Cold spring affect antler growth??

[Timberjack]

Seeing a lot of bucks in the velvet lately, and I'm wondering if the cold spring has delayed the start of antler growth (in general), and in turn would give bucks less of a growing season, resulting in smaller antlers come fall when the velvet comes off (as compared to better years)? Most bucks I'm seeing have little stubs or forks at best right now...

A bit of an odd question, but I'd never really thought about it until recently when the warmest temps around my neck of the woods has hovered around 12 degress (low 50's for you old timers:-P:-P) for quite a while now..

Your thoughts??

TJ

[dana]

From what I've seen in several areas of the province, the winter was pretty damn good on the deer herds. With the warm fall, most bucks finished the rut in great shape and then spent most of the winter quite high. Even though it was a late spring, the bucks were in no way hurting and they all seem to be right on track for normal to great antler growth.

[Timberjack]

Yeah, I was more thinking late spring issues rather than winter survival etc.

I'm a forester and all the trees/vegetation are late this spring due to the cold temps, wondering if it had any kind of similar effect on animals..

TJ

[mark]

I highly doubt that the unseasonably 12 degree temps are going to slow down antler growth, actually the cool wet spring has Kelowna the greenest I can ever remember it in june, maybe helping them with tons of lush food everywhere. 2 weeks ago I saw some nice bucks that were already forking and had browtines started. I talked to someone else recently whos already seen a 4 point frame, the bucks are doing just fine around here!

[Jelvis]

According to the mule deer (self proclaimed) experts in the Regional three units the wetter spring will like Mark was saying, cause moocho veggie growth and make huge nutrition for massive antlers this season.(esp in burns)
The grouse will suffer tho, cause the little chicks get wet and die of hypothermia.
Good nutrition means good deer body weight and antler weight as well. Jel-Just the facts Jack.

[hunter1947]

A damp spring will also cause more habitat for the animals that will help there antler growth as well what they eat all goes towards antler growth.

[dana]

The winter plays a huge role in the antler growth come spring. If a buck has depleted body resources due to a tough winter, the first green he gets on in the spring goes back to his body, not his antlers. If a buck winters easy, that first green goes directly to antler growth. That is what we've got this year. The lush green that we are seeing in June will continue as the many bucks follow the snow melt up to the highcountry. It is that lush new growth that will make this year a better than average year for antler growth.

[shotgunjohn]

I'm pretty sure antler shedding and growth is triggered by hours of daylight not weather. The deer and elk around here seem to shed and grow velvet at the same time every year regardless of the weather. The amount of velvet growth would be what is affected by the weather and related nutrition.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I'm not sure how it will affect antler growth but I know cold, long springs do affect horn growth in sheep. There was a study done in the Yukon using many years of data and they discovered that cold, Pacific currents(which cycle every ~10years) not only affected lamb survival but reduced horn growth in rams. During the compulsary inspections they measure the distance between annuli and found reduced horn growth that corresponded to the cold, long springs.


SSS

[BlacktailStalker]

Blacktails are WELL on their way here and we had ridiculous amounts of snow as well as a late spring this year.