Antlers drive the hunting industry. The mere thought of them conjures up a myriad of questions. How big can they grow? When do they begin growing? How long does it take for a buck’s antlers to grow? What are they made of? What does it take to grow great antlers?
Some might say that the whitetail has shaped my career. That would be a fair statement because I’ve been passionate about all aspects of them for more than 50 years. This passion played a role in my decision to begin raising them more than 20 years ago. During this time I’ve learned much about their behavior and physiology. Though every aspect of the whitetail fascinates me, it is their antlers that interest me most.
There are no cookie-cutter bucks. Each is distinctly different. Here in western New York the actual antler growth process begins at the end of March for the majority of bucks. The only thing that would keep a buck from starting at this time would be that he hasn’t cast the previous year’s antlers yet. The rate at which a buck’s antlers grow is dependent on a number of factors with genetics, health, age, stress, soil quality and the overall quality of habitat — both natural and agricultural — all playing a role.
I photographed this pictorial of a mature buck in New York State. The quality of food available to him was excellent and the levels of stress he experienced were about average for this part of the country.
HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?
Of all the whitetail bucks I’ve raised, the majority cast their antlers between Jan. 20 and March 10. The earliest I ever had a buck cast antlers was Jan. 1 (he was injured) and the latest April 3. Once the antlers are cast, the pedicle bleeds, causing a scab to form. The scab then heals from the outside of the pedicle to the center. When fully healed, the top of the pedicle is covered with a brownish-gray skin, with a small light gray dot in the center of the pedicle. Daylight increases as the winter wears on, setting the stage for antler growth to begin.
When day length reaches a certain point, blood begins flowing to the pedicle area and the antlers begin growing. The skin covering the pedicles pushes upwards through a series of superficial arteries that will carry blood flow to the antlers as they grow over the next four-plus months. During the growing process, the blood flow lays down a protein base upon which minerals are deposited.
The skin covering the growing antlers is called velvet because it feels like velvet when touched. The velvety feel is actually the result of hundreds of tiny hairs that grow out of the skin. These hairs serve a purpose, which is to alert the buck to danger when the antlers touch brush or other obstacles. Because the velvet is made up of blood vessels, the antlers are warm to the touch and only slightly cooler than a whitetail’s 101-degree body temperature. The velvet also makes a buck’s antlers appear much larger than they actually are.
The majority of bucks will be finished growing their antlers by Aug. 1. Then the hardening process begins, which usually takes 20-25 days. Though the antlers will be solid bone when the velvet is peeled, they are far from hard during the early stages of growth. From the time they begin growing in late March until about July 15th, a buck’s antlers are bulbous and quite pliable. Because of this, it is not uncommon for a buck to cut or even sever a beam or tine during the growth process. If the antler is badly cut or severed, it is quite possible for the buck to bleed to death.
If a buck is mature and has everything going for him, his antlers may grow from one-half to one inch a day, especially during the June 15 to July 15 time frame, when daylight is greatest. During this 30-day period antler growth literally explodes.
TIME LINE
April: From the time antlers begin growing in late March through the end of April, growth is minimal. The primary reason for this is that the amount of daylight is much less than what it will be in June. Secondly, most bucks are still stressed from the long winter so their overall body is in recovery mode. Another reason antler growth is slow in coming during April is the lack of quality food because spring green-up doesn’t normally come to the northern states until mid to late April. By the end of April brow tines on a fully mature buck should be easy to spot as well as 1-2 inches of additional antler beam.
May: In most whitetail locales, May explodes onto the scene with an abundance of high-octane food, both natural and man- created. Nutritionally, all natural food and forage preferred by whitetails are high in protein and very nutritious throughout May. This allows a whitetail’s overall body condition to improve from the stress of winter, setting the stage for an explosion in antler growth. By the time May draws to a close the G-2 points (second point on a typical rack) should be noticeable. In addition, the antler beams should now be about half of what their length will be when the rack’s growth is complete.
June: “Summer time and the living is easy,” is about the best way to describe what June is all about for whitetails. If rainfall is normal, nutritious food will be lush and readily available. This, coupled with the longest amount of daylight of the year, provides the hormonal support that allows antler growth to accelerate. By the time June draws to a close, nearly all the primary points on a rack will have started to grow.
July: The month begins with a buck’s antlers being very bulbous. As the month progresses, the antler’s beams and points will finish growing. By July 20 a mature buck’s antlers should look massive. Having adequate rainfall is a key to insuring that optimum antler growth continues during the month because if drought conditions take place, the nutrition level of the food decreases, which has a tendency to cause a drop in antler growth. By the time July ends most bucks’ antlers are fully formed, setting the stage for the hardening process to begin.
August: Most northern bucks will have completed their antler growth by the first week of August, at which time the blood flow to the antlers declines. For the next 20-25 days the antlers will harden. During this time the overall size of the antlers actually appears to decrease because the velvet covering the antlers shrinks as the blood flow slows. From late August to mid-September most bucks will peel the velvet from their antlers.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE?
Many believe that having great summer growing conditions is the key to optimum antler growth. Though extremely important, there is far more to the antler-growing equation than having a great growing season. For a buck to truly reach its potential requires it be healthy and have great food sources 365 days a year. If either of these factors are lacking he will not reach his potential.
Few know the importance of high-nutrient foods in a deer’s diet better than Iowa animal nutritionist, Matt Harper. Harper is a seasoned whitetail hunter who plants a variety of forages for deer on his family’s farm. Many of those forages are Whitetail Institute products. When I asked him about the importance of having high-protein forage food plots available to deer during the antler-growing process he said, “I view nutrition during the antler-growing cycle from a holistic perspective. Protein and minerals usually share the limelight but in reality, all nutrients including fat and oils, carbohydrates, vitamins and others are equally important.
“However, protein and minerals are normally the most limiting nutrients in a free-ranging deer’s diet, which is why these two nutrients receive so much attention. Most research shows that 18 percent protein is the optimal protein level during the antler growth cycle but the key to remember is that 18 percent is for the complete diet. So, if the buck eats 25 percent of his diet from a food plot that is 24 percent protein and the remainder comes from natural forages averaging 12 percent protein, the buck’s overall food source is only averaging 15 percent protein. Using this equation, you would need to have a food plot whose forage averages 36.5 percent to reach the 18 percent protein level in the total diet.
“This is why high-protein food plots are vital during the antler-growing phase in order to bring the average protein intake closer to the 18 percent goal. From a nutritional standpoint, protein is the building block of the matrix that forms the antler structure, which is why it can greatly affect overall antler size.”
Dr. Mike Lormore is a veterinarian with a Master’s degree in animal nutrition. He and his family are passionate whitetail hunters who are part of a group who operate a more than 1900-acre hunting property on the western side of New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Over the years he and I have worked together on several whitetail projects and his insight on what it takes for great antler growth never ceases to amaze me.
“For starters, hunters need to understand that antler growth is nothing more than an extension of the animal’s body condition. If a buck’s body is not healthy and well maintained with the proper nutrition, great antlers are not possible,” he told me. “So, for a buck to have a body capable of growing excellent antlers requires that he have great nutrition not only during the months he is growing his antlers but throughout the rest of the year as well.
“During the antler-growing season high protein forages of 25-plus percent should be available if you want to see what a buck is capable of producing. In addition, adequate rainfall must occur to ensure that forage protein levels remain high. If drought conditions exist, protein levels drop and fiber levels rise, making the food source less nutritious. So, when droughts take place the nutrient levels required for optimal antler growth are not available in the foods deer consume, causing antlers to be smaller.
“Though it is critical for great nutrition to be available during the antler growing season, it is just as important to have great foods for deer to consume the balance of the year. If essential foods are present from September to March, a deer’s body will be in great shape, making it possible for peak antler growth. The bottom line is that great antlers are not possible without well maintained bodies and it takes quality food sources with adequate availability for that to happen.”
START ’EM EARLY
Ensuring a whitetail buck reaches his antler-growing potential begins at birth. In order for a buck fawn to develop good pedicles he must have the essential nutrients in his diet. Whitetail biologist, John Ozoga writing in his book Whitetail Intrigue states, “Wildlife managers expect to see fewer than 25 percent spikes among yearling bucks in well-nourished, well-managed whitetailed deer herds.” Research abounds touting the importance of providing fawns with high-nutrition foods during the first year of life. The bottom line is that if you want to see a buck reach his potential when he is three, four or five years of age, they have to be able to develop great bodies when they are young.
