Just Big Racks

Just Big Antlers

Antlers grow in all shapes and sizes. Every antler is unique. It takes good genetics, prime forage and time to grow awesome antlers. Arizona, New Mexico and Private lands seem to be the place where elk grow massive antlers. Mild winters, important minerals in the soil and successful game management programs also help.

Each tine on a typical 6-point bull elk antler has a name. The first tine, closest to the crown, is called the brow tine. They protect the bull’s eyes when sparring with other bulls. The next tine up the main beam is called the bez tine. The third one up is called the trez tine. The fourth tine is called the royal. Anything beyond that is called the fifth, sixth, etc.

How can you tell a potential trophy with your own eye in the field? I’d say the brow; the trez and the royal tines are the ones to watch. These seem to determine if the bull has what it takes to become a nice trophy one day. If these three tines are extraordinarily long then the bull has a good chance of growing larger every year if his conditions remain fair. This could take six to eight years of great conditions. That consistency is hard to get in nature. Also, as elk get older their antlers become less impressive. You may see a 12 year old with a large body but small antlers in proportion to his size. Most likely his age is what has caused the antlers to not grow as they once did.

Antler mass and spread are also important. The main beam should be heavy, especially where it connects with the tines. If you come across antlers that are hard to wrap your hand around completely then you’ve found something special. Antler spread makes a bull appear larger than he may really be. It maybe more useful to the bull when defending his harem in September but it’s also important when measuring antlers for the record books.

Color will uncover some details of where the bull lives during August. Dark (almost black) antlers tell you the bull has found some nice pine, deep in an old, dark forested area, to scrape the velvet off. Lighter antler colors (like those found in Arizona) come from different types of trees and the Sun.

It’s not easy to find trophy antlers. All the variables have to be perfect for good antler growth. You also have to hope the bull doesn’t injure the antlers while they are growing. And hope he doesn’t bust a tine when battling for dominance in September. That’s a lot to hope for. Now you know why antler art is so expensive!