Last Tuesday was the last day of the NY blackpowder season. I shot what I thought was a (very nice) doe but it turned out to be a buck that had already shed its antlers.
I don't remember ever seeing a buck shed this early in the year, it was only Dec. 16. Is this normal? It was an otherwise healthy animal, good size, nice coat, etc.

From what i have read this isn't normal but on the east coast bucks have started to shed their antlers in late november.

ITS NORMAL THAT THE BUCK YOU GOT SHED HIS ANTLERS. IT ALSO DEPENDS ON TH DEER'S FEED, PRESSURE HE HAD, THE AMOUNT OF MATING HE HAS DONE, ALL THIS ADDS UP TO STRESS, AND THE MORE THE STRESS THE FASTER THE ANTLERS ARE CASTED OFF.

Cdr, Buckeyehunr, has a thread going on this in the Deer Hunting Forum, you may want to adress this in there, Good luck, Bobby

We have a late rifle season in January for antlerless tags and I've heard our Games and Parks state that about 4% of the deer checked in are bucks. The majority drop in February here in eastern Nebraska.