Buck dropping antlers already….

[redblood]

In the last few days seen several bucks already dropping including one of our target bucks who dropped his 2 days ago (and shed recovered) . He had been shot earlier in yr on farm behind mine. Be careful before dragging a buck if you kill one.


The big shed was found by neighbor where that deer was feeding the afternoon before. One pic he had both sides, the next one he is a half rack.

 

[Remi]

A lady just north of us killed a giant doe last week. It was actually a huge buck they had been after for a few years that had already shed his antlers.

 

[.243 Deer]

This is normal for my place this time of year. Most bucks will be shed by the second week of January here. They say the stress from getting shot at can actually make them drop their antlers earlier.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Not typical around here for them to drop this early, but have seen them drop around this time before in the past.

 

[Remington700]

Saw some smaller bucks with half a rack this last week. Just figured they were damaged early on. Never thought about them dropping this early. Typically it is much later around me.

 

[deerhunter10]

Generally not a good sign. I would venture to say the drought of the summer has something to do with it. Besides the one deer that was shot. I have noticed any yet on our places yet but will keep an eye out.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Wow...sure is early...but I guess someone needs to start the shed thread early for the 2024/2025 shed hunt season...I know we have a couple of bucks I hope we can find the sheds from.

 

[Ski]

I would venture to say the drought of the summer has something to do with it.

I'd guess you're correct.

 

[MickThompson]

We have this same conversation every year, don't we?

 

[redblood]

Id say drought and overpopulation here is the culprit

 

[swampbadger]

I've heard from big time shed hunters 20-60-20.

20 in jan
60 in feb
20 in march

I've seen them still holding both sides in the third week of march.

 

[Tn_Va_Hunter]

I've seen 3 in the last 2 days that had dropped both sides. Unfortunately I couldn't find their sheds. Yet.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I wish ours would lose theirs, that's when deer season officially ends here, when the antlers shed.

 

[knightrider]

March here is typical, always see bucks still carrying during turkey season

 

[Dumbluck]

@redblood is that the deer you posted earlier that was shot in the leg, the big 8? I figured he'd drop early. I hope he makes it.

 

[megalomaniac]

Shedding antlers is a form of stress relief caused by a rapid drop in testosterone. It is a normal function when it occurs after all, the dos have been bred. When it happens before all the doors have been bred, it is a function of self-preservation for increasing survival odds for stressed out bucks. In essence, they are saying I am taking my ball and going home despite the game not being over.

 

[timberjack86]

March here is typical, always see bucks still carrying during turkey season

Same here

 

[backyardtndeer]

overpopulation here is the culprit

You post a lot of deer, what kind of densities do you have on your properties?

 

[redblood]

@redblood is that the deer you posted earlier that was shot in the leg, the big 8? I figured he'd drop early. I hope he makes it.

Thats him

 

[redblood]

You post a lot of deer, what kind of densities do you have on your properties?

Incredibly high. Guy that farms this used to get depredation permits. When i bought the olace found lots if buck skulls that died in velvet. We put an end to it but need to do a better job of lowering our doe numbers.

 

[Ski]

We have this same conversation every year, don't we?

We have every conversation every year.

 

[tellico4x4]

One guy saw one at our place on 12/31 & I just saw one too. Wayne Co.

 

[redblood]

2 new half racks last night

 

[Gravey]

Saw a basket 8 yesterday morning still holding both sides and then a buck in the afternoon that has dropped both sides. He was walking with a limp on his back left leg and could see a knot below the knee where he had some kind of injury.

 

[BSK]

Glad you started this thread redblood.

Antler drop timing is a function of buck health and stress levels. Bucks that are nutritionally and/or rut stressed will drop their antlers much earlier than bucks that are not nutritionally stressed or rut stressed. I've seen highly stressed herds where bucks would be dropping antlers in December turned in a herd that would hold antlers until spring by removing nutritional and some rut stress.

On my place, older bucks generally drop antlers late February through mid-March, with some yearling bucks holding antlers until opening weekend of turkey season. However, I've never seen anything like this year. Antlers started falling off like fall leaves on my place stating right around January 6th. I took my cameras down January 9, and from the 6th to the 9th, antlers were falling off left and right, especially among the older bucks. I would say 75% of the older bucks on my place had already lost at least 1 antler by the 9th. That's CRAZY early for my place.

I blame the summer/fall drought and the local acorn failure. I also believe I'm seeing more rut stress in the bucks from fighting. An insane percentage of the older bucks were limping on a front leg by the end of the rut.