Very interesting read and something I hadn't thought of. It sure makes sense though.
https://www.qdma.com/mild-winters-mean-smaller-antlers/
https://www.qdma.com/mild-winters-mean-smaller-antlers/
Interesting theory: Late antler shedding = smaller antlers
203ntyp
PMA Member
Interesting article and that does make some sense to a certain degree. Not sure what the winter was like in 2001 but seeing a set of sheds the farmer found from a buck I harvested that year that was found during a soybean harvest the beginning of November threw me for a loop. That field was planted May 2nd and the sheds were not there when he planted beans, it was hard to comprehend. Those sheds scored 83 & 86 inches yet he still grew over 200 inches of antler that year, which does not include an estimated 12 to 14 inches of tines that were broke off! Amazing animals the good lord provided us. We will never know all the secrets to a whitetail, especially when it comes to the rut and to antler growth from year to year. Thanks for sharing....
hillrunner
PMA Member
I've pondered this before as I have witnessed bucks still carrying in April while other bucks already have noticeable growth.
Daver
PMA Member
Agreed, interesting. So if we had both a mild winter AND a droughty summer...which we did...we had the "double whammy" factor going for us.
nontyp
Active Member
makes sense. never thought of this before. if this is true, I wonder if this is a permanent setback or if they make up for the antler growth the following year. Im sure drought has some effect in Iowa, but in general food is plentiful here regardless of the drought. Drought definitely has an effect in arid non-agricultural areas.
meyeri
PMA Member
Very interesting. Makes sense that a less stressful winter can be trumped by dry conditions. Read something the other day that a deer will eat 8 lbs of vegetation a day per each 100 lbs of body weight. A drought could significantly affect their feeding habits, carrying capacity of the land and stress of the herd with that in mind.
