for you or somebody else.

   It saddens me often, when I see the very young bucks which are shot by the typical N.Z. hunter. And often with some comment about "rubbish head". Rubbish! It's not rubbish, just young. It's the Fiordland Wapiti situation over again.  A New Zealand Fallow buck will not have a mature head until at least 6 1/2.  Say in the zone 6 1/2 to 9.  So many of them are being shot as two year olds -- just because they've got antlers.  I will elaborate on the growth pattern.
   At twelve months old, obviously the buck grows spikes.  OK, but there are spikes and "spikes".  An ordinary little nondescript spiker, of say Wanganui domicile, might have spikes of 40mm length.  1 1/2 inches.  But shift to an area where the habitat is better, and the original gene pool was good, and those spikes can be 120mm.  4 3/4 inches.  It is pretty stupid to shoot a fallow spiker of that latter type for meat.  It's happening all the time.
    At 2 1/4 years, our buck grows his first set of proper antlers-- call him a two yr old, 'cause he will shed at 2 yrs  10 months.  Pretty basic antlers, only say  340mm (13 inches) long. Short front tines, with two rudimentary tines at the top.  Not a "shit head", he's just a teenager.  And the bodysize is the real clue -- just like an oversize spiker.    Here's a 2 yr old buck:


   
       The 3 1/2 year buck tho, looks more like the real thing.  His body is bulking up and he stands up straight.  His antler length will be about 18 inches (470mm), carries about 11 or 12 points with narrow, slight palmation.  The head is still noticeably narrow -- I call it the "straight antlered" buck.  The reason tho is because his skull is still developing and the pedicles influence the antler shape.
     A four year old buck tho (4 1/4 at polishing), will be looking quite good.  Antler length is still fairly short at about 20" or just over, and light. But he now has proper palms.  Fairly narrow, but at least he is looking like a Fallow buck.  His maturing skull (he's a 30 yr old in human terms) has given him a bit of spread.  A lot of this type of buck gets shot. A pity, because he has yet to get the beam, length and palms which come from bone growth.  A developed skeleton.  One to three more years and he would have been a trophy to be proud of.  Environment permitting.
Here's a pic of a 4 yr old buck of a very good type. DS200.  He needs another two years:


And this is what you are striving for: a World class buck shot in the Wairarapa. DS 247 7/8. Aged 8 yrs & going back.

a previously unpublished pic

    Say 6 1/2 to 8yr old is the optimum for a Fallow trophy. Beyond that, they are going back. It takes thinking hunters, as well as environment and genes, to produce trophies.  And a bit of luck.
     Think about it.

thanks grandad. great info and gives me a much better understanding of antler size in relation to age.
by crikey that mounted buck is an absolutely beautifull creature!

thanks for putting that up i hope the hunters that go into the caples and the greenstone this year have a look at what you have said.

Quote:


Good on you.  I haven't shot a buck for years, but I've photographed some beauts.

You've got the right philosophy Kimber08,.  Good on ya.
And it will work beautifully in that country.  Tightly controlled access;  top class grazing; good original gene pool.  As long as you can control the poachers.
I've known the Pollock deer all my life, and there's nothing more admirable than the McMahon head with it's 12" guard tines,  or Ron Hogan's big pickup.
Only 8 weeks to your rut. Wait for that big buck.  (bucks & does).
Good hunting.

Absolutely agree that 6- 8 year bracket is prime I have had bucks on good tucker hold their antler mass all the way out to 10 years in some cases.
All a fallow needs is time to grow access to good farm fringe grass/pasture helps too

Well said. Take a photo and leave it till next year and it will be bigger.

Grandad wrote on Feb 3^rd, 2011 at 9:33pm:


I bet you now really regret getting your Moko done in prison.