Antler Growth vs. Age in ND

[Uncle Rico]

Just wondering what people's opinions are for what is realistic in ND?

On our property, I generally feel like the 2.5 year old bucks are in the 100 or so range, maybe I will call it 90-110"?

From my guesses it would seem like a lot of the 3.5 year olds are in the 125-135" range maybe?

Just wondering what the opinions of people who have been paying attention to this for longer than I have are?

I see guys down in the I states claiming they are seeing 150"+ three year olds.....does anyone think that is possible in ND given the winters, etc.?

I realize there is no sure-fire way to judge deer age on antler size but I feel pretty confident in putting an age on most of our deer, and it actually seems like antler size is fairly consistent at the younger ages particularly....

 

[KDM]

It's all over the board Rico. Nutrition, stress, genetics, weather, blah blah blah are all part of the equation. I've personally had 3.5 year olds be less than 50 and over 140. This is based on body size, but even that is a crap shoot and a S.W.A.G. or sophisticated wild ass guess. However, to get over 140 you normally need 4.5 years. Anything less than that and you have a special deer. JMHO.

 

[USMCDI]

Lots of variables here but one thing for sure is they need to get to 4.5 to really see potential, in 2014 I found a perfect 4x4 set of sheds with bladed tines and potential written all over it, I aged him at 3.5, missed him with my bow in 2015 went full nocturnal until December, became a ghost in 2016, no daylight photos or sightings until Dec, killed him last year and had the lower jaw aged by a biologist at 8.5. Then they also aged Milo Hanson's deer at 3.5, I call bs on that one.

 

[bucksnbears]

Nothing in nature is set in stone.
Seen 20 year old Bear dress 200# and seen 7 year olds dress 500#.

last year I shot an 8 year old buck I'd been trying to kill for 4 years. Judging by the 1000's of pics I had of him over the years, I doute he ever was 220# on the hoof at his prime.
Guessing he was ( maybe) 170 dressed when I killed him.

 

[hoythunter]

This buck was aged by a biologist at 3.5 he grossed mid 170s

 

[sl1000794]

I don't think Antler, ND has grown in population in 50 years, but we would need Gabe to confirm that!

 

[tman]

Genetics play the main part you could get a 5.5 to 6.5 year old that wont break 120 or you could have a 3.5 year old that goes 160 to 170 and if that deer gets to 5.5 to 6.5 that's when you get them once in a lifetime deer. IMO genetics have the most to do with it then all the other things that play into have very minimal factor compared to that. For example I have had deer on the same camera a couple years in a row in the same age class and sometimes one will put on 30 to35 inches the next year and the other one you have a hard time telling if they even grew even though they went through the same winter stress and had the same food sources.

 

[Davey Crockett]

I don't think Antler, ND has grown in population in 50 years, but we would need Gabe to confirm that!

The outlaws must have run Cobb out of town, They had their chance.

 

[ShootnBlanks]

Im terrible at judging a deer. All i know is the ones i miss were generally much bigger and the ones i have killed seem to have alot of ground shrinkage

 

[sl1000794]

I don't think Antler, ND has grown in population in 50 years, but we would need Gabe to confirm that!

The outlaws must have run Cobb out of town, They had their chance.

Did Cobb go to both Leith and Antler or was it someone else in Leith? My memory is not that good.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Both, Pretty sure there are good outlaw campfire stories because he isn't known to leave without a struggle.

 

[buckhunter24_7]

 

[sl1000794]

Both, Pretty sure there are good outlaw campfire stories because he isn't known to leave without a struggle.

Have to ask my neighbor when we get back next spring. She's an Artz. Plus I could ask my Westhope cousins.

 

[wby257]

I sure do chuckle when I read about people telling the age of a deer on the hoof. I have never seen a deer with a birth certificate. I have hunted deer for 46 yrs and still cant tell the age. I can tell if its a muture deer. And age is only a guess unless you cut out the teeth or have a biologist age it.

Now people will say they have pictures of said deer for 5 yrs. If the same buck breeds the same doe for 5 yrs straight and she has say 9 fawns in them 5 yrs and 4 are bucks, I'm pretty sure the bucks racks will all be pretty close in likeness as they age.

 

[guywhofishes]

Older bucks start looking “blocky” or rectangular.

Kinda like people.

My old silverback appearance in the mirror is a sight to behold.
-Nobody, Ever

 

[LBrandt]

I could give a s--t less what he scores in horn. If I score 50# of grind for sausage and some back strap I am OK with that

 

[Lungdeflator]

Its tough to get exactly right on the age, but its not that hard to tell a 4.5+ yr old deer from a 1.5 or a 2.5.

I can only compare ND to northern MN, as far as antler growth. ND is superior most of the time in pure antler growth. Body size goes to MN. Most of the 1.5 yr old deer we get pics of in MN are little spikes or forks. Most of the 1.5 yr old deer we see in ND have 6 pts or more. Seems they get a better jump when they are younger in ND. After 1.5 yrs, I think its very hard to see much relation between age and antler growth in wild deer. But it is almost apples/oranges. The racks in MN are darker and thicker in general. Big woods vs ag.... hard to draw any conclusions.

 

[Retired Educator]

I agree with everyone. Which means I don't know anymore than I did when I started reading this post. There are a lot of variables that go into antler size. One thing I do agree with is that you need a few years to have any size of a nice buck. Second, everyone's definition of a good buck varies. Let's just all enjoy hunting for the trophy WE desire.

 

[wby257]

Older bucks start looking “blocky” or rectangular.

Kinda like people.

My old silverback appearance in the mirror is a sight to behold.
-Nobody, Ever

Yes mature like Blocky or Rectanglar

 

[guywhofishes]

I am in general agreement with this article:
(click the Get Started orange block to see drawings and descriptions scrolled across the upper banner)

https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/how-to-age-bucks