Early Shed

[Hawk103161]

It is very common in Knox county where I use to live to see the deer shed by the 1st of the year... almost every year.

I had 2 different bucks last year that shed 1 side by January 5th. I looked but never found em. Both were 8 points. Knox County

 

[Shedman]

Those are great. I love shed hunting. You use a dog?

I have a dog but she just lays on the couch and watches TV all day and begs for treats and belly scratches. When I shed hunt I go alone.

 

[Canyonfish]

Looks as if it's more common this season from all of the responses. Hope this doesn't become a trend but just an anomaly. Will make hunting late season bucks harder if several losing them early.

 

[BSK]

Conducted my last camera card swap of the season Tuesday. And sure enough, like others have observed, some crazy early antler shedding going on. On my place, bucks started dropping antlers right after Christmas. In this location, I've never seen anything like it. Normally, bucks hold their antlers until at least late February, with most holding them into March. This year, I'll bet 1/3 of bucks had dropped antlers by the time I pulled cameras January 17. Unprecedented, and a sign of severe nutritional/physical stress.

 

[UT-longbeard]

I've noticed 2 bucks that have dropped antlers this past week and one with only one side dropped.

 

[tellico4x4]

Last time it happened for us was 2017, very similar drought & extreme cold weather at end of season. One of guys yugo a "big" doe during antlerless hunt that was actually a 3-1/2 yr old buck that had shed.

 

[BSK]

One of guys **** a "big" doe

I bet that hurt!

 

[tellico4x4]

I bet that hurt!

Haha! * shot* ! Autocorrect & censoring gets me all the time

 

[7mm08]

Wouldn't you expect it with the crappy year reported for acorns this fall?

 

[Tn_Va_Hunter]

Found this set last Sunday. Also found a spike both sides last Thursday.

 

[redblood]

Wouldn't you expect it with the crappy year reported for acorns this fall?

My money is on drought

 

[BSK]

Wouldn't you expect it with the crappy year reported for acorns this fall?

We've had numerous acorn failures over the years, but I've NEVER seen bucks locally dropping antlers in December, and I've got a lot of years of trail-camera data.

I'll have to go back and look closely at my data from 2007. That was the last year the deer were really in terrible shape going into deer season. That was the year with the late severe freeze in spring that killed the acorn crop (even killing the leaves on the trees), then a severe drought and heat-wave in late summer, and the terrible EHD outbreak.