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Busted racks

RedCloud

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
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North Central Ohio
I heard the other day that do to the drought and severe heatwave this year that the bucks antlers will be more brittle and break off easier.

I can see that to a point but just wondered what you guys thought.
 
I believe that the heat this year will have no bearing on brittle horns. I do believe that the heat and drought that we are having will cause Blue tongue or E.H.D. That is more of a concern to me than busted up racks.
 
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Hot weather and little rain to loosen the ground making it harder to get to minerals and other nutrients ? Instead the ground is like a rock and the brows is being stripped of it's nourishment by the baking sun ? I have seen a huge change in the apples just in the last week around here. Once bright green and looking good are now turning brown and sun baked.
 
Never heard of this theory before. Without doing any research, my opinion is like that of JD's... I don't really see the correlation between drought and brittle antlers.
 
Like you guys said, I dont see how a lack of rain will affect the brittleness of antlers. The deer are still gonna get their nutrition that they need to help their racks grow. They arent plants. Thats just my theory.
 
I think most of us put minerals out so the deer on our properties are probably getting enough nourishment to feed racks.

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The deer have literally eaten a pedestal around this block. There is a creek nearby so there is plenty of water.
 
Disease is a concern.

Not educated enough to draw a conclusion on brittle antlers but doesn't seem logical. They will get what they need somehow or die.

I would think smaller racks due to less moisture in the growing season would be more likely. I have read several studies showing smaller racks in dryer years. However, I have seen some nice pictures of bucks posted this year. . . .I don't know.
 
Just food for thought. I believe that buck and doe ratios are more to do with busted up racks. Reason being, there is more competition for breeding rights. Areas with more bucks than does will experience far more fights., causing more destroyed horns. Its something to think about. If a bucks genetics are that of mass and girth. Then he is less likely to have busted horns! I love Mass.lol.
 
Full bore said:
Just food for thought. I believe that buck and doe ratios are more to do with busted up racks. Reason being, there is more competition for breeding rights. Areas with more bucks than does will experience far more fights., causing more destroyed horns. Its something to think about. If a bucks genetics are that of mass and girth. Then he is less likely to have busted horns! I love Mass.lol.
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I concur bro. I love mass TOO!
 
Here's my 2 cents: IMO, there are a shitload more big bucks around this year, atleast in my area. Im guessing more mature bucks will fight eachother alot more and maybe get some more busted tines.
 
Here is my thought and the only reason I could see this as plausible.

An injured buck can cast his antlers as his body goes into survival mode right ? What says that a bucks body when faced with drought and not the over plenty of normal years to grow a good set of antlers his body diverts some of the nutrients,minerals, and calcium to other more important structures of his body and less to his antlers making them less dense. That would make them break a little easier wouldn't it ?

Like I said, that was my only train of thought when I heard the comment.
 
RedCloud said:
Here is my thought and the only reason I could see this as plausible.

An injured buck can cast his antlers as his body goes into survival mode right ? What says that a bucks body when faced with drought and not the over plenty of normal years to grow a good set of antlers his body diverts some of the nutrients,minerals, and calcium to other more important structures of his body and less to his antlers making them less dense. That would make them break a little easier wouldn't it ?

Like I said, that was my only train of thought when I heard the comment.
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RC I agree with you. Bone formantion is influanced by health and nutrition. However, I'm not sure the drought we expereinced was severe enough to cause any malformation.
 
Redhunter1012 said:
Here's my 2 cents: IMO, there are a shitload more big bucks around this year, atleast in my area. Im guessing more mature bucks will fight eachother alot more and maybe get some more busted tines.
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I have to get my pics together and post em up but I am seeing the same thing. alot more bucks around then previous years. I am just afraid the doe arent there to keep em around.
 
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