What is drop tine?
All dears have a similar antler shape which exemplifies the species. Most people use these drop tines to identify different species; different people have different sizes and shape preferences of antlers. Some might live with wide antlers, and others are happy to see unusual antlers. When it comes to non-typical tines, the drop tines are considered odd. Hunters find drop lines, especially the double-shaped ones, which has caused deer hunting to become sacred in hunting cultures.
Factors causing odd or misplaced tines
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Age
Age is a major factor affecting the size of antlers, the young bucks, which are allocating the nutrients from the food they eat to body development and growth, leave little nutrients for antler development. With time as their bodies mature up, at the age of about two to three years, now the bucks’ nutrients can be passed on to the antlers, which is why young bucks will not have clear characteristics. Wild bucks are known to start showing drop tines before at least getting to three years, but often they are seen at five years.
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Nutrition
Bucks need to get proper nutrition to get antler growth. Once their body has enough nutrition, it becomes mature; thus, other nutrients can develop luxurious body parts. A buck might have the special genetics for developing drop lines, but due to getting poor nutrition, it might not be able to grow them. Good nutrition provides body-building materials to the bucks, and that is why you will find the more the bucks eat well, the higher the chances of them getting drop tines.
Are drop tines hard to find?
No, they are not. It is mostly hard to find bucks that are five to seven years old without drop lines, especially those in private lands, and get nutritious food. There have not been specific reasons why bucks get drop tines.
Differences between a drop tine and a brow tine
The term brow tine comes from the strategic place that these tines are found. They are located close to the deer’s brow or forehead and are easily visible A brow tine can be described as an antler point protruding upwards from an antelope’s antler’s base. In scientific terms, it is specifically known as the “G1” antler. It is among the very first antler points to be developed by a pretty standard whitetail buck. These brow tines become easily noticeable immediately when antelopes begin maturing and growing in other points in its body. The term brow tine comes from the strategic place that these tines are found. They are located close to the deer’s brow or forehead and are easily visible
Compared to browntines, drop tines are sometimes found on large and asymmetrical antler racks. It is rare to have double drop tines and, at the same time, maintain symmetry, but this does not mean it is impossible. In simpler terms, antlers pointing downwards and not facing upwards like the rest are referred to as a drop tine. They usually start appearing on bucks with huge racks after the usual set of points has already formed.
Hunters categorize racks with drop tines as unique species. These drop tines are also a sign that bucks are fully grown and are in exceptionally good health. It is also common for smaller drop tines to start appearing after the buck develops huge ones. Some hunters keep drop tines as trophies because they find them appealing and interesting.
Bucks that have drop tines
Take time and have a closer look at bucks. Don’t they look amazing? Don’t they look beautiful in the previous summer? A researcher Brad Rucks revealed something unique on his camera while taking videos. Even though this buck was bout only two to one and a half years old, Rucks had wished that one of his children would have gotten a shot at it while at their bow or gun hunting season. Too bad it did not occur. He kept hoping that they will run into a buck that has this amazing antlers that face downwards in the future. at this point, the world was familiar with brown tines.
What is easily recognizable about drop tines in the whitetail deer?
Whitetail deers have antlers that are uniquely formed and are facing downwards. We understand that almost all drop tines can be caused by biological coding. It is true. Bucks might develop unusual antlers due to previous harm; that could be the reason why some whitetail dears appear to have developed drop tines. You can tell this by looking closely at how far apart it is from the pedicle. However, many genuine drop tines were brought about by the bucks genes.
What causes unusual drop tines
Here are several factors that could about non-typical as well as deformed antlers In bucks;
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Velvet quantity
Antlers that are in the velvet stage are more prone to getting damaged. These velvets are responsible for protecting bloodvesssels and soft materials that develop underneath that will at lastly develop to become hardened antler. In case the velvet will get severely damaged. The animal involved most likely will display down lines that are crooked or deformed.
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Hormones levels
The level of hormones is going to affect the formation and shape of droplines. If a buck has low levels of testeserone hormones, chances are it will not shed its velvet often. Instead, it will have abudannt velvet near its pedicle area, thus growing strong drop tines.
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Injury
It is important to know bodily injuries also take part in causing drop tunes to look crooked. A good example is a buck with an injured leg, which is more likely to have disformed drop tines. The animal is taking up more energy and nutrients to heal the injury instead of putting energy towards antlers’ growth.
Conclusion
There are so many different factors that bring about drop tunes. The good thing is drop tunes are beautifully placed and they make bucks look beautiful and unique.Drop Tines occur naturally, but in some instances, they mar due to accidents,low velvet concentration in the antlers, and poor nutrition.
