How Long?

[Mike Belt]

Per the shed tread... I've always found fresh scrapes as late as into early turkey season as well as seeing some bucks still carrying their antlers. There also may be some buck fighting occurring. From what I gather, there's a surge in testosterone just prior to new antler growth and/or possibly the shedding of old antlers. I guess my question is, do the older bucks maintain a higher testosterone level from the rutting season than the younger bucks or do they have higher levels during this surge in the spring...or are all bucks created equal?

 

[pass-thru]

I don't know about the hormone levels, but it seems that there are certain scrapes that are kept open all year, though not worked are checked at nearly the same level as during the rut.

If it a drop in hormone levels is what causes bucks to drop antlers, then it would not seem to follow that hormones would surge right beforehand...because then the antlers wouldn't drop.

What I have seen on my cameras, is mature bucks that disappear during hunting season start showing back up mid January or so. By March it seems bachelor groups start to form back up. I haven't noticed signs of fighting.