![]() As we touched on earlier, it’s common for hunters to mistake button bucks for does.Spike Buck Mountain, California Prominence: 1444 ft, 440 mĤ0° 46' 43'' N, 123° 40' 0'' W 40.778731, -123.666773 (Dec Deg) It has what appear to be buttons on its head, which are the pedicles from which they will eventually grow their antlers. Put simply, it’s a male fawn younger than six months old. But if the fawn is too young, it may suffer and even die if it doesn’t have its mother. If you shoot the doe and don’t shoot the fawn, you may feel you are sparing it. If a hunter shoots the doe and the fawn, that fawn will never grow up and become a full-grown deer for the population. This makes sense, as hunting such animals may lead to serious problems. Most hunters won’t shoot if they see a female deer with its young offspring. If you go hunting during doe season in your region, you may wonder whether you should shoot a doe if you see it with a fawn. This is a serious problem from both environmental and hunting perspectives. That general idea is something you should always remember.ĭeer populations are adversely affected if hunters take too many fawns. That’s because if you shoot a button buck, it will never grow into a large, antlered buck for hunters to harvest. Should You Hunt Fawns?Īs we’ve learned, button bucks are fawns and it’s probably better not to shoot button bucks. However, using antlers as weapons against potential predators doesn’t seem to be as common as some might think. ![]() This can be effective, as antlers can be impressive weapons if used the right way. In some cases, deer will use their antlers in self-defense against threats from predat o rs. In fact, the major reason why male deer display their dominance is to achieve access to receptive female deer. If a buck has impressively large antlers, this may be enough to dissuade other male deer from challenging him. There is a hierarchy in deer populations, with competition being a major feature in a buck’s life. This is where the size and strength of an animal’s antlers come in especially handy. ![]() Male deer use their antlers when fighting for dominance with other bucks. This is probably the best-known purpose of deer antlers. Let’s explore some of those reasons here. There are many reasons why it’s important for male deer to have antlers. This is why certain areas are known to product trophy bucks – they have perfect habitat conditions and food for antler development. Phosphorus and calcium are two minerals crucial for antler growth.ĭeer must have a full range of nutrients for optimal health and impressive antlers. Nutrition is vital to antler development and growth. Genes impact these antler characteristics: Even the best genetics won’t be fully expressed if an animal doesn’t have good nutrition. Genetics and nutrition are major factors determining how well and how much a buck’s antlers will grow. A buck will generally have its maximum antler size by the age of 6 ½. At this point, the yearling may have numerous antler points, or it may only have spikes.įor the years after that, the male deer will shed their antlers annually and continue to boost its antler size. When Will a Button Buck Grow its Antlers?Ī button buck will usually have to wait until he’s about 1 ½ years old before he has grown visible antlers. In other words, you cannot clearly see the pedicles themselves, only the bumps. The pedicles on a button buck resemble buttons because they are covered with skin. These are the places where the deer’s antlers will one day develop and grow. The pedicles are the buttons on the button buck’s head. The space between the ears on a doe’s head, however, has a rounded appearance. ![]() The pedicles will make the male fawn’s head look flatter than it would otherwise. Of course, the pedicles (antler bases) on the button buck’s head are a sure sign that you are looking at a fawn. A doe’s neck is always significantly longer than that of a fawn, such as a button buck. A doe also has a longer head overall.Ī button buck’s body will have more of a square shape than a doe. The size of a full-grown doe’s forehead may be compared to a 16-ounce soda bottle.Ī button buck’s forehead will be much smaller, around the size of an 8-ounce bottle of soda.
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