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When's the biggest jump

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BOWSTRING

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When does everyone think that bucks make there biggest antler growth jump? Like from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2. (just as an example)
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: windwalker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">3 1/2 then they get mass and cool sticker points /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif </div></div>

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For the most part I agree with windwalker. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I do however believe it depends on the individual buck. I have seen deer that I know were 4.5-5.5 years old that had antlers smaller than some three year old deer.

I think genetics plays a big role. JMO!
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As far as full antler potential, I think most bucks will continue to get bigger until they are at least 6 years old...if they are allowed to survive that long.
 
From what I've seen, where I live anyways, bucks likely don't make their best leap until they 4 1/2 or 5 1/2, sometimes even older. I believe the younger deer spend so much energy building their skeletal sytstem and bodies back to health after winter that they truly don't start pounding out the antler until they are fully mature. I've documented more than a few bucks that still seemed to be making significant jumps at 61/2 or more.
 
I'll think about the average bucks on my place I watch year to year.... My GUESS on the average scores OR let's say an example score that could be fairly normal...
*Obviously my favorite is when they get 6 (who doesn't like that?!?! not their biggest jump though) when they get all massive and sweet/monstrous looking.

1&1/2 - 50"????? I don't know scores of year and halfs
2&1/2 - 110"
3&1/2 - 135"
4&1/2 - 155"
5&1/2 - 165"
6&1/2 - 170"
7&1/2 - 170" and then sometimes it goes downhill.
 
I have a friend that has raised deer for over 30 years and asked him the same question.
Without dought, he answered, between the buck's 3rd and 4th year is the greatest gain in antlers growth.
Now he did say there are always exceptions and stress facts involved in the process.
 
id say the biggest jump on average is from 3.5 to 4.5.

OR what H.J and S1 said......
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Folks,

The biggest jump (by percentage increase) is from 0.5 to 1.5 (duh, no antlers to 50 or 60 inches of antler). The next biggest jump is from 1.5 to 2.5. The next is 2.5 to 3.5, followed by 3.5 to 4.5, followed by 4.5 to 5.5. At age 5.5, antler size plateaus on average and a 6.5 or 7.5 is likely very similar to what he was at 5.5.

Mick
 
I would agree with Ghost and sask guy. It is much like lifting weights as a guys most muscular years , as far as density and size go are in his 30's. How that relates to a buck is tougher but when the overall frame is developed more nutrients can go to "extra credit", whether it be muscle in a human or antlers on an animal. The BIGGEST jump in height for a human are in their teen years, same for maybe a buck between 2.5-3.5, but then they get thicker and add more character to THAT FRAME as the next 2 years come around. But...just a guess /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
I guess I should have specified more. I agree with orion and the others that .5 to 1.5 years would be the biggest. I don't think they add 40 to 50 inches in a year again. But what I was trying to get at I guess is if you let a 3.5 year old walk is he going to be that much bigger next year if he lives. Granted he has the food. So excluding 2.5 year and younger.
 
Absolutely! In most cases in IA anyway. But...if your happy with him...take him..or her /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
I will be amazed to see what this pen raised deer will be in a couple of years...he is just a 2.5 year old this fall.
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Great question and I've always wondered the same thing.

I think the videos, magazines and television shows would like us to all believe that whitetail bucks grow leaps and bounds annually, but I'm skeptical about that because most of those articles and shows are from heavily "controlled" environments. I've seen trail cam pics of deer in my local hunting area that have shown very little gain from year to year. I'm not expert in aging deer so I won't try to say what the age was of the deer but a 130-ish buck stayed pretty much the same from one year to the next...and certainly wasn't showing signs of going from 130-ish to 150(+) like is often shown on the videos.

I know this is just one case...and in the wild (where I hunt) there are several variables that come into play that just don't exist on heavily managed ranches/farms, or high fenced pens.

Given the best of everything and pampered like a baby behind a fence I've seen documentation that the most significant growth occurs between ages 4 and 6.

I agree with the "shoot what makes you happy" comment.
 
Nice buck shredder if I saw that monster stroll by my stand the whole concept of letting 2.5 year olds walk would be thrown out the window. The only thing that would save him is if he caught wing of what i did in my pants or fell out of the tree.
 
I was lucky enough to shoot a buck last fall that I had been after a few years. I have one shed from him when he was what I guess is 3 1/2, then the matched set from when he was 4 1/2 and shot him last year at 5 1/2. This buck made a huge jump between 3 and 4. Based on the one shed I found the first year he would have grossed somewhere around 150-155. The matched set from the following year grossed right at the 200 inch mark. Last year he grossed 223 and change. I know this is definately an exeptional jump, but I believe that it is a good indicator as to where bucks usually pile on the most inches. I love this topic and I have a lot of opinions on it and love to hear all of everyone elses ideas, opinions, and experiences.
 
Here something everyone should get a kick out of. This is what a guy I know told me. GET READY TO LAUGH. OK He said that they peak at 3.5 BECAUSE they eat allot of corn and it wears there teeth down and they can't get the nutrition they need after that age.
I warned you this was out there. Evidently alfalfa and beans ect. are not good enough.
Just thought I'd throw that out for everone to chew on. ha ha!!

Back to the topic, I would agree that if they don't have it by 4.5 they never will.

223" WOW!! Congrats. Bet that looks nice on the wall.
 
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