I'm seeing deer missing antler but I've been skunked on 3 outings.
I almost always find a few, but most hold onto them into March. I'm also looking for deadheads and seeing if any travel patterns changed. It's just a good time to be in the woods, checking things out before green-up while not worrying about bumping deer.If I had bucks dropping antlers before mid-February, I would be worried.
Agreed. Not uncommon for a very dominant buck that was heavily involved in the rut to be so stressed he drops antlers early. But what would freak me out is if a bunch of bucks are dropping early. Like last year. The drought in my area was so severe that most bucks had dropped antlers by January 15. I've never seen anything like it in my area. I was seeing bucks without antlers right after Christmas.I almost always find a few, but most hold onto them into March. I'm also looking for deadheads and seeing if any travel patterns changed. It's just a good time to be in the woods, checking things out before green-up while not worrying about bumping deer.
I start seeing afew early bucks, right after Christmas. Then around the first of feb, i have half racks and sheds showing up on cam. Our deer density is absurdly high, no doubt.Agreed. Not uncommon for a very dominant buck that was heavily involved in the rut to be so stressed he drops antlers early. But what would freak me out is if a bunch of bucks are dropping early. Like last year. The drought in my area was so severe that most bucks had dropped antlers by January 15. I've never seen anything like it in my area. I was seeing bucks without antlers right after Christmas.