Antler Points

In the U.S. (1995) there were 195 human deaths resulting from deer and vehicle collisions.

In Virginia, the annual estimated crop damage from deer is $9.5 million.

In Virginia, estimated costs of vehicle repair or total loss from deer and vehicle collisions is about $4.2 million.

In the U.S., the estimated costs of deer and vehicle collisions is about $1.4 billion... yes, with a "b."

To gain trophy deer, once deer are abundant, the population must be reduced. There must be surplus food for the trophy animals, which is only possible when other deer are not eating it.

Donnice Harmel, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Hunt, Texas, studied penned deer that were fed very well and found that genetics does play an important role in antler development. Superior-antlered bucks produced young with forked antlers while spiked bucks produced spikes. Taking spiked bucks and does and "tending" the well-antlered deer for a few years can improve a herd faster than working with habitat alone. A "simultaneous strategy" is needed.

Male deer during the rut period move over an area twice as large as that before and after it. Their movement is greater and faster during the period. Energy requirements are very high.

From April 1 to July 1, male deer pump inorganic phosphorus in blood to antlers. This critical element is moved from the skeleton for deposition in antlers. Does are also in a critical period of life because this is the period of milk production...and early in the spring food supplies are very low.

In the spring, food supplies for deer may appear to be abundant, but they are full of water. Deer may have to collect enormous amounts of food and chew it (the cud), all at high energy costs. The net benefits may be very low. Appearances out in deer space can be very deceiving.

Bucks grow a new set of antlers each summer. They shed old ones in December or January. If we gain knowledge about this rapid bone growth, it may become valuable in human medicine and human bone repair.

Antler size is not a reliable expression of deer age. Age can be estimated from tooth wear, "rings" in the teeth seen under a microscope, tooth replacement, and weight of the eye lens.

The period from breeding to birth, the gestation period, is 210 days for deer, 7 months. As in humans, it varies, on average plus or minus a week.

Deer are in the zoological family of mammals known as the Cervidae. Moose and elk are also in this family.

Male deer typically loose 15% of their body weight in winter. Their activity goes up; food intake goes down. This change is normal, an apparent adaptation to harsh winter conditions and low food supplies.

No. Having eight antler points does not mean that the deer is 8 years old. Antler points (but especially the thickness of the base) express local conditions and the quantity and quality of the food available to the bucks. There is a small effect of heredity, but food is the basis of antler points.

Deer increase just as if money in a bank with an Interest Rate. If deer were like money in the bank and if the amount of money was compounded annually as it is in a savings account, the interest rate in Virginia over the past 40 years would be _______ percent.(Program available to compute local rate.)

Hunting Equipment

You need: A license; blaze orange; a pencil stub and string for the deer tag from your license; a sharp sturdy knife; rope; game log; matches and a pocket emergency/first aid kit; a compass; a snack; firearm and ammo (or bow and arrows).

Most hunting accidents in the area occur near the gun (within 50 yards), on clear or only partially overcast days, 10:00-to-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-to-4:00 p.m., in open or light cover, and from shot guns.

Antler growth of white-tailed buck yearlings stops at 12 to 14 months.

Body growth in yearling bucks takes precedence over antler growth.

Total digestible nutrients in cool-season (September to May) deer forage decrease as the plants mature. Crude protein levels decrease as plants begin reproductive growth.

Ladino and red clovers tend to supply a constant supply of calcium for deer body growth and antler development

Phosphorus levels in cool-season deer forages are highest in the fall and winter and decrease toward the spring season.

When deer reduction programs are required (as when disease occurs or when crop damage is excessive), a valuable strategy to use is to do the removals throughout the year so invaluable zoological data can be collected to reflect seasonal changes. Changes in organ size and weight, hormone levels, and other phenomena can be gotten as secondary benefits from the efforts to control human losses or achieve herd quality.

This Web site is maintained by R. H. Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.