Lost Antlers?

Bow Life · Post by **Bow Life** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:58 pm

Hey guys, i was out coyote hunting this past weekend in an area i have seen many bucks over the past deer season. I setup on the ground in the bush and when my friend walked through from the opposite end he pushed 5 large deer 50 yards away from me. I was wondering could these be the bucks that have already lost their antlers or just a group of does that have moved into the area? Im assuming that its just a group of does, and am planning to go out with the video camera sometime soon to see if i can get some video of these bucks but i wanna make sure they are still going to have their antlers. If anyone knows about when it is they loose their antlers Id really appreaciate it. Thanks in advance!

pphoenix · Post by **pphoenix** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:04 pm

last year i did a lot of shed hunting, and only started to find them at the end of march begining of april.

wildwindom · Post by **wildwindom** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:05 pm

Here in ohio ive seen some buck with no head gear!!

bait pile willie · Post by **bait pile willie** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:13 pm

Last week in jan. I found a monster set of sheds that had been off awhile as there was no dried blood on the ends.they can shed anytime now to end of mar.I shed hunt every year and am working on my second hundred.There appears no real set timetable for it,probably hormonal changes that controls it.a taxidermest friend has a huge buck in a fenced area and he drops around mar 14 ,he also believes that bucks near sandier areas shed early eg. long point area.

DJ test · Post by **DJ test** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:15 pm

I have seen several bucks still carrying headgear here in Sounthern Ont. Watford ON to be more specific.
WEather conditions have not put stress on them. No snow and not too cold.
If the weather was really cold and heavy snow the deer would have lost their antlers by now,but due to mild conditions they are under no stress.

Bow Life · Post by **Bow Life** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:47 pm

Thanks for the quick response guys, Im glad that i have a little bit of time to try and get in the bush and catch some video of a few of the big bucks i saw this year and were out of shooting range. I always shed hunt in the spring, but i start once the snow is gone. Thanks again.

kendo kid · Post by **kendo kid** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 6:54 pm

Bow Life
Antler shed occurs based on TWO factors. First the gene pool and what the bucks genetic predispostion is; second the health of the buck. The older bucks reaching the end of their life cycle will drop earlier than they may have drop their antlers when they were younger and healthier. The rigors of the rut during the last or last two years of a buck's life can really stress them. Their teeth are fewer in number so their ability to rebound after the rut and loss of agriculture crops significantly taxes their overall health.

In Queensville about 6 years ago a friend shot (during shotgun season) a nice racked buck. He was short nosed swaybellied and my friend knew it when he shot him. My friend piled him up as the buck tried to "sprint" across a field. When we got to him the buck had knocked off one of the antlers when he piled up. We dressed him out and grabbed hold to pull him to the truck and the other antler came off in our hands immediately. Puzzled and a little freaked out we began to look the deer over. He had only a couple of teeth left and probably would not have made it through the winter. Moral of the story. There are two factors impacting the time of year when sheds occur. Healthier deer will shed in late Feb and March.

R.J. · Post by **R.J.** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:28 pm

I have heard many reports of bucks dropping early this year .

From my personal experience ... a quote from a previous post .

I have pictures of bucks dropped as early as Dec 20th 2004 and saw a buck with one side still on into March 2005 .... been a wierd drop season for sure . the latest I have ever seen a buck with both sides was April !! Many years ago a small 7 point was hit by a car and still had both sides intact ?

From what I have read ...

Male deer grow and shed their antlers every year. Antlers are composed of true bone. Antler growth begins in late March or early April and the growing bone is covered by skin with numerous blood vessels (velvet). In late summer and early fall, testosterone levels increase. This hormone elevation results in the antlers hardening and the buck rubs off the drying velvet. When testosterone levels begin to drop, antlers start to shed beginning in mid January. Deer that are in the best physical condition will lose their antlers later in the winter.

The entire shedding process takes a mere two to three weeks to complete, and the re-growth phase takes place over the summer. The docile male deer that, with the exception of the male and the female reindeer, solely sports antlers, sheds them between January and April, after the autumn mating season draws to a close. He can do without antlers at this time, because his need for them in prior months, to attract and to impress females for his harem of mates, and to fight with his competitors for the females' affections, no longer exists.

Tigerpaw · Post by **Tigerpaw** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:56 pm

Found a nice antler two days ago while out scouting. It seems that some of the boys are losing them already.

Sierra · Post by **Sierra** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:09 am

Saw a half rack here in Ohio last weekend. Very large buck, had five points on the rack.

Last year there were several bucks in the area that carried thier antlers into late May. Some of the other guys at work also observed the same with the bucks in thier areas.

wallymax · Post by **wallymax** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 2:58 pm

The deer this year have been amazingly healthy, so much so that the fat seems to clog the arrow wounds and stop a blood trail. The bucks however having been losing their antlers here since 2nd week of December. By mid December they all had lost them. We took four bucks without antlers and two with only one (the 2nd one came off in when they were dragged out). I don't know why. It seems after they've lost their antlers they wander alot more.

It of course has been unseasonably warm with global warming and all. No permanent snow until a couple days ago. Lots of feed. One big buck walked up to one of our ground blinds and stuck his head inside. The fella in the blind took him with his crossbow after it walked away and started to feed on a cedar tree. And of course no antlers on it. The guys couldn't find it because the blood trail ended. Then after an hour of looking it was standing 20 yds away in the bush. After a short discussion the guy shot it again with the crossbow and the thing walked off and layed down, 2 perfect double lung shots. Lots of weird stories this year.