Antlers going back

Firefly

Well-Known Member
Hi, I would be very grateful if someone could describe to me how I might tell if a fallow bucks antlers are 'going back'.

Many thanks,

Firefly
 
I can only speak from experience on one particular herd but, within that herd after the bucks are past their prime the palms tend to 'fish tail' - that is that they split. In general the width of the palm reduces.

I should point out that, in my experience apart from in the New Forest and, of course parks few fallow bucks in the UK are allowed to achieve their prime let alone surpass it.

ATB
Nick
 
I guess that, as usual this will depend on the environment, in the New Forest (where my experienced is based on) with sandy soils and lots of competition for grazing the bucks would reach their prime at around 5 or 6 and hold the head until around ten years of age. On the north western edge of the Forest where the soils are more chalky and there are crops and pheasant feeders I think the quality bucks we culled tended to be a bit older comparatively (I used to section all teeth before I got a proper job and a family!)
 
hi firefly. glad to see someone else nearby me. good question as i was wondering the same. i shot this buck back in august. he was the only one that presented a safe shot but was the biggest in the herd. i wondered if he was the dominant male and should leave him but his antlers are fish tailed and the other big buck of very similar size had very semetrical perfect antlers and so i guessed this was the one to take

View attachment 12073View attachment 12076View attachment 12074View attachment 12075
 
Fallow bucks generally mature around 8 years of age and 'go back' after that, but as stated they rarely live that long in the wild. Fishtails are mostly a genetic thing so younger bucks are just as likely to have them. In general the older they get they show bigger pedicles, shorter in length and decreasing palmation. Very old bucks will show a handlebar appearance or literally the antlers will 'go back' like a set of goats horns.
 
Thanks PJ1. I too shot a Buck last year with heavy fish tailing. One of his antlers was either snapped mid beam or hadn't grown any further. I took him because of this. I have heard that fish tailing is genetic but not really sure.
 
As Dama says fish taling can also be genetic so it was the right buck to take. Dama's points were spot on about ageing (with body condition, gait etc being the best tool) but as the question was about going back specifically the reduction in palm size point (with fish tailing in the herd I used to manage) is a guide, so if it looks mature (as opposed to pre prime) and has a narrow or split palm you could assume it is going back.

You can only very roughly age by looking at tooth wear, again it depends on the soil type and what they have been feeding on, the deer in the picture does not look very old - you have to section (cut) and polish a molar and count the layers like a tree stump to get a more accurate idea.
ATB
Nick
 
Back
Top