The Life of a White Tail Buck

[rambler]

Here is a pictorial summary of the life of a trophy buck from his
first year up until 2 weeks before he died of old age. There are words
describing the age, points, B&C scoring for each year. Very Interesting
succession of deer aging photos.

www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/galleries/photo-gallery-from-buttons-to-booner

I apologize to those that don't like threads off of the main topic of this forum but to it's end this information is what we ultimately use our MZ's for.

 

[Deleted]

Myers129 comment removed. Post moved to appropriate forum

[quillen52]

A very informative and enjoyable article. I'm here ultimately as a deer hunter too!

[ET]

Rambler

Back Porch is designated to talk about anything so it’s not topic specific.
So what is there to apologize for?
Thanks for sharing info.

Ed

[oneshotike]

Glad you posted this. I love the study of whitetail deer. I hope that my neighbors get a chance to read this and let the little deer they kill every year walk.

[mrbuck]

I have always believed that spike bucks would never grow " trophy " racks . Learn something new every day .
Chris

[Dave W]

Seen that arlticle on AT a few times, great article!
A book I have, had the sheds of a buck over his lifetime. Started out as a small spike or forkhorn and grew into a giant.

[edge]

My problem with the let them walk QDM people is that it is not scientifically sound or ranchers would be doing it!

The "Prize" bull does not go to market for steaks.

I am not saying that spikes never grow up big, but on average they will not be as big as their better racked cohorts.

Example: you have a spike and a basket racked 8 pointer ( eastern count ), you can't be serious and say that you should shoot the eight and let the spike walk!

Now in that article I am not 100% sure I would consider that a true spike or a late born deer...but given the option of killing the eight or the spike, the spike will eat nice

Sure there are plenty of reasons that a deer with good genetics might have a poor set of antlers, but if it were poor nutrition or poor soil, or low water availability you would expect all of his cohorts to be in a similar condition.

IMO, I have not seen better research that that done in Texas at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area.

They did penned research on Whitetails for about 25 years, I don't know if it continued past 2000.

Here are brief synopsis of each study: tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/wma/wildlife_management/kerr_wma/research/

Racks from spikes almost never were grew as large as those for branch antlered yearlings.

edge.

[mrbuck]

I have also read about the Texas research in a book about hunting Trophy Whitetails by John Wooters published in about 1977 . And since 1977 I have believed that research to be valid . In that book
Wooters recommends shooting the spike rather than the young 8 point in the situation you describe .
One of the things " the fine print " of the study done in the post by Rambler is that it was done
in the Adirondack's of New York on a wildlife preserve with supplemental feeding ... something that
has been outlawed in New York since the out break of Chronic Wasting about 6 years ago .
The other book that Dave D mentions may be by Lenard Lee Rue and shows racks from a captive buck owned
by Joe Taylor many years ago .
Of course here in NJ the future of the spike or the young basket 8 point are not as good as if they were on a Texas ranch !
Chris

[jims]

I have seen some nice bucks on my property over the years and many bucks of varying sizes but I have never seen a spike deer ever in over 25 years.

[mrbuck]

jims... " It's in the mud and it's in the blood " . Good minerals in the soil and good food , preferably soy beans , corn , etc. and good genes are the winning combination . You are very lucky .
Chris

[edge]

FROM: Understanding Spike Buck Harvest starting on page 28
tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_0827.pdf

Presence or Absence of Brow Tines as a Predictor for Future Antler Characteristics in a Quality Deer Management Program

SNIP.

Data was analyzed based on the absence or presence of one or both —brow tines“ and compared to antler weight (mass), body weight, antler points, antler basal circumference, antler spread, main beam length and gross Boone and Crockett score at 1.5, 3.5 and 4.5 years of age. We examined antlers from 217 deer (N=651 sets) for which at least the first three sets of antlers were available and 168 deer (N=672 sets) for which at least the first four sets of antlers were available.

Results showed that 89% of the bucks without brow tines at 3.5 and 4.5 years of age were spikes as
yearlings (Figure 22).

All bucks with five or more points as yearlings had both brow tines at maturity.

All bucks without brow tines at 4.5 years of age had none when they were yearlings.

One hundred percent of yearling bucks that had both brow tines had both brow tines at 3.4 and 4.5 years of age.


SNIP.

In all comparisons, deer within their cohort that did not produce brow tines had smaller bodies, less antler mass, and fewer points than their counter parts (Figure 23). A more detailed discussion of results of this study are presented in Appendix H. Data from this study was complied by Kathy McGinty and presented at the 22nd Annual meeting of the Southeast Deer Study Group oe 1999.

[mrbuck]

Thanks for more great scientific information .
Chris