What Age Do Whitetails Grow The Biggest Rack? Mature Whitetails | Antler Size | Whitetail Management

Question I get all the time is "when does a deer peak for antler size based off age?'' With years of experience and passing tons of mature whitetails, I found that 7 years old is when we find that they grow their biggest antlers. Can they have their biggest rack before or after 7 years of age? The answer is yes they can, but we found here in the midwest that 7 years of age was the magic number. It's always risky passing big looking 5 and 6 year old deer but holding out and betting on the deer is how we grow giant whitetails. I am not encouraging anyone to pass any certain deer, I'm just stating what we have seen here in Iowa the last 20 -30 years doing this.
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[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Area I grew up in - in Michigan - usually didn’t even see a 2.5 in a whole season. So- please understand, I understand the challenges & I have perspective. There’s parts of the country where it’s an accomplishment to grow a 3.5. Whatever is normal for your area- there’s absolutely things that can be done to help get deer to the “next level or year older”. Many areas don’t get 5.5’s - often due to poor regulations. This is just a “how do deer progress if the magic situations occur”. & yes, it can occur far more often than most realize if do it right & do have the desire for it

[@Ebjs]

I live in Michigan, hunt public most of my life, put trail cams in places ive never seen human footprints in 2 decades, the old ones exist.... They are just smarter than most people can ever imagine

[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Agree. We hunted in the UP a few times. There was close to no hunters on some of these places 5-10 miles back. I would say most died from winters than hunters. When a buck was mature up there- usually 110 to maybe 140’s. Occasionally a 150’s. My great grandpa hunted & we still have some OLD mounts from guessing: 50’s & 60’s & id guess some are 135-150’s for the biggest. I’ve heard of bigger but never knew anyone who shot anything over maybe 160’s. It’s a cool place. Just won’t grow the biggest racked deer.

[@Ebjs]

@@Iowa_Whitetail i hunt northern lower peninsula, lots of young deer, but if you throw on the waders and hit the swamps near the rivers on the east side where its all dammed up, you can find some 4.5+ year old bucks, with cameras that is, ive never drawn blood on one, but ive had one on cam for 4 years now that you would never believe is on public land

[@Ebjs]

@@Iowa_Whitetail he has 3 visible scars from what looks like bullet skids on his back.... When i first had him on cam 4 years ago he only had two.... So someone else knows hes there lol

[@iowaoutdoors250]

Man who is this guy! What an insane trophy wall. The patience and the discipline this takes is insane, I don’t think anyone truly understands how hard that would be to pass a 5.5-6.5 year old deer.

[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Thanks. Just a regular dude that’s eaten up with bow hunting. Lot of years behind that. Took a long time to pass certain deer. & yep- I started out shooting 1.5 year olds in MI! 😜🥳.

[@primer3458]

I hunt in a neighboring state to Iowa and seeing a buck get over 5 years old is extremely rare not because they are all shot before 7 but because they get so damn smart in where they bed with all the hunting pressure it’s hard to find them. GREAT VIDEO!

[@thebowhunterdude6018]

We need stories on all these deer asap!

[@BigCountry67]

Great episode. Tremendous bucks on those walls. You should produce more content if you have the time.

[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Working on it!!!!! 🥳

[@patschuette8045]

Great video skip!!!

[@aw4088]

Hey Skip you have an awesome trophy wall ,wow 😯👍👍

[@huntermoon7251]

Great video bc I’ve been passing a deer a lot of ppl would shoot for the last two seasons and from 4 to 5 he jumped about 20 inches this should be his 6 year if I was right about him being 3 at the time I took notice of him can’t wait to see him this year

[@travissmith-wz5nc]

I think good mineral soil mean they grow longer. In Michigan upper You see a abnormal amount of chocolate racks. I wonder about browse and that's effect.

[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Really good point. For sure adds to a deer reaching its full genetic potential as well. We get some chocolate racks here only if they rub cedars & walnuts. Those big woods bucks of the north with true chocolate racks sure are awesome!!

[@danmartin9850]

Those are some huge sheds!

[@ryansanders5977]

What a wall 🤯

[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Thank you. Im blessed but appreciative coming from a state where I didn’t see deer I’d ever mount 🤯😜

[@jarrodlambert3914]

Nice

[@aw4088]

I'm curious, how many acres do you manage so that you can keep those bucks till they are 7 years old? I have 118 acres here in Ohio and if I pass 3 year old bucks and I do, they get shot by the neighbors. 😑

[@Iowa_Whitetail]

Smallest is 30. 0 to 2 mature bucks depending on year. Usually 1. Some farms 80 to 160. Those are 1-3. Sometimes 0. But usually average 2. Keys- year round diverse food sources. Premium cover. Low pressure & hunted right. Plus careful trigger fingers. Bad neighbors make it SO MUCH harder!!! Still things to help!!! Some areas & neighbors make things so much harder. Or easier in some cases. Growing mature bucks is plain old HARD anywhere. It’s a small % that reach maturity in many cases. Things can be done to vastly increase that % though.

[@aw4088]

@@Iowa_Whitetail thank you very much for the reply, I really appreciate it.

[@DeputyDoofy209]

This is westin

[@marloraske5203]

'Promosm' 😈