Does anyone know how much antlers shrink from the time they shed velvet till now when they drop them???
Thanks Wade
Thanks Wade
Shrinkage??
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Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
A set of antlers (talking about a skull plate with both anlters attacted) when cut off a deers head after harvest, can easily shrink 5"+ over the course of a few months, especially on really big racks so that means a single shed shrinks at least a few inches after shedding of the buck. As far as antlers shrinking when velvet is rubbed, that would be hard to figure, unless you measured the buck every month. but i am sure they shrink some. I did hear that a buck scores 3% or more higher in velvet, then he does right after velvet is rubbed off.
Thanks for the answers so far guys. I think I'm going to start over and add a little more information.
There are two reasons why I'm wondering about the shrinkage. First, is that our breeder buck just dropped his antlers and I finally got to score him. Not that it really matters, but I'm wondering what he would have scored a day or two after he went to hard antler vs now, five months later. How much did they shrink in that five months that they were on his head??
Second, I had a situation arise that surprised me a little and wasn't sure what to think. I had a number of preserves wanting to buy bucks now to grow out for next year. Being late in the year, between broken points and shrinkage, several had dropped two size classes. Several of the preserves insisted that they were only worth the smaller scores. I would agree, if they were being hunted the next day or soon after. So, I guess I'm also asking if anyone has been in this situation and what you think a fair price is on a deer like that to be hunted next year???
Thanks Wade
There are two reasons why I'm wondering about the shrinkage. First, is that our breeder buck just dropped his antlers and I finally got to score him. Not that it really matters, but I'm wondering what he would have scored a day or two after he went to hard antler vs now, five months later. How much did they shrink in that five months that they were on his head??
Second, I had a situation arise that surprised me a little and wasn't sure what to think. I had a number of preserves wanting to buy bucks now to grow out for next year. Being late in the year, between broken points and shrinkage, several had dropped two size classes. Several of the preserves insisted that they were only worth the smaller scores. I would agree, if they were being hunted the next day or soon after. So, I guess I'm also asking if anyone has been in this situation and what you think a fair price is on a deer like that to be hunted next year???
Thanks Wade
Joined May 2009
1,166 Posts | 0+
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Wade:
I have never been in this situation and it seems very unusual. Clearly, the preserves are gambling on buying your deer now at a cheaper price with the hopes that the deer will score higher this fall, saving themselves hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Sounds like they are transitioning to farming rather than hunting in order for their preserve to become semi self sufficient. This seems unusual for a preserve because I would think that most preserve owners would want to buy the absolute best looking deer for their clients once the clients were booked to ensure no let downs. Doing it this way could cause them to have deer they won't be able to sell and they may end up having to buy twice.
Whether or not to sell just depends on what they are willing to pay. You both run the risk of the deer dying, getting injured, breaking antlers or simply not growing to the potential they did this year. You both also have the added cost of feeding and possibly medicating over the next eight months. And, if something does happen to the deer and they can't be sold then there will be another year of feed and possible medication costs. On the other hand, you and you alone run the risk of selling deer at 150-160 prices that end up growing out to 180-190 this year.
I think you just need to factor in all of the possiblitites and decide if you are getting a fair price. If you feel like you would be giving your deer away then you probably are and you shouldn't sell. Go with your gut.
Daniel
www.hollowroadwhitetails.com
I have never been in this situation and it seems very unusual. Clearly, the preserves are gambling on buying your deer now at a cheaper price with the hopes that the deer will score higher this fall, saving themselves hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Sounds like they are transitioning to farming rather than hunting in order for their preserve to become semi self sufficient. This seems unusual for a preserve because I would think that most preserve owners would want to buy the absolute best looking deer for their clients once the clients were booked to ensure no let downs. Doing it this way could cause them to have deer they won't be able to sell and they may end up having to buy twice.
Whether or not to sell just depends on what they are willing to pay. You both run the risk of the deer dying, getting injured, breaking antlers or simply not growing to the potential they did this year. You both also have the added cost of feeding and possibly medicating over the next eight months. And, if something does happen to the deer and they can't be sold then there will be another year of feed and possible medication costs. On the other hand, you and you alone run the risk of selling deer at 150-160 prices that end up growing out to 180-190 this year.
I think you just need to factor in all of the possiblitites and decide if you are getting a fair price. If you feel like you would be giving your deer away then you probably are and you shouldn't sell. Go with your gut.
Daniel
www.hollowroadwhitetails.com
If they are giving you a top of the market shooter price go for it. If they are trying to get them cheap no way keep them till next fall. I have scored bucks green in the fall and then re scored them after shedding and lost seven to ten inches of score. these were both 200 inch deer. The smaller the rack the less you will loose the bigger or more points the more you will loose.