Still Holding Antlers

[Barndog56]

What causes them to hold antlers this late?

 

[Mortenson]

1/30 I'd consider quite early. On most years I'd guess maybe 80-90% still holding on that date, where I'm at in IL anyway. Stress is usually what causes them to drop early. A hard rut, injury, hard winter, etc.

 

[Barndog56]

Ok, I'm not a shed hunter so don't know what is normal I guess. Just remember guys around here cautioning the end of December that bucks were dropping antlers, and were going to get shot as does.

 

[roymunson]

Majority of bucks will lose them in february, i've seen some hold into march, but that's the minority.

The vast minority will lose antlers end of december, but often there are other circumstances that lead to it (stress, injury, harsh winter, etc)

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

There are deer every year that are seen holding in early April. Like mentioned above most will loose in Feb.

 

[bwoods11]

We usually shed hunt in March. I often see bucks with antlers in Iowa, in early March. Mid-March usually all have dropped.

 

[bowhunternw]

I am with the others. Some will drop before Jan 1st but the majority I believe will hold till feb. However have seen them go into march.

 

[WNY8N]

All my pics from Jan thru this past weekend still had both sides on. Our logger just started back up last week and I'm hoping to find a whole bunch of sheds in these fresh tops!

 

[JFK52]

I saw three different bucks in my yard last week and they all had their antlers. This is about 25 miles North of Madison, WI. I have noted where they jump the barb wire fence around my yard hoping this might be a good place to look for their sheds.

 

[Apple Junkie]

Yep, trail cam shows the bucks are still sporting atlers here too. I'm going to make a note of the date I see the last buck still carrying atlers this winter/spring.

 

[Northbound]

Ok, I'm not a shed hunter so don't know what is normal I guess. Just remember guys around here cautioning the end of December that bucks were dropping antlers, and were going to get shot as does.

This is what guys who don't hunt the late season always tell the guys still out there... I hunted right up to the end in Wisconsin (jan31st in some areas) as I do every year. 90%where still holding. Unless injured they tend to hold into feburary. Generally start searching for sheds last week of February here

 

[Mortenson]

Checked a few cameras yesterday. Just a simple walk in walk out to make sure batteries are alive. DNR "snipers" are on the adjoining farm, so I have to be real cautious for a couple months. Spotted 1 antler while walking to a cam. Spotted the dark 1 driving down our lane. I included a pic of the buck carrying the antler. Not sure how old he is, but typical of many of our deer, he has a big body and a small rack. Maybe he's young and hasn't grown into his body yet.

 

[Northbound]

That second pic, is the antler really that brown except the tips or just a tricky picture? I feel id never find em if that was common coloring

 

[Mortenson]

Yes it's a pretty dark one. Camera showed that buck had shed that antler but was still holding his other side on 1/17. His tips are white because they were chewed by squirrels. They make a thousand trips a day to and from the walnut trees right there. It was a good card pull because most the bucks I thought made it through all the seasons showed up on my cams the past 2 weeks, all but this guy still holding their horns around 1/31. I'd ordinarily celebrate the confirmation, but it means nothing since from now til April any and all of them can get sniped in the night over a pile of corn by Big Brother. Sucks. I'll do very little habitat work and shed hunting.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Nice shed, but it sucks he still could die. Why do the neighbors allow the dnr to kill them all?

 

[Mortenson]

This neighbor allowed it for the past several years under it's corporate ownership. Very recently the land has become gov't owned. Big chunk of ground.

Five years ago they duped an elderly neighbor into letting them set up by saying the deer would all die if he didn't let them manage the disease.

 

[ksgobbler]

We have a late anterless season and you have to be careful due to bucks that have shed. Ive got around 4 that have shed both sides so far.

Found this matched set while pulling treestands just before an ice storm in early Jan 3 years ago. They were side by side bases up.

 

[Mortenson]

Got a call yesterday that the gas pipeline crew was coming through the timber, so my boy and I spent 30 minutes walking part of the line before these guys got an easy 1. The matched set is a young buck I passed several times.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Your definition of a young buck and my definition of a young buck are way different!

That's a really good buck, nice find.

 

[Boone]

Got a call yesterday that the gas pipeline crew was coming through the timber, so my boy and I spent 30 minutes walking part of the line before these guys got an easy 1. The matched set is a young buck I passed several times.

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I hunt a great area and that would be a solid 4 yr old buck. Looks like it carries its mass all the way to the tips, great buck!