ANTLERS ARE OFF, ANTLERS ARE DOWN, BUT antlers are buried deep in the snow...
On my "observation herd" anyhow.
Headed back out to the cemetery on Sunday afternoon. I was not able to make it at all this week or on Saturday.
My whole desire with this little "experiment" was two fold. I wanted to know accurately, and without disturbing wintering spots, when the deer around my area drop their antlers, which would then let me begin shed hunting at the right time. I also wanted to see a half-rack buck because I am yet to see one. I was pretty excited when I found out about these "cemetery deer" because it was an easy way to accomplish both of my plans, and by posting the pictures on here I was able to take everyone along with me.
Well the fun is done
I accomplished my first goal, but not the second.When I got there this Sunday, I almost immediately spotted the deer - - but not the bucks. I saw two deer that I thought were the bucks minus head gear.
I met two old folks who look like they walk in there every day, and they confirmed that, yes, the bucks had shed, and also that they had already been scouring the cemetery looking for their dropped antlers. (so much for scoring an easy find!
) Other than finding one antler in January, they have not found any from the two 8pts. They also told me that they saw a big owl in there this week, and that there was a dead deer in one part of the cemetery that had been ripped to shreds and picked clean. Probably a coyote or a domestic dog. They also went on to tell me that they had read that the males shed their antlers in November and the females shed theirs in February. WHAT ON EARTH? Needless to say, I had to set them just a little bit straight - caribou are the only deer species for both males and females to have antlers, not whitetail deer; these are whitetails, only the males have antlers, the females don't. I found it comical. "Oh. We will have to read it off the internet again then." Nice folks, just not the most knowledgeable. It was crawling with photographers and people coming through just to see them, so I have no delusions of even finding one antler here.
I brought a couple cobs of corn with me, as you will see in the pics.
If anyone else wants to keep on posting how the bucks are shedding in your area, take up the torch and keep us informed!
This button buck and the little doe fawn were fighting over a cob in the snow - it was hilarious to watch!
