Pronghorn Horns vs Drought

[drthornton]

I drew a SE New Mexico archery Pronghorn tag this year (watched the Season 3 opener last night, actually watched it 3 times, which got me particularly fired up).

Today I received an email from Outdoor Life with a link to the 2011 Elk Forecast.
http://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/re...ect-conditions-antler-growth?cmpid=enews62811

It looked great for my WY Elk hunt but saw that New Mexico was in serious trouble with drought. I know drought in the SW can make a big difference in Elk Antler development.

So for you Pronghorn experts....How much will this lack of moisture effect horn growth? The particular area I am going to hunt is listed as "Exceptional Drought" by the US drought monitor.

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

 

[Big Fin]

Not much effect this year, in my very unprofessional opinion.

It is my experience that pronghorn growth is affected by the harshness of the previous winter, if winter is an issue. And, by the range conditions when the buck sheds his horns in November.

I suspect the drought, if not relieved by fall moisture, will have a bigger effect on horn growth next year. These bucks have been growing horn since mid-November. The drought affects were much less over the course of that growing season than they are for the last couple weeks of horn growth. According to the studies, horn growth in pronghorn ends by early to mid-July.

If the range conditions do not improve with fall moisture, I think the bucks will have a big drop off next year, even if they have an easy winter.

Maybe others have a different observation of this.

 

[drthornton]

Interesting....I hope you are right Fin.

Great show yesterday!

and I am going to buy a "Be the Decoy" Outfit.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

Horn growth looks great this year! Some of the ranchers we've talked to seem to think that the bucks will be hurting, but our eyes are telling us different. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see a World's Record killed this year.

2002, one of the worst droughts in Arizona, we guided to the World Record and we had video of 2 others that would have also broken it.

What's interesting is that one of those 2 bucks was even bigger the next year in 2003 so the drought in 2002 didn't seem to have any affect on his horn growth the following season.

I think droughts for pronghorn mostly affect population sizes as the fawns have nothing to eat, drink, or hide behind and many will die off. Also, because of that, I think the drought will affect horn growth in 3 or 4 years when the fawns from this year are mature since they will have been malnourished in their first year of growth.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

I too drew a new mex antelope tag and am concerned about the drought effects,I did talk to the area biologist/hunt coordinater just the other day and he said that although it hasnt rained since late october that horn growth could be down some but probly still plenty of good goats around.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

I too drew a new mex antelope tag and am concerned about the drought effects,I did talk to the area biologist/hunt coordinater just the other day and he said that although it hasnt rained since late october that horn growth could be down some but probly still plenty of good goats around.

What unit did you draw? (and ranch if it's rifle?)

 

[Craig S.]

North Central, Western & Northwestern Arizona are not in a winter/spring drought. Eastern & Southeastern Arizona are experiencing extremely dry conditions. New Mexico is also extremely dry.

Eli, did those bucks (2002) live in an area where they could switch to browse? Maybe, they were just monsters & would have been even bigger with the right amount of feed....

Wouldn't snow pack affect pronghorn, like last year in Northern Arizona? I also would believe the combination of lack of water sources & lack of feed would affect horn growth. Both of these scenarios would cause them to work harder, thus burning more calories.

Randy,

That sounds like a good observation, as elk & deer in the Southwest generally need good feed from November to Aprilish for max antler growth. I would imagine pronghorn need it more like from September through February.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

I drew unit 17 ranch hunt !!!! im stoked!

 

[EliAGrimmett]

In 2002 the World Record was killed on the Strip. One the bucks I'm talking about was in Unit 10. The other was 19A. That year in 19A over 800 antelope died because of the drought, so I imagine the feed and water weren't very good.

dan: that's a good unit! have you been assigned a ranch yet?

 

[Craig S.]

Man I never saw anything about 800 dead pronghorn. That seems CRAZY!!! I know 2002 was the driest winter & spring Arizona has on record, but I had no idea of the extreme pronghorn die off.

I was hunting with a buddy on an Archery hunt in 2002. We were in Northwest Arizona & we found 1 water & the goats were pounding it, along with deer & lots of coyotes.

 

[EliAGrimmett]

I just grabbed my old survey books to make sure I'm not talking out my a$$. (I hate it when incorrect information gets passed around.)

AZG&F Survey:

2001: 1273 pronghorn
2002: 482 pronghorn

Fawns surveyed dropped from 363 to 5.

The rancher on the Fain Ranch said in 2002 that every single drainage he came across on horseback would have 20-30 dead pronghorn in the bottom of it. And then hunter success increased dramatically because of the water hole tactics you mentioned above.

Couple this with over 200 antelope that G&F transplanted out of the unit in 2000 and now you know why the unit "tanked" so quickly.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

any body know how the new mexico antelope are doin this summer? has anybody been in n m unit 17 to scout?any info would be great?

 

[EliAGrimmett]

Horns are giant, but the fawns took a hit. It seemed as though a lot of the antelope that were in 17 moved across the 52 road into 16. I'm sure there are a bunch that we missed, but it seemed like there were a lot more in 17 in June and early July. Hopefully you'll be able to find them and we just missed most of them because of the time of day we were there (midday).

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

hopefully,,,any update on how the grasses are doing? or is it dust?