Bull pic - how much more growth?

[Coueser]

I need to invest in better binos and a tripod but in the mean time here is my attempt to take a picture through my binos laying on a rock - sorry for the quality. This is from 6/20/15. I know there is another month of growing season but I would think with some of the photos posted recently that the bigger bulls must be ~90% of what they will end up. Anybody have any thoughts on how much more they'll grow?

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Man he looks thick and heavy

[HuntHarder]

IMO, by early July, most Big Bulls will be pretty much finished.

[Sneaker]

It varies of course by area and bull but he looks like he is getting close, can't wait to get out to my unit again and seee how the Bulls are doing.

[ready2hunt]

IMO, by early July, most Big Bulls will be pretty much finished.

 

+1 I have never noticed significant growth after the 2nd week of July on my cams. I am sure there is some but I cannot account for it

[wildwoody]

+1

[Huntmoore]

+1 on what HuntHarder said...

 

But Ron...seeing that bull gets me pumped!! I am really hoping to get up and help you and your boys for a couple of days!!

[Pixman]

Great question and I have been wondering the same thing. Do bulls continue to grow velvet until they scrape it off or do they just stop growing for a while? I normally don't see bulls scraping velvet until mid August.

[bonecollector777]

I have a bunch of pics of bulls all through the summer last year and from what I could see they were putting on inches til end of July. I believe once they stop growing the antlers are hardening for a few weeks before the velvet get scraped off.

[Coueser]

Interesting thoughts. I don't have good picture support but it has seemed to me anecdotely that the big Bulls finish growing earlier than the smaller Bulls. I would have guessed in the next 2-3 weeks tops they would be pretty much done. Bonehunter, when you said you saw Bulls growing the entire month of July were some of those big Bulls that continued to add inches?

[bonecollector777]

Sorry for sideways photos. First pic of this bull is June 30th so pretty close to beginning of july. Next two pics with dates I believe are July 20th or so. The last two pics are July 26th. You can definitely see growth from the 20th to the 26th. His extra point grew and his fifth and main beam definitely put on some inches. By the looks of it July 26th all of his points are out to a sharp point and not balled up so he was pretty much about done.

[bonecollector777]

Apparently the program that adds photos has a mind of its own. It put them all out of order but just look at the dates and the ones without dates are from July 20th.

[Str8Shot]

Bulls can keep growing through late July and even into early August ( though the smaller guys are usually the ones growing in August ) ... An increase in Testosterone triggers the Velvet to basically choke off the blood flow and stop growing several weeks to a month before they start rubbing .. During that time the Bone is hardening and the blood and water is used up making the velvet begin to dry up slowly once the bone is hardened they stripping that velvet off...

[Coueser]

Great pics Bonehunter. He definitely added a lot from 6/30 to 7/20 and interesting to see how much his fifths grew that last week.

[Alpinebullwinkle]

Historically August 9 is when I usually find the first rub of the year. Earliest ever was August 4. I've had pals tell me they have viewed rubbed Bulls by mid-July but I still have to see it to believe it. I suspect what they have viewed is the start of hardening. My experience suggests the big Bulls fill out their tips by the 3rd or 4th week of July and only add mass the last week or so prior to rubbing. Smaller Bulls horn growth time line is slightly delayed as they also shed later than the bigger Bulls.