I used to think testosterone levels and such too, but when your in one area private land for yrs and yrs and well cared for land and see some bucks dogging does and others NOT, and then a out of control buck to doe ratio(about 7-8 to one)
I cannot see that working as the reason a buck drops it antlers, as typically if you read things by many so called experts, bucks don't run out till all doe are bred more or less, they will keep at it(if possible LOL)
I know many doe in my area DON"T get bred due to just too many
so when some bucks drop antlers in early dec(I found some on dec first, actually walking into a treestand for gun season a few times and seen buck day before ) and then seeing a bunch of other bucks of like size/age still holding antlers till march in
and then seeing same buck in a 3 yr cycle, go from shedding early to holding late and then early drop again<
it just doesn't add up
16+ acres of prime food plots on the land, so ALL bucks tend to eat same foods, or can if wanted ??
weather yr to yr being about the same, yr they came off early one yr was 20 degree,(normal cold winter) next yr came off early was in the 50's when they came off, and yr they held till march was in a COLD winter (more normal one)
had 17+ yrs of running a ton of cam's on this property and thousands of hrs there in person, knew deer heard very very well, and found 25-30+ shed a yr, so kept good tabs on things
I just again gave up trying to say THIS is why they come off, when half would fall off early or so and other half hold late, from BIG to small you young to old bucks>> NO rhyme or reason I could single out??