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Several factors go into large antler growth
To ignore one and place all learning in one is a mistake and the wise man learns through all three.
It is with that thought in mind that I write this piece on whitetail deer antlers admitting that most of what I think I know is based on observation, which would come under experience.
Reading has taught me that man has been fascinated with deer antlers since he first clubbed one over the head and drug it home. Testimony exists in cave drawings that depict deer with antlers and one must not forget Indian tribes that allowed only chiefs and special warriors to wear deer antlers in their headdress.
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Just as a cow is not just a cow but instead a Guernsey or Holstein, there are sub-species of deer and each has a slightly different antler configuration and size potential. It would be safe to say that the sub-species that interest most hunters would be the Virginia, the Northern, the Dakota, the Texas and the Kansas whitetail.
It is the Northern Whitetail that makes its home here in Pennsylvania. But its range goes to Maine, Ontario and west to Minnesota and Michigan.
The two largest sub-species of deer, on average, judged by body size would be the Dakota and the Northern. Those huge whitetails coming out of western Canada are of the Dakota species. This would include the Hanson buck which is presently the top buck in the Boone & Crockett record book.
A replica of this deer can be found hanging on the wall at Cabella's in Wheeling. I have measured more than one deer from Saskatchewan and usually can identify a buck from this Canadian Province on sight. After looking at Pennsylvania racks it is easy to spot the great mass and grayish rack and know it's from western Canada.
While the Dakota whitetail will have great mass, the Texas species will be a bit spindly but have long points. It's these long points that place many Texas whitetails in the record book.
Conversely the huge Northern whitetails from Maine have heavy, short-tined racks and few make the record book.
As a general rule the larger deer live in the more northern and cooler environment while the deer living in the hotter southern climates tend to be of a smaller body size.
Experience has taught me that while the above is normal, there is always the deer that comes along and breaks the rule.
One of the things I find interesting when studying the sub-species of deer is how genetics affects body size and antler growth. I have always said that there are three important factors to antler size and they form a triangle. Age, genetics and food are all important if you want quality deer. We could argue all day about the importance of each and maybe food is the most important, but if any part of that triangle fails it all collapses.
The question of what part does genetics play in deer and antler quality has often been asked. Experience and observation has taught me that it has a major effect on not only the size but the shape of a deer's rack.
For instance, I have never seen a true non-typical rack where I spent much of my time near home. I have seen them in other areas but not home. Perhaps the gene pool doesn't allow it. Remember that is after watching hundreds of bucks over 50 years. But I must say there are always exceptions.
About 20 years ago there was a certain part of Warren County that held quite a few white deer. In that area it wasn't uncommon to see these albinos and the occurrence of white deer went on for generations. Are they still there? I don't know for I haven't hunted there for years but the continued trend of white deer was a product of not food or age but genetics.
After all, the whitetail deer like, the domestic cow, is a ungulate and one would hardly maintain a good line of cattle by breeding them with inferior bulls.
Many are under the assumption that a buck carries a set of antlers as a defensive weapon. This would hardly seem to be so since it is during the coldest months when the deer are most susceptive to predation that the antlers are absent.
Instead, the antlers are at their peak of development during the breeding season. This would seem to point to a tie to the breeding cycle. Not only are they used to spar with rival bucks but seem to be a decoration that tells the other deer who is the alpha male of the herd.
I believe I can say in truthfulness I have wasted much of my time watching deer. I have seen them breed and have seen them drop their young. I have watched them fight and make scrapes. I have watched as two great bucks butted heads and seen little bucks lick the face of a larger animal showing submission.
I have seen small racks and large ones that I, like most hunters, dream about. Some of these large racks are the subject of nightmares asI think back on what I should have done. But that's deer hunting and the fascination with that bony growth called antlers.
Incidentally, I hunted with two others on Saturday and we saw 12 bucks, none of which were legal.
Nice Article : 10/11/2009
Nice job about antlers on the beautiful Whitetail Deer Buck.I would argue that you did not waste any time watching these beautiful creatures. Through observation you have become a much better steward of the WT, I bet. I know I have.
Somethings wrong : 10/12/2009
Well, genetics does play a part from what I can see. I live in northern Washington County and have some acreage. We’ve been watching our own herd for years. It’s disturbing, but the racks have been getting smaller and smaller. 10 years ago it was not uncommon to spot a good many 9, 10 and even 12 point deer from late summer through fall. Just 3 years ago we had two 7 pointers (one was really nice) four 8 points all of good body mass and rack size, and a massive body 10 point. He had 6 inch long brow tines. There’s a good bit of hunting in the area, and based on watching them disappear I presume a lot of hunters have taken them, but this year there has been only one legal buck spotted. I too hunt, but usually only rifle season. Not sure if I will this year because just yesterday I noticed some low life hunter stole my stand off my own property. But the only legal buck spotted thus far is a small rack 8 point. It’s not a lack of bucks. My property is loaded. And they have been feeding well out of my garden. There’s a big body and big rack 5 pointer that was also a 5 point last year. Sad, but he showed up last year with a good sized archery wound through his shoulder (because most archery hunters aren’t good enough), but he survived in the sanctuary of my back yeard. I’ll give the benefit of doubt that he was shot by a senior or veteran or kid under 16. There’s big body 3 point that was button fawn last year. Two medium sized 4 pointers, and a couple new button buck fawns. But that’s it.
Nothing is wrong : 10/26/2009
It's people like you that give archery hunters a bad image. I've hunted for more than 30 yrs. and I 've seen more deer injured by gun hunters than archers. Also it sounds like you don't keep a good watch on your property, if you don't know there are people there how would you know that there are deer. Washington county has never seen so many big bucks!!!
Something's wrong II : 10/26/2009
To the “nothing is wrong” poster above… So are you saying that George is a liar? Because he isn’t seeing any legal bucks either. He spends as much or more time afield than anyone, so he must be lying. And I trust what I am seeing. Between my garden and food plots I see the same deer daily. Have been watching them (the herd) for years. And it is disturbing to see that since antler restrictions were put in place the amount of good large rack bucks has dwindled. And as far as me watching my property is concerned? I guess it’s my fault that I don’t keep vigil 24/7 over my own property several hundred yards (through thick woods) from my house. I also guess having it posted doesn’t count either. And I guess that it makes it less illegal for some low life to steal because I wasn’t watching. So it’s clearly my fault. If you can’t tell, that’s sarcasm.
Something's wrong III : 11/4/2009
Well, haven't seen one legal buck since early October. And sadly, the 3 point and 5 point that came by multiple times a day (and every single day) have not been seen in weeks either. Given their regular schedule, I guess someone shot them. Again, I can only hope it was a junior hunter or an armed services member. But the reality is that they were probably taken illegally. At least based on how much illegal kills are reported and investigated year over year by the game commish. Just pick up any single one of their monthly digests. Not a single issue goes by that doesn't contain something about illegal kills, poaching etc...
