Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Antler growth

I'm headed out west this year for my first elk hunt. The outfitter I'm using sent me a letter this week with some general concerns about the upcoming hunt.

One of those concerns was the potential antler growth of animals this year due to the drought. Is this something to be concerned about?

The size of the rack is not my biggest concern as I'm going out just hoping to have a successful hunt and enjoy my first trip out west. Just wanted to get others opinion on how the drought may be affecting the upcoming hunt.

I'm also concerned about how it will affect whitetail antler growth down here in south Alabama as we do strive to only kill trophy bucks on our place here.

Throc

Yes it can be a problem. If the feed plants are too dry, they'll have less feed value, kind of like eating straw. Then the animal is undernourished. I remember a drought year we had maybe 15 years ago. The mulie bucks had antlers that were tiny.

So if you only see raghorns is he going to say it is the drought's fault not his?

Hasn't thought about it like that I'm not really that concerned about it. I'd love to kill a 5x5 or better but bringing home a freezer full of meat and enjoying myself are the number one priorities.

Whitetail season here is a little different though. If it's not a wall hanger, we don't shoot it. Settling for does is a little too easy for a two and a half month season though. Either way though, we'll take what were given.

What state are you headed to? I've seen quite a few trail cam pics of some monster bulls in AZ and UT. I think the drought could be offset some by the mild winter we had.

I'm headed to the western side of Wyoming, about 60 miles below the Tetons.

Sounds close to greys. I love that area and they may lose some inches but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Enjoy your hunt, no one can control conditions. A good outfitter will make the best of what the conditions provide and that's all you can ask for.

I haven't run my cameras in my whitetail woods yet but will soon and will get to see what the drought has done to us.

In an extreme drought, that could be at least partially true. It takes energy to grow antlers and if the feed has little energy, what little there is will go to body maintenance. You can't lay down a hard, fast rule on it, though. As soon as you try, there will be something to prove you wrong.

Age of the animal trumps all other factors in antler growth. I've killed some of my best mule deer bucks after really dry, hot summers....

When I hear abnormal antler growth due to diet I picture something like this.

This photo is from my property last Tues, 7/26.
I expect a shortage of nutrients to result in asymetrical growth and somewhat reduced size somewhere.

It actually was much drier there than I expected but that may not be the reason. Two other bulls with this one had normal growth. Also there may be some evidence of a skull fracture on this bull - I can't tell for sure.

It is the Greys River Area.

It's been dryer than normal there and they may lose a few inches but I wouldn't worry about it.

Who is your outfitter? You can pm me if you don't want that published.

I am hunting in Unit 104, for cows this year. Still building PP .

My experience is that it can be a concern if you are a trophy hunter. I have hunted some high country of Idaho that can produce some real trophies in a wet year, but it is pretty common for us to see 6x6 bulls who have trophy level scoops, great dagger tines and then don't finish out well. They still produce the points, but they just don't finish well and therefore would not score well(Bulls end up in a 310 to 330 range, vs. 350 - 370 if finished out). I do wonder if it is somewhat genetic as well, but when seeing some of the bulls from the same herd in a wet year finish out nicely, then I conclude that nutrition does play a big role.

The bulls survive and you will still have a great hunt unless you are all about the trophy, which you indicated you weren't. Go and have a great hunt!

Also, an open winter and/or spring (which often precedes a dry summer) can help give antler growth a head start because the critters can direct more energy towards antler growth.

Casey