I need some biology facts here. So I've been planning on hunting unit 73 or 75 with my points this year. My question is how do tough winters like this affect horn growth if any? I'm not completely committed to burning them yet as I have some well established backup plans.
Central Wyoming winter
- Thread starter troybackman
- Start date
I'd go hunt hunt if it were me. Don't think there will be any "winter effect" in that area.
No comment on how winter has been in your choosen area. But to your question, a bad winter will not help horn growth. They have been growing or trying to grow them for a while come winter. As I understand it, the new sheath actually starts under the old one, late in the Fall.
HiMtnHnter
Active Member
Central Wyoming is fine. Virtually no snow at this point. From my experience the added moisture we've had will be a benefit. There are definitely some localized areas to be concerned about, but so far that is not one of them.
The snow depth this year appears to be pretty localized from 1 area to the next. The winter hasn't been very bad and this should be an incredible year for horn growth in the particular area I'm hoping to hunt this coming season.
I've been keeping tabs on horn growth in areas I hunt in Wyoming for years. I've actually harvested 2 of my highest scoring B&C bucks the years that had historic droughts. I also saved up a bunch of pref pts and drew a "premier" unit that was re-known for super high scoring Wyo bucks in a year when I thought all the stars were aligning for incredible horn growth. There was fantastic fall through spring moisture after several mild winters. I lost count but conservatively looked over more than 700 different bucks in that premier unit in 4 days. I only found 1 buck that scored 80" and the others were low 70's bucks. I noticed that same year there was hardly 1 buck in Wyo that made the B&C books. What the heck?
It's obviously important having great moisture, nutritious feed, genetics, and a little age on bucks in any particular year. It took me a while to figure out why I harvested giant bucks in historic drought years and looked over hundreds of dink bucks in a prime unit in a wet year following 5 mild winters when the conditions seemed perfect.
After talking things over with a re-known antelope guru he brought to my attention that bucks born in droughty years may be plagued for life with smaller pedicle bases than those born in years with great, timely moisture. If you've had the chance to look over many antelope skulls in different years from across the country you will notice that pedicles vary dramatically. The highest scoring bucks I've harvested generally have the most mass....and this translated to great mass the entire length of the pedicle on the skull. It sure makes a lot of sense when I've aged bucks and related what feed and weather conditions existed the years they were born.
The same antelope guru also mentioned that it generally takes 3+ years to produce a B&C buck. That's WAY shorter time than deer, elk, sheep, and other big game species tend to produce B&C proportions. How does all this relate to your question? You might take a look at the weather and conditions that have existed the previous 3+ years in the unit you intend on hunting. If there were favorable moisture conditions 3+ years ago there's a pretty good chance there will be good horn growth this coming year if those 3+ year old bucks survived winter/hunters! If 3+ years ago was historic drought you may consider holding off using all your pts? Obviously severe winterkill and drought will effect fawn recruitment and the number of bucks that were born and survived through those years.
I've been keeping tabs on horn growth in areas I hunt in Wyoming for years. I've actually harvested 2 of my highest scoring B&C bucks the years that had historic droughts. I also saved up a bunch of pref pts and drew a "premier" unit that was re-known for super high scoring Wyo bucks in a year when I thought all the stars were aligning for incredible horn growth. There was fantastic fall through spring moisture after several mild winters. I lost count but conservatively looked over more than 700 different bucks in that premier unit in 4 days. I only found 1 buck that scored 80" and the others were low 70's bucks. I noticed that same year there was hardly 1 buck in Wyo that made the B&C books. What the heck?
It's obviously important having great moisture, nutritious feed, genetics, and a little age on bucks in any particular year. It took me a while to figure out why I harvested giant bucks in historic drought years and looked over hundreds of dink bucks in a prime unit in a wet year following 5 mild winters when the conditions seemed perfect.
After talking things over with a re-known antelope guru he brought to my attention that bucks born in droughty years may be plagued for life with smaller pedicle bases than those born in years with great, timely moisture. If you've had the chance to look over many antelope skulls in different years from across the country you will notice that pedicles vary dramatically. The highest scoring bucks I've harvested generally have the most mass....and this translated to great mass the entire length of the pedicle on the skull. It sure makes a lot of sense when I've aged bucks and related what feed and weather conditions existed the years they were born.
The same antelope guru also mentioned that it generally takes 3+ years to produce a B&C buck. That's WAY shorter time than deer, elk, sheep, and other big game species tend to produce B&C proportions. How does all this relate to your question? You might take a look at the weather and conditions that have existed the previous 3+ years in the unit you intend on hunting. If there were favorable moisture conditions 3+ years ago there's a pretty good chance there will be good horn growth this coming year if those 3+ year old bucks survived winter/hunters! If 3+ years ago was historic drought you may consider holding off using all your pts? Obviously severe winterkill and drought will effect fawn recruitment and the number of bucks that were born and survived through those years.
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wy-tex
Veteran member
Thanks men. It's such a benefit to get local updates from all you lucky residents who call Wyoming home. Thats some good info jimss. I have definitely noticed a difference in pedicle size on my euro mounts.
HiMtnHnter
Active Member
2012-13 were pretty bad drought years. If the above theory holds true there would be a shortage of bigger 4-5 yo bucks around this year. 2014-15 were better moisture-wise.
wy-tex
Veteran member
While we have had some drought years winterkill was not a big problem in SC Wyoming in the last few years. We should have plenty of 4-5 year old bucks around. They already have horns with prongs so it will be interesting to watch them finish out their growth. Hopefully spring will be beneficial and not cold and dry. Central guys will have to chime in on past winterkill. I do believe that numbers are also doing ok there. Lots of young guys around for sure right now.
fackelberry
Active Member
I live in Douglas, fairly centrally located. I havnt seen much for winter kill around, still seeing lots of antelope. It is bone dry here, just yesterday i was coming back from Casper and about 10 miles west of Douglas was a huge grass fire. Thats how dry it is here. The 40+ mile an hour winds pushed it fast. Cant say ive ever seen a grass fire in February til now.
shootbrownelk
Veteran member
This winter isn't over yet. The late spring snowstorms if they are severe enough, kill a lot of already weakened critters. Keep your fingers crossed.