Kerr WMA: Deer Research Projects

Effects of Selection for Non-typical Antler Traits

Whitetail Antler Whitetail Antler

Since 1995, the following breeding pens were established to initiate a project designed to perpetuate a group of deer related to males exhibiting non-typical antler characteristics.

1995: Buck 89-50 (GBC 190+) was bred to 10 surplus does from the G/E Interaction study.

1996: Buck 93-31 (GBC 195+) was bred to 13 does from the G/E Interaction study.

1997: Buck 93-19 (large-antlered non-typical) was bred to 8 does from the G/E Interaction study (3 does from 89-10 and 5 from 89-50).

1998: Buck 89-10 (GBC 205+) was bred to 5 does from G/E Interaction study (2 does from 89-10 and spike line does), and 2 does from 89-50 and 8 does from 93-31. This mating has two purposes: (1) To compare his progeny from this mating (with non-spike line does) to his progeny from mating with spike-line does, and (2) to continue the non-typical pilot study using a sire with exceptional non-typical antler characteristics bred to females which were sired by large non-typical males.