New antlers...

[Buckstopshere]

Well, maybe that's a stretch. But if you look close, these guys are showing those bumps on the pedicles as the new velvet antlers begin.

[G-Man]

Yep I've seen them up 8 inches by may 1st many times.

[LET EM GROW]

Sweet!

 

I posted a couple pictures in the "hunting related pictures" that had good bumps on several bucks heads, and one that had a both sides holding on yet. as of 3/20. 

[Rack Attack]

I have several bucks still holding both antlers as of 4/4...

[dbHunterNY]

we have a mixture here.  most have shed.  lot of factors come into play on when a buck sheds and how quickly he grows soft antler sooner.  shouldn't effect antler growth potential much either way just yet.  in general growth is very slow right now and starts to naturally ramp up later into green up when survival with respect to body condition isn't a factor and more food sources higher in energy are available.  nature never fails.

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Sweet gunna check my cams in a few days or so now.

[Rockspek]

Pulled a mem card yesterday and saw some new antler growth from about two days ago.  Just getting started.  I am excited to watch them grow and to see fawns playing in our backyard.

[Rockspek]

[Rockspek]

[NFA-ADK]

Very cool! 

[peepsight]

OK... Time to get some cameras out ...... duh! Very cool to see that.

[LET EM GROW]

on the youth hunt back in April, i saw my 7.5 yr old buck and 2 younger bucks. I knew it was him because of a distinct scar he has. Late April he had dang near 3" spikes already with crazy mass, and his 2 buddies might have had an inch of new growth,. cant wait to see what he looks like in august!

[dbHunterNY]

seeing a bunch with a few inches worth of nice bases now.

[growalot]

some are starting to branch already...need to enlarge to see well..

[Steve D]

[Lawdwaz]

I saw four bucks Saturday afternoon at my buddies, they were all sporting thick "splitting maul" handle beams.  A couple surely are 3.5+ years old.........

[Buckstopshere]

Early May, the two are at a bouquet of zip-tied licking branches. Amazing how they make it a year-round destination.

[Lawdwaz]

BSH.......You take down the zip tied goodies at the end of the season?  (I don't see anything)

[Buckstopshere]

Law: If you look close, you can see a number of zip ties, a black one, a couple whites and a blue. They all hold clipped overhanging branches from hot scrapes last fall. I call it a "pheromone bouquet" of licking branches. Attracts bucks year round.

[Lawdwaz]

Ahh, I see the black one now.

So by clipping branches off of hot scrapes, does that put the kibash to any future scrapping of the original spot?

You then move that clipped branch to a spot more advantages for an archery shot? I remember you did an article on the subject but I'm foggy on the details.

[Renegade Hunter]

Looks like I need to start putting some trail cams out! Some of these deer look awful thin.

[Buckstopshere]

If you take the complete branch, so there is no other overhanging branch there, then yes, it pretty much kills the scrape. That's why I will clip an overhanging branch, then replace it with another one from a nearby shrub or sapling. If I want it to be "the gift that keeps giving," then next time I'm near that scrape in a few days or so, that new branch can be taken because it will be licked by bucks and does and I can then transfer their pheromones to where I want into another hunting area. As the rut peaks, bucks and does are increasingly intrigued to come into these mobile licking branch sites. To me, the ground scrape is only incidental and of marginal importance. More of a result of activity than a causal factor. But we human beings, being so visually oriented see the ground scrape and think that it is of more relevance than the little overhanging branch. But trail cam footage and photos over about 10 years is visual proof that bucks and does being the olfactory-oriented critters they are, really only care about the overhanging branch. I know that is heresy to the common marketplace idea of a scrape, but one more time I go against the stream. Like my moon theory.   

[Lawdwaz]

So you are replacing the one you clip off.  That's a good idea.............they come back and do there thing and the show continues!

 

 

 

 

[Lawdwaz]

 To me, the ground scrape is only incidental and of marginal importance. More of a result of activity than a causal factor. But we human beings, being so visually oriented see the ground scrape and think that it is of more relevance than the little overhanging branch.

 

How the heck do you expect me to find the things without the scrapped up ground?  My nose isn't what it used to be........................

[Buckstopshere]

Ha! You are right. But to that point, some of the hottest, trashed, torn-up looking scrapes seem to produce only marginal branches while some of the ho-hum looking ground scrapes produce branches that bring in deer like a "Free Lottery Tickets Here" sign would bring in humans at a Walmart parking lot.