Help age this pronghorn - or my 2025 pronghorn adventure

[mevertsen]

Finally, I was able to check my trail cams this morning.

This buck has me baffled.

Seems like he is an older buck to me. Huge throat patch, seems like a big body, lots of scars, and a mature look to him. But small horns. But the pedicle looks bigger to me? Do pronghorn go recessive with age?

Or am I just crazy

 

[SAJ-99]

Can’t speak to you being crazy or not, but apparently the horns can get smaller with age. Not sure how much though.
The interior pedicle doesn’t change, but the sheath is just keratin and hair.
edit: sorry wrong link.
Here is one

Pronghorn Evolution and Management

By David Hewitt, Boone and Crockett Club Professional Member It is an axiom that management for trop

www.boone-crockett.org

 

[mevertsen]

As a comparison, a younger buck I saw yesterday, which had larger horns, but still not great horns. My guess is he would be 2 years old at this point.

 

[Forkyfinder]

"Studies of pronghorn from Colorado north to Montana and Alberta consistently show pronghorn achieving a plateau in horn size by 2 – 3 years of age"

From @SAJ-99 link. Remembered reading that a while ago.

 

[SAJ-99]

I’m not good at this judging game. I compare the pictures where ears are extended to see length. They look similar. Second one looks wider at bases. I’d probably shoot it.lol.

 

[mevertsen]

I’m not good at this judging game. I compare the pictures where ears are extended to see length. They look similar. Second one looks wider at bases. I’d probably shoot it.lol.

He's definitely in trouble if I see him again and he stands still at 50 yards like he did yesterday, Lol. I have a muzzle loader tag, so I'll take any reasonable opportunity.

 

[SAJ-99]

He's definitely in trouble if I see him again and he stands still at 50 yards like he did yesterday, Lol. I have a muzzle loader tag, so I'll take any reasonable opportunity.

I find pronghorn hard to judge in general but the horns often can grow out more than up. On side profile they can look short. Then you get a close-up view and realize you shot the wrong one thinking it was bigger. No need to ask me how I know.

 

[mevertsen]

I find pronghorn hard to judge in general but the horns often can grow out more than up. On side profile they can look short. Then you get a close-up view and realize you shot the wrong one thinking it was bigger. No need to ask me how I know.

Ive done the same thing.

 

[Forkyfinder]

I find pronghorn hard to judge in general

Im awful at it.

I just like tall or weird ones

 

[Seahawkfan]

"Studies of pronghorn from Colorado north to Montana and Alberta consistently show pronghorn achieving a plateau in horn size by 2 – 3 years of age"

From @SAJ-99 link. Remembered reading that a while ago.

Really 2-3, you’d think it would be a few years older?

 

[mevertsen]

The 2 to 3 year old thing is hard to understand.

However, it seems to be a universal acceptance.

Nevada does its counts and quota setting based off of estimated 2 year old plus bucks in the population.

Not sure how other states do it.

One thing I do know,

There are a lot of bucks running around this year, and I am 2 months to my season start.

Can't wait!

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Found this super interesting:


Another unique aspect of pronghorns compared to other game animals is that their horns reach a maximum size at a relatively early age. Studies of pronghorn from Colorado north to Montana and Alberta consistently show pronghorn achieving a plateau in horn size by 2 – 3 years of age. Pronghorn in New Mexico and Arizona may have peak horn size later, perhaps 4-5 years of age. Furthermore, young bucks (less than four years of age) are often half of the top 10 largest pronghorn harvested in a region. The highest scoring Boone and Crockett pronghorn trophies, in which the animals’ ages are known, are three years old or younger!

 

[Big Sky Guy]

Shoot him and send us a tooth and I’ll let you know.

Pronghorn also have a staggered eruption so you can also age them pretty accurately up until 4 by which incisors are permanent vs. deciduous. I1’s erupt at 1, I2’s at 2 and I3’s at 3 and I4/LC at 4. If the buck has all four permanent incisors it’s most likely at least 4 years old. Or if it has permanent I1’s and I2’s then the buck should be 2.

 

[Bluffgruff]

To answer your question, yes, they regress with age if they get passed that 6-7 year mark. Howerver, pronghorn are tough to age on the hoof, and the difference between an average-horned one and a good one and a great one is about 15 total inches spread over 12 measurements.

A buck born in good range conditions will be bigger than a buck born in poor range conditions that is older, and most reach a high percentage of their maximum horn length by age 2 (even in NM and Arizona). Head size varies a lot too, at the same age, but is often regional. Some bucks have 12" flesh-on length, some have 14-15" flesh-on length. Cheek patch size does not seem to indicate age based on my lifetime sample of bucks.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

[Bluffgruff]

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22653

 

[mevertsen]

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.22653

Wow. Long read.

But it seems like that could apply to a lot of questions with deer and elk, as well as pronghorn.

Thanks for the link

 

[BuzzH]

To answer your question, yes, they regress with age if they get passed that 6-7 year mark. Howerver, pronghorn are tough to age on the hoof, and the difference between an average-horned one and a good one and a great one is about 15 total inches spread over 12 measurements.

A buck born in good range conditions will be bigger than a buck born in poor range conditions that is older, and most reach a high percentage of their maximum horn length by age 2 (even in NM and Arizona). Head size varies a lot too, at the same age, but is often regional. Some bucks have 12" flesh-on length, some have 14-15" flesh-on length. Cheek patch size does not seem to indicate age based on my lifetime sample of bucks.

Good luck on the hunt!

That's total crap...most bucks do not reach a high percentage of their horn growth by 2. All the biggest bucks in my household, 5 that are officially scored record book bucks are 4+. Another half dozen or so that gross 80-81 that net out...all also 4+.

I have one buck that is 2 that grosses about 78.

Where that crap comes from about 2 year old bucks having their best horns is crazy.

Sure, a great genetic buck could make 80+, but when they're dead at 2, impossible to say they had their best horns at that age. You can't know because they're dead.

I also know a couple real serious WY pronghorn hunters that have killed a bunch of B&C pronghorn here in Wyoming, nearly all, if not all of them are 4+.

 

[Bluffgruff]

95% growth at 3.5 years in Wyoming, regression after 7.5 years, during this study period, in this location. In NM, the article I read had bucks reaching within an inch of max at 2.5 in their study. I didn't make up the numbers.

Edit: Wasn't Gallo's world record b&c pronghorn 2.5 years old?

 

[BuzzH]

95% growth at 3.5 years in Wyoming, regression after 7.5 years, during this study period, in this location. In NM, the article I read had bucks reaching within an inch of max at 2.5 in their study. I didn't make up the numbers.

According to who? For starters the .5 in 3 doesn't mean jack.

They're done growing horns by June.

Secondly even if a buck is 80 at age 3 with 95% of his horn growth, at age 4 it jumps to 84. Bigggg difference between an 80 and 84 inch pronghorn.

The exact reason why all our top scoring pronghorn are 4+.

In my experience I think their best horns are at 5 or 6 years old.

It's a shame to kill a 2 or 3 year old buck that scores in that 77-80 range, sadly many do.

The one that I shot that was 2 that grossed 78, it was easy to tell he was a young buck...what a bummer to kill that one.

I've still not found how to definitively say a buck has his highest scoring horns at 2 when he's dead at 2? You're going to have a hard time convincing me that a dead 2 year old buck has his best horns when you'll never know what he would have been at 3, 4, 5...

I guess you can make the claim that even a 1 year old buck had his best horns at 1, he's dead, won't be getting any better I guess.

 

[BuzzH]

95% growth at 3.5 years in Wyoming, regression after 7.5 years, during this study period, in this location. In NM, the article I read had bucks reaching within an inch of max at 2.5 in their study. I didn't make up the numbers.

Edit: Wasn't Gallo's world record b&c pronghorn 2.5 years old?

Wonder how much bigger it would have been at 3, 4, or 5?