Truth on antlers

[K9kodi]

So, what’s the actual truth behind antlers and growth. Is there an industry standard, a reliable growth chart. Is it more genetics or environment or combo. If I look at antlers like my gym routine and genuine body dysmorphia, muscles are built with a good healthy diet but genetics plays a good part. You can have great genetics but with a poor diet you’ll never reach potential.

I have a lot of game cam pics of nice deer. Tall wide racks, but a lot are only 6 pointers. I have some pics of deer that look like they are wearing big halos but they are only 4. Will that big 4 at 1.5-2.5 years old be a big 6 next year or a bigger 4? I have tons of pics of nice size racks, but lack points, not that I’m hunting for points, it’s an inquisitive mind inquiring

 

[Skerhunter]

It is both! Some deer have the genetics to be 140” max others 200+. Without the proper nutrition of the doe and the buck throughout its life - it won’t reach its maximum potential at 5+ years old. Tricky part is keeping them alive for 5 years! Lots of research out there!

99% of the 2.5 year old deer around my place are 4x4s or occasionally 4x5s - by 3.5 some are 5x5s but I really can’t see what they will be until they hit 4.5. Some will blow up an be 180-200”+ deer but some never break 150” and stay 4x4s.

Now if you live in an area where you cant supplement feed, have below avg genetics, and crappy feed for the deer you may never produce a B&C buck.

 

[K9kodi]

Im not so much looking for b/c. It’s a lot of family land , a lot, with only me really hunting so no real pressure and on the size of the land I don’t believe I could do much damage or influence to the heards. I’ll send some pics of what I’m talking about

 

[K9kodi]

I’m not complaining, I can supplemental feed off season, but not close enough to keep feeders up . Was thinking a few food plots and mineral blocks just to see what would happen. I’m not looking to grow antler size, the time at the farm away from work and with friends and family is what makes it, I know there’s some monsters out there, I seen em, just wondering about these 4 and 6s, is that all they will ever be, just a larger frame as time goes towards peak

 

[Skerhunter]

I’m not complaining, I can supplemental feed off season, but not close enough to keep feeders up . Was thinking a few food plots and mineral blocks just to see what would happen. I’m not looking to grow antler size, the time at the farm away from work and with friends and family is what makes it, I know there’s some monsters out there, I seen em, just wondering about these 4 and 6s, is that all they will ever be, just a larger frame as time goes towards peak

I would suggest you supplement with mineral. I’m a fan of purina products (feeding other animals). They do actual controlled trials/studies - check out their research!

On the 4s/6s comment like I said earlier you need to get them to 4.5 before you can really tell. Some 3.5 year olds can get huge, but not many.

Here is a 4.5 year old that isn’t going to amount to much score wise.




That’s him at 5.5 I don’t expect him to be much bigger next year.



This deer was a 4x4 at 2.5 and a 4x5 as a 3 year old. He blew up at 4 and had his biggest rack at 5. Pic below he was 6 and smaller by 7.