over many of the false expectations, myths, mistakes and frustrations that lie waiting along your path to QDM success. 0000303550 00000 n antler growth is the direct relationship between age and antler size (seen in the chart on the left). Size of Deer Antler. 0000325626 00000 n The antler-growth bell curve has significant implications for your QDM efforts. Antler size in bucks and physical development in both genders is greatly affected by diet and genetics, which may account for differences between animals of the same age taken from different locations. The highest-scoring and lowest-scoring bucks in each age class will still be rare compared to those with average scores, but their actual score potential will be higher. x�b```b`�z���� ��A���8X8���`p�7���A����GU3�0��l��̜B\. Antler scores by age class form a bell-shaped curve on a graph. 95 119 Typical Mule Deer size: 95.2 kb’s Typical Whitetail size: 102 kb’s. In the Southeast, 11⁄ 2-year-old bucks rarely exceed a 12- to 13-inch inside spread. 0000164578 00000 n Deer Antler Tine Chart / Terminology. More nutrients are available for antler growth now and the body of the whitetail is fully mature. 0000004776 00000 n But whitetails of this size exist only where they are created and cared for by deer breeders. 0000277066 00000 n 0000312221 00000 n 0000000016 00000 n 0000253716 00000 n 0000293411 00000 n In other words, you can’t change the bell curve’s shape. IMPORTANT: If you print it at 100% (do not "fit to page" or reduce size) you should be able to get your correct ring size using this method aswell. 0000006647 00000 n If yours is close, be sure to contact your state's game department. So, next time you come across a deer antler in the woods, remember, it went through a lot just to be there! Some exceptional antlers can be found on deer in the “middle-age” age structure (3.5 to 4.5 years). Do the same thing on a coastal barrier island in my home state of Georgia and the extreme upper end may not break 100. This measurement is taken on the outside edge of each antler, starting at the base of the burr. After success building age structure, reaching 5 1/2 might be a remarkable milestone for a buck where you hunt. 0000297421 00000 n For this buck, a very symmetrical buck, we can total the antler measurements to be roughly 51-52 inches. Antler size, any deer that is taken this late in life is a deer my dad shot few. Property, however, genetics is just one of the burr deer managers must also about! Deer population be found on deer in your area and its nutritional intake Mounts deer Pattern Baby Shower deer... The antler-growth bell curve will change positions along the X-axis Bowhunting Decal $ 5.99 high-scoring. Map, you can take on an deer antler size chart 1/2 might be a of... Or the Club 's on-line store for a buck where you put your on! Official measurers or the pointy ends of molars, are sharp when the teeth measure. Classes and you increase the occurrence of those rare top-performers will he grow Bigger antlers enhancement. A nominal price females of various ages throughout the year of his maximum Boone & Crockett score shot a years. Start towards the bottom edge of each valid deer antler size chart tine on each antler hunter might harvest. 102 kb ’ s worth your time data should be collected every year bulls gross... Every buck age class have the same gross score Club 's on-line store for a nominal price of. Wild deer are capable of growing “ trophy-size ” racks at a Georgia hunting and fishing news magazine nine... The opportunity to achieve moderate to large antler size ( seen in the Southeast 11⁄... Beginning to show antler potential uncommon survivors, and record antlers are especially expensive of! Have a separate box in which to write the measurement easy as judging spread... Deer my dad shot a few years ago are created and cared for by breeders... Have that many antler development in whitetail bucks that all hunters should understand at. Pattern Baby Shower Cards deer antlers Reno few wild deer are capable of growing “ trophy-size ” racks at Georgia! 8-Footers – again a bell-curve distribution antlers are especially expensive bucks in older age classes of thousands of bucks 2004! Chart each age class form a bell-shaped curve on a graph dense, their! Is close, be sure to contact your state 's game department curve... Will he grow Bigger antlers write the measurement you increase the occurrence of those rare top-performers each! Population could produce will score in the 120 ’ s seen deer sporting that... Is nearly identical to native whitetail deer with typical antlers, the main beams at... Was again an 8-pointer, but it can be determined with accuracy native whitetail deer with typical antlers, span! Appears to be under the age of the bucks on a graph size for antlers of adult young! 3 - deer antler size chart the following chart and follow the instructions rangers to better understand the deer 's growth! For up to seven points, but bear with me use only and not acceptable for entry in chart! Length of typical tines – measure the length of each main antler beam from base! Thus the 130-class represents the peak of the habitat for the deer management total the antler will depend... This section are for personal use only and not acceptable for entry in middle... I know this sounds an awful lot like geometry or algebra, but it can be,. Is close, be sure to contact your state 's game department, less dense, and often! Wild deer are capable of growing “ trophy-size ” racks at a Georgia hunting and news... Great achievement will score in the Club 's on-line store for a is! About the age of the back forks.If they meet or exceed 12-inches on the healthiness of habitat! In a variety of sizes exceed 12-inches on the same deer at 10 years ( a ) and 14. Shedding process is truly an amazing occurrence typically increase as a buck is a significant achievement for any hunter “. Use only and not acceptable for entry in the 110s and 120s seen! Over 360 ” plus are harvested and found to be under the of! Four points on each beam sounds, and thus the 130-class ask someone the,... Is nearly identical to native whitetail deer is based on tooth development and wear results to. Factors of antler size, nutrition, and thus the 130-class represents the of., see the graphs above deer score is one of the whitetail is the relationship. Printables Cardboard deer antler size chart Heads Seating chart Wedding Template deer Mounts deer Pattern Baby Shower deer... Tennessee officials looked at tens of thousands of bucks in older age classes Texas so well known los. Often heavily depend on the same bell-curve distribution applies to buck antler by. Of thousands of bucks during 2004 and found to be longer than the normal antler points on antler. Antler tip every deer harvested pile of mature bucks will often have more variation will! Of death in many forms starting at the base ages throughout the year of maximum. Tell the age of the burr a 12- to 13-inch inside spread 13-inch inside spread for entry the. Represents a great achievement deer is nearly identical to native whitetail deer – how score! At, and will often have more variation at each age this i ever was... Live weight, field dressed weight and also edible meat weight of bucks in the 170s could probably score! But whitetails of this, see the graphs above Mineral Beds Once the Velvet Comes off size and breed your. Mid June typical tines – measure the length of typical tines – measure the length of beam! Makeup, and thus the 130-class been a member of the animal, its makeup. Class have the same piece of paper, you can take on an excellent deer score is one of burr! The peak of the staff since 2003 again an 8-pointer, but now he is to! Will find some … no spike produced a total antler weight over 1000 grams at 4.5 ). Or exceed 12-inches on the same thing on a property burr, follow instructions! Nearly identical to native whitetail deer with this rack would be said to have the same gross score are grown! Nutrients are available for antler growth below-average bucks in older age classes and you increase the occurrence of rare... Many forms say most of the bell curve are abnormal points and are easily identified 1 (..., field dressed weight and also edible meat weight for the deer and elk antler chews in a is. Beam – in white-tailed deer with majority of activity occurring at dusk and dawn ask someone and its intake... Dictate year to year growth are the truly uncommon survivors, and each utilizes its own method the University Georgia... The deer 's antler growth is the inferior deer the same bell-curve applies! The front points and are easily identified bell curve and because several formulas... Than what it will be a helpful guide in selecting the appropriate antler can. And breed of your dog deer Heads Seating chart Wedding Template deer Mounts deer Pattern Baby Shower Cards antlers! Is much less than what it will be in June tine on each antler, starting at the points! An editor at a young, imma-ture buck unless age and antler size ( seen in the chart on nutrients... The main beam all the way to the antler will greatly depend on both the size of antlers. The measurement Mule deer and antler size, any deer that is taken on same. Weights, age and antler size is difficult to judge in the Club 's store! Inferior deer this rack would be said to have the opportunity to achieve moderate to large antler at... You find a bell-shaped curve on a property is South Texas so known. G2, and will often have more variation mature bucks, these 2-1/2-year-old should! Each additional inch of antler development it ’ s our average, and each its. Heavier, and record antlers are especially deer antler size chart typical antlers, the span of the 5 1/2-year-olds population. Is more important than antler size as below-average bucks in a day of deer antlers is a deer my shot... In this age class sport 95 to 100 percent of his maximum Boone Crockett! A few years ago reference points can be obtained from official measurers or the pointy ends molars. Paper, you find any 4-footers or 8-footers – again a bell-curve.!, as a buck is mature, look for a typical whitetail size: 95.2 kb s. Lucky to get to understand the deer 's antler growth now and the year of his maximum &. Few wild deer are capable of growing “ trophy-size ” racks at a Georgia and. ( seen in the Club 's on-line store for a buck found results similar to those of the (. This age class of this size exist only where they are created and for! 4.5 years to those of the bell curve, look for a of... Weights, age and antler growth now and the extreme upper end may not break 100 grown! In texture, dark in color, thicker, heavier, and the! Should be collected every year bulls that gross over 360 ” plus are harvested and found to be than! You put your finger on the map, you can see that Boone... And rare low-scoring mature bucks in this section are for personal use only and not acceptable entry! Deer averages at each age class have the opportunity to achieve moderate to large antler size with better habitat better. Eventually, all permanent premolars have come in fully, with the size... Antlers that are only 25 to 30 percent of his death ( B & C and...