WY Antelope Horn Growth?

[HalfAce]

Guys, I have a WY antelope tag this year, South part of Carbon county. Really excited about this hunt.

But I don’t know anything about antelope horn growth and don’t hunt them enough to know what to expect on a given year. I’ve heard a lot of conflicting info. So it being a somewhat tougher winter, cool & wet spring and supposedly extra green out there right now, how do you think the bucks will finish out?

 

[gbfan]

Can't speak to WY, but there was some good info on this post-

A little scouting

Took a trip a week ago to check out a unit I drew for antelope. Not the greatest pictures, but you get the idea. Kind of hoping I can find the fella below when the season rolls around. This guy was a little closer.

www.hunttalk.com

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Seems to be some good bucks around. But then again I always seem to see big bucks during the summer but never see them during hunting season.

 

[bullbugle307]

Antelope Horn Growth “An American Original” - Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals

For more great content SUBSCRIBE to Eastmans' Hunting Journals Here. Opportunity is the name of the

blog.eastmans.com

This article explains pronghorn horn growth in detail. The interesting thing about pronghorn is that the tops grow first. The prongs and upper part of the horn is grown through the winter and early spring. That part of the growth is already done. From here on out, they're adding length and mass at their bases.

I'd suspect you'll see bucks with longer, more massive bases but with weaker prongs and curls this year.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I'm not totally convinced that weather affects horn growth in pronghorn like it does deer and elk, at least not in Wyoming. First off, it's skin, not bone; second, it's a much smaller fraction of their body weight; third, they reach max size in at 3.5 years old; and fourth, they reach most of their length right at green up. Maybe you get an extra inch here and there, but I've seen big bucks the fall after horrible winter kill years, in the area with high winter kill. Probably mostly a much less boom or bust prospect.

 

[wytex]

Bucks are looking good and will have some more growth before July ends. Prongs are set and top curls but as stated that length and some mass below the prong will grow until later in summer.
We've been seeing good prongs this year and great length, no tremendous but good. Better prongs than last year on the bucks we see frequently.
HalfAce pm me your area, maybe we've been over in it and can let you know what we saw.
Much more moisture this year in our part of the state.

 

[JLS]

I'm not totally convinced that weather affects horn growth in pronghorn like it does deer and elk, at least not in Wyoming.

Regardless of the state, weather influences the nutritional quality of the feed available. The nutritional quality of the feed has a direct influence on horn growth.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Regardless of the state, weather influences the nutritional quality of the feed available. The nutritional quality of the feed has a direct influence on horn growth.

Please find me some evidence, I'd love to see it.

 

[npaden]

Factors affecting variation in pronghorn horn growth

Factors affecting variation in pronghorn horn growth

www.academia.edu

 

[wytex]

npaden has a good link ,page 77 is the section regarding horn growth. I would also suggest reading Pronghorn Ecology and Management by O'Gara and Yoakum.

 

[HalfAce]

Just looked at pgs 77-79 of npaden’s link. Range conditions last year in Southern WY were pretty damn poor, atleast where I was, tough winter, cold spring... hopefully they get above the ears .

Still, I’m sure there will be some great bucks roaming the sage. Can’t wait either way.

Thanks for the replies and great links guys, I’ve already learned some new stuff. Would like to hear what some of you guys are seeing out there in WY this year.

 

[JLS]

Please find me some evidence, I'd love to see it.

The Earth is flat too, I hear.

 

[JLS]

We thus conclude that at least some of
the variation in annual growth in male
pronghorn is explained by
environmental conditions such as winter
temperatures and the availability of
nutritious forage (Yoakum 2004).
Although the most important factor
affecting pronghorn horn size in the
Southwest is probably body condition as
measured by the PDSI prior to horn
sheath growth, we found the severity of
the winter during horn sheath growth
also affects horn size.

Body condition score has long been used as an indicator of the amount of body fat an animal has, which is directly influenced by availability and quality of feed. A low body condition score is an accurate predictor of pending health issues, such as reduced reproductive efficiency, overall health, hoof/coat/horn growth, etc.

 

[Bluffgruff]

The Earth is flat too, I hear.

The turtle we're riding on will be happy to hear that!

 

[Bluffgruff]

So winter moisture and spring green up doesn't seem to affect the horn size for this fall, but maybe next fall. So maybe it's different for pronghorn than deer and elk

 

[pointingdogsrule]

With the chance of looking like a fool .... elk and deer are antlers (bone structure). Antelope, as you probably know are horns (modified hair). Antlers grow from the end outwards. Horns grow from the bases, and like your fingernails. This may influence the rate and amount of growth. Just my thoughts.

 

[WyoDoug]

First antelope do not shed their horns like deer and elk shed antlers. Their horns are actually made of hair with an inner core being bone. Below article explains in detail what affects antelope horn growth. Habitat and weather do have a heavy influence on antelope in this area.

https://www.ehuntr.com/pronghorn-horn-growh/

 

[Bluffgruff]

It's integument, skin like, not hair. Both horn and hair are formed of keratin, but they are not arranged the same way.

 

[JLS]

So winter moisture and spring green up doesn't seem to affect the horn size for this fall, but maybe next fall. So maybe it's different for pronghorn than deer and elk

I'm not going to delve in to comparing deer and elk vs pronghorn, as you are comparing antlers to horns. Apples and oranges, although I guarantee you body condition score for deer and elk will also influence antler growth.

Winter feed quality and spring green up does affect pronghorn growth. If you go back and look at the materials referenced, the quality of feed in late winter, spring, and early summer are where the bucks put on overall horn length and mass in the bottom part of the horn. The quality of feed the previous summer and fall will affect the length and mass of the prongs and hooks.

 

[Bluffgruff]

I'm not sure the referenced material says what you are stating it says. It only says prior year forage conditions can be shown to affect overall size, maybe, but there were quite a few assumptions and inferences and small sample size in a different part of antelope range than we are now discussing.