Yet another antler question

[Fishbonker]

I don't know if this has been asked and answered, if so, I missed it. There are some VERY nice trail cam photos of big racks still in velvet. Assuming the racks are done growing, either now or in a few weeks, how much does the velvet add to the size? Once the velvet is off how much smaller is the rack than it was with velvet?

The 'Bonker

 

[Shedhuntermd]

I have heard velvet can add as much as 33% visual mass, I think that is high, but you can defiantly expect to lose some. Now of course that velvet can't effect tine length more than a 1/64" at the most. Velvet certainly makes bucks look more impressive, but it is still obvious if your looking at a shooter or not.

 

[Guest]

I always thought that it was a little thicker than that.I was thinkin it was right at if not a little more than 1/32.Thanks for the info though.

 

[Maggs]

Don't the antlers shrink under the velvet as they harden and the velvet dries???? Maggs

 

[KTMMIKE]

Maggs, that makes sense to me. I bet your right. All I know is a buck looks to have a lot more mass when in velvet.

mike

 

[docH]

Yeah, the hard antlers do shrink some compared to the velvet antlers, but I've noticed the greatest amount of antler shrinkage occurs postmortem after I've shot them!

 

[scout]

It seems to be the type of ground the rack touches when the deer expires. I quit huntin a couple spots that had bad ground that caused major shrinkage.