Just saw 2 bucks with full head gear!

[doubleo]

Just saw 2 eight pointers both were probably 2 1/2 year olds. It's been a warm winter here in Wis. Above normal temps and very little snow. The deer have it made this winter. The bucks aren't stressed so they'll be carrying there racks a little longer this year.
Any body else seeing bucks with there horns yet?

[Bowwild]

I haven't seen any this year.  Saw one on April 10th at Kingsbury FW area in LaPorte, IN back in the early 1980's.

[Joeabowhunter]

Here is one still with horns 10 days ago.  

[kbetts]

Got one up with both sides on Friday.  All my pics still show all with two.

[BOHO]

already finding a few sheds down here. guess maybe it works the opposite down south

[Horn Chaser]

All the ones on my lease have already shed their antlers. They started dropping them in late Dec. for whatever reason they drop early there.

[Zbone]

Kinda been keeping notes for years on this sort of thing and not uncommon for whitetails to carry racks into March, some even into April. Do a search and you'll see late shedding threads here annually.


Several factors as to the cycle of antlers - genetics, nutrition, age, injury, stress, sexual activity, etc., but drop in testosterone levels is the main factor for shedding. Recently read in a magazine that the testosterone drops causing the skull to reabsorb calcium from the antlers weakening the bone at the pedicle to where they break off.

[buckeye_hunter]

I've seen some with full head gear, some with none and some with only half. All within the last week.

[doubleo]

My buddy hasen't found a shed horn this year and he's been looking almost every day since Dec. His best year i think he found 13 sheds.

[BigErn]

We still are seeing bucks with antlers
here in Central Texas!
                           Ernie

[LKH]

Drop dates for the deer family are not really dates, more of a period.  

It's kind of like a bell curve, starts slow, gets to a peak and then ends slow.

[Zbone]

LRK - "It's kind of like a bell curve, starts slow, gets to a peak and then ends slow."

Yeah, tend to agree. Peak period in my area seems to about this time of year from mid/late February through early March annually, regardless of the weather.


Had a young buck cast one side in my back yard the other day. Seen him fully crowned on Sunday the 19th, and found his right antler Tuesday morning of the 21st.

[RUTANDSTRUT]

i have been trying to shed hunt but still seeing quite a few bucks with headgear on here in NJ.  actually seen active scrapes last week!  i think this global warming has got the deer all screwed up!

[Maxx Black]

Went into town last night and saw two groups of mule deer and all the bucks (five) still had both sides.  Mild weather here as well . Maxx

[Herdbull]

We saw 4 bucks together with full racks and one with only one side. They may take a little longer this year to drop because of low stress and warmer weather. Mike

[hedgetree]

Found just a couple so far this year. Saw several bucks yesterday still with head gear two of them where real nice.

[Jsbowhunt]

I just saw two seperate bucks here in central jersey still with their racks, one was a dandy! I can't ever recall seeing racks this late in the year.

[pdk25]

2 young 6 points with their both antlers on my place on a trail camera from last wednesday.

[Tim]

I've went shed hunting twice in the past week and both times I jumped deer with rather nice full racked bucks bring up the rear as they bounded off!    

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Found a decent one 2 weeks ago but most are still carrying even up here!