Remnard

yeah, inquiring minds want to know!

Aside from Genetics and food sources, A whitetail population needs proper densities and Buck to doe ratios. Many areas are lopsided with Buck doe ratios and the low number of bucks can not impregnate does in a timely fashion. this tends to stagger fawn crops and as a result they are dropped later in the optimalgrowing season. ( An additional down side to this is a staggered fawn crop production, which increases bear, coyote and bobcat predation rates. When dropped at the same time, there is strength in numbers because of the dilution factor) He may very well have spike horns instead of a forked rack due to his body growth needs which are more important to getting him through the winter, as weight going in to the rough season is very important. Again spike horns are no indication of an inferior buck. I have seen documentation of spike horns that were allowed to reach maturity (5-7 years) that have produced Boone and Crockett class antlers.

It takes 4-5 years for a whitetail to reach maturity. He will typically produce the best antlers after 4 1/2 years to 8 years of age. His body and bone structure is more important in those first 4 or 5 formative years than his antlers are and will take the lions share of nutrition and calcium, magnesium etc, in order to grow his body, which at that time is of paramount importance to antler growth. When he is an adult he will then have more nutrients available to produce a better pair of antlers. A whitetail doesn't consume calcium magnesium etc to have it go directly to his antlers. For the most part the needed components of antler growth is siphoned from the existing bone structure and replaced later.

It is very importtant that buck doe ratios are as close to natural (1-1) as possible. This increases competition and when this occurs you will start to see the typical signs of rutting activity, scrapes rubs etc. Along with sparring and fighting.