Eastern WA Buck Regression

[BrockWeilep]

Hey all, I’ve been out scouting quite a bit this summer glassing and checking cameras. I’ve found quite a few bucks from last year, I still need to got check in on a buck or 2, but from the last time I saw them, they were either behind in growth or going to be smaller than the year before. I’m going to assume I’ve looked over 75ish bucks this year, and not a single buck I knew to be mature (4+ years old) from last year has grown to have larger antlers this year. I have had a couple stay about the same, but quite a few regress. Most bucks seem to be about done growing, and as of right now, I think I know 8/10 of my mature bucks from last year have regressed, some maybe only 5” or so, but still a regression. Biggest regression I’ve seen is probably 10-15” on a buck I know to be fairly old (6 at a minimum, but I lean more towards 7-8+).

I’m just curious if anyone else is seeing this or if I’m just finding bucks that are getting old and can no longer grow that antlers they once had.


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[hunter399]

I'm gonna guess.
I'm sure there is a thousand factors that can and will effect growth, including just getting old.

Older bucks have to hide through multiple hunting season.
Then rut very hard at the same time as these  hunting seasons.
By spring I've seen older bucks ,that look like they are gonna drop over dead. Spring green up,how fast they can pull themselves out of that half dead condition. And actually start antler growth.

That's my theory.
Older/bigger the buck,harder they rut.
Which puts them in bad condition in the spring.
With winter die off possible in the spring green up if they can't recover.
Definitely stunt the antler growth, the longer it takes to pull out of that condition.
With no bait ,or feeding allowed.
Older bucks naturally decrease,unless all there nutritional needs are meet year round.

[Wingin it]

Also just a guess here. I think antler growth is better or worse some years due to available food sources and how good they may or may not be. Drought for example I think can cause less growth than a year where there is an abundance of lush browse for the animals. 

[huntnnw]

every single nice buck I saw last year has grown bigger this year. It takes 9 plus in most cases to see a real regression. I have hunted bucks for up to 5 years in some cases and they all had up and down years in that span. One buck for instance would have 2 drop tines 1 year then the following had 0 then another year he had 1 drop and back to 2 drops

[BrockWeilep]

every single nice buck I saw last year has grown bigger this year. It takes 9 plus in most cases to see a real regression. I have hunted bucks for up to 5 years in some cases and they all had up and down years in that span. One buck for instance would have 2 drop tines 1 year then the following had 0 then another year he had 1 drop and back to 2 drops

Agreed for the most part. Not sure where you’re getting the 9+. Some bucks biggest years are much younger than that, but it has been linked to winters/conditions.

I’m just mostly confused because we seemed to have a good amount of snow pack while leaving the valleys and winter grounds with a very easy winter. We did have a dryer spring and the mountains are still very green. I thought those conditions would’ve been very good for antler growth.


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[hunter399]

Your asking a question that most biologist, probably couldn't answer.  Would tell you there personal opinion.

What's the hunting pressure like in these areas.
Private vs public .
Mountain buck vs AG buck
Do the bucks go nocturnal,only eat at night during hunting season.

Big bucks do not eat during the rut. Only one thing they want.

By late December/January most big bucks are starved before winter starts. Running on fat reserve,is why they continue to look healthy. By spring may look half dead.

Then you have genetics from one area or another.
May be that one area bucks will top out antler growth at 4-5 years.
Some 6-7 years . Ten years ,who knows. These are genetic traits.
Growing extra points,trash points,double eye guards,drop times,all that. Pure genetics,seen young bucks with double eye guards.
Sometimes they carry those genetics there whole life,other times it happens as they age .

The only way to know for sure ,is to keep an eye on individual bucks for many years. Look at all the factors in its life,see the genetics for that given area . And make your best guess.

[Rainier10]

I know around my place the deer antlers are much smaller this year. I also know that with the new baiting law I haven’t been putting out antlermax. I also know this year I’m not seeing as many fawns. That antlermax helped the does and fawns as well not just the bucks.

[hunter399]

I know around my place the deer antlers are much smaller this year. I also know that with the new baiting law I haven’t been putting out antlermax. I also know this year I’m not seeing as many fawns. That antlermax helped the does and fawns as well not just the bucks.

Yup ,seeing is believing.
Supplement feeding has probably helped our deer/elk ,a lot more than most realized.
At least someone noticed.
Yes, I quit putting supplements,salt, other attractant out.
Since it was public I did my stuff on ,there will be nothing to drive the deer to public this year.

[boneaddict]

I havn't been out, but i'd guess our fairly dry spring has a lot to do with it.   I've also seen images of some absolute hawgs.  Somebody is getting good eats

[bearpaw]

I know around my place the deer antlers are much smaller this year. I also know that with the new baiting law I haven’t been putting out antlermax. I also know this year I’m not seeing as many fawns. That antlermax helped the does and fawns as well not just the bucks.

Totally agree about the minerals and nutrition.

In the northeast I’m seeing a few more bucks reaching maturity, we are one year further away from the blue tongue die off. But I would be willing to bet if all my feeders were going that the deer would be a little fatter and bigger racked. Obviously the whole countryside has less highly nutritional food available due to the bait ban.

[huntnnw]

I don’t buy the antlers being smaller cause people are not baiting. Their browse has a far greater effect on antler growth . I’ve read several studies on feeding deer and antlers. Free ranging deer and dumping feed has little effect if any. A buck in spring and summer will consume 10-12lbs of food a day. Watch a buck at feed and what he will actually eat . It’s very minimal compared to his whole day. High quality ag and browse is what will create the best antler size. The study I read also said the amount of feed needed to actually do anything was pretty staggering . You would go broke and would need to dump a truck bed full at a time. Plus lotta the stuff guys were dumping does nothing in the spring summer for antlers

[kodiak06]

I don’t buy the antlers being smaller cause people are not baiting. Their browse has a far greater effect on antler growth . I’ve read several studies on feeding deer and antlers. Free ranging deer and dumping feed has little effect if any. A buck in spring and summer will consume 10-12lbs of food a day. Watch a buck at feed and what he will actually eat . It’s very minimal compared to his whole day. High quality ag and browse is what will create the best antler size. The study I read also said the amount of feed needed to actually do anything was pretty staggering . You would go broke and would need to dump a truck bed full at a time. Plus lotta the stuff guys were dumping does nothing in the spring summer for antlers

I agree, I don't think it's a noticeable difference. I think from the reading I've done in the past, minerals do more for pregnant/nursing does than a bucks antler growth.

[Rainier10]

I don’t buy the antlers being smaller cause people are not baiting. Their browse has a far greater effect on antler growth . I’ve read several studies on feeding deer and antlers. Free ranging deer and dumping feed has little effect if any. A buck in spring and summer will consume 10-12lbs of food a day. Watch a buck at feed and what he will actually eat . It’s very minimal compared to his whole day. High quality ag and browse is what will create the best antler size. The study I read also said the amount of feed needed to actually do anything was pretty staggering . You would go broke and would need to dump a truck bed full at a time. Plus lotta the stuff guys were dumping does nothing in the spring summer for antlers

Is a pallet, 2,000 pounds, of antlermax every four weeks staggering?

[BrockWeilep]

I don’t buy the antlers being smaller cause people are not baiting. Their browse has a far greater effect on antler growth . I’ve read several studies on feeding deer and antlers. Free ranging deer and dumping feed has little effect if any. A buck in spring and summer will consume 10-12lbs of food a day. Watch a buck at feed and what he will actually eat . It’s very minimal compared to his whole day. High quality ag and browse is what will create the best antler size. The study I read also said the amount of feed needed to actually do anything was pretty staggering . You would go broke and would need to dump a truck bed full at a time. Plus lotta the stuff guys were dumping does nothing in the spring summer for antlers

My thoughts exactly. I think Bone is more accurate with the dry spring.


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[huntnnw]

the way our laws were you would have to dump the maximum allowed every single day. Youi have 10-20 deer consistently coming in you would have to feed every deer about 4lbs of it every day to do anything noticeable and even after all that have you really done anything to increase inches?