Alright all you deer managers, got a question for you:

In your experience what would be your ball-park estimate on how much antler growth % a buck puts on from 4.5 to 5.5, then from 5.5 to 6.5? Assume adequate range conditions, average rainfall, and average herd structure. You can also specify Region like Hill CO., S. TX, etc.

Is it possible to come up with a guesstimate? Or, are there just too many variables, and is too dependent on the individual deer?

Just curious if it's 20% from 4.5 to 5.5, then 15% from 5.5 to 6.5, etc.

I recall a biologist having a study that under normal conditions @ 3.5 they are about 75%, 4.5-90%, 5.5 - 95% and by 6.5 they are 100% then decreasing by 7.5. I am trying to locate the article/ book I got it from but if I find it I will post

I honestly don't know and would have generally agreed with the above post on the study referenced. But I have seen two hunting shows lately that showed pretty significant antler growth between years 6 and 7 on known bucks. Kinda surprised me. Of course range conditions are always a factor.

Too many variables. IIRC biologists suggest 10-15%, but it's going to depend on the individual deer, how healthy they are, nutrition and water available & their genetics. I've seen deer explode at 5, get drought hammered for a cpl more years, then explode again once they aren't as involved in rutting activities.

That's what I was thinking, environmental conditions play a huge roll.

I believe the better we treat our WT population with nutritional needs we could see an increase growth beyond 6.5, but is the increase enough to justify the expense of feed/animal another yr.

Has everything to do with it, including how long they'll be actively rutting and getting pulled down. If we have a harsh summer next yr in our area it's going to be a bad deal. They'll be a lot of fawns cycling this year and this stretch of cold weather will put browse in limited supply.

Iv seen the increase from a 3yr old to a 4yr old on avg be a higher %growth than 4-5 5-6... but we have a very high population of deer in most of my area.

Take my biggest jump from 5-6. I have had 3 and 4 yr olds that won't even make you grab the binocs to look at them and then at 5 or 6 they blow up.

For what it is worth QDMA has this out to look at: http://www.qdma.com/articles/will-he-be-a-good-one-next-year I agree with some of what QDMA says and not with others. The graph seems to be about right from what I have seen.

To many factors to say but most will agree that a buck should make a 10% jump per year from 3-7 yrs of age on good nutrition. A lot will depend on the genetics within the herd. I managed a Hill Country ranch that had some deer not be their best till 7 or 8 yrs of age. Those bucks just did not show much at the younger ages. If they did they did not make large jumps just made a jump that was easy to see. Some South Texas ranches claim 8-9 yrs of age when a buck is not trying to rut as hard and now just feeding his antler growth. I have seen 40" jumps on bucks from age 4 going to 5 yrs of age. Some bucks will make a big jump from 3 to 4 then average growth increase after that. I had two bucks that were born and raised native bucks on a Hill Country ranch that made really good jumps. One was a mainframe 5x5 at 4 that scored around 140. He added 3 kickers(7" total) and was 166 at 5. The other was a 5x5 at 2 and would not make 100". At 3 he was a 7x6 and upper 130's. At 4 he was 177 gross as a 7x7 typical and one small NT point. Then there are some bucks that just do not grow much at all. After managing a deer herd or hunting the same ranch for a while you will learn the bucks that have that "look" and those will be the bucks that will put on the extra inches above the norm.

I would almost agree with those STX ranchers about the 8 & 9 yo thing...only problem is if they aren't involved in rutting they're a PITA to find!!!!!!!!!!

Not really on some of them. If you have a tailgate feeder you can move around to find them or an oats patch you can find them early before the rut.

I don't have a lot of experience but in the experience I do have it seams that from 3.5 to 4.5 bucks will gain a lot of length. Then from 4.5 to 5.5 they gain the mass. After 5.5 they make smaller jumps overall until they start to decline a little after 7.5

I think by 4.5 you can kind of tell what a buck might become but not always. At 3.5 it's harder to tell what his potential is.

Down there maybe, not up here.

Interesting responses all, thanks. Keep them coming.

I personally only have a couple years history with the herd I'm working with. So far, results have varied. They seem to make a decent jump (15 to 20%) from 3.5 to 4.5. Then, from 4.5 to 5.5 it really varies. Some bucks have done well, others are flat.

We hunt LF. Some neighbors manage to similar guidelines as us. Others don't. So, it's not a cut and dry decision about when to shoot and when to let them walk. Up to now we have been letting all the good bucks go to 4.5, and anything greater than 9 pts to 5.5. I'm starting to think we should let everything go to 5.5 in case any of those 8's make a big jump there.

8's at 4.5 will probably be eights for ever. There will be exceptions but not worth changing a rule for those few

Leave it... good plan use to have that same exact rule on a ranch in Houston co.

The best management one can have if they are wanting more quality bucks is to let bucks age as old as they can get them and keep the numbers in CC for your area.

Espeically where he is. Does, does and more does

plus exotics that have to eat and drink.

He probably is in an area that has very few exotics if any at all for the Hill Country. The only exotics would be cattle or sheep/goats for that area.

We been working on that part too.

Correct. No exotics on our place...yet. Axis killed about 4 miles east. Can't do rotational grazing, but working to keep cattle stocking rates low.

Well shoot the sheep/goats.