Large shed antler, ALREADY!?!?
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 233
Large shed antler, ALREADY!?!?
I stepped in the creek to recover a large shed deer antler and wouldn’t you know it was from the buck that I have been hunting. Darn the luck… if I see him and he still has his other side then I may decide to take him but if he doesn’t then I will let him pass sine there is no pride in shooting a large antler less buck IMO.
This is a large left side antler with 6 points on it still, and 2 have been broken off. So this deer is a possible 16 pointer and already shed his antler????? What heck can anyone explain this? I realize that he may have lost it in a fight but never seen a big buck rip the whole antler off only broken tines before.
I will post a pic when I get my camera back. I am really kicking myself now since I saw this deer within 50 yards of my stand and I only had my bow with me and couldn’t squeeze an arrow through. I left my ML in the SUV that 1 day! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!! LOL
This is a large left side antler with 6 points on it still, and 2 have been broken off. So this deer is a possible 16 pointer and already shed his antler????? What heck can anyone explain this? I realize that he may have lost it in a fight but never seen a big buck rip the whole antler off only broken tines before.
I will post a pic when I get my camera back. I am really kicking myself now since I saw this deer within 50 yards of my stand and I only had my bow with me and couldn’t squeeze an arrow through. I left my ML in the SUV that 1 day! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!!! LOL
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 973
RE: Large shed antler, ALREADY!?!?
It isn't unusual for a small percentage of bucks to drop antlers in December here in Maryland. Usually the oldest bucks first and probably linked to changes in hormone levels following the rut. One of thedrawbacksof having an early January antlerless hunt, as we are thisyear,is the occasional killing of a buck which has dropped his antlers. Bucks willsometimes drop antlers as the result of injury as well. Hopefully not the case with your deer.
#3
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 233
RE: Large shed antler, ALREADY!?!?
ORIGINAL: yeoman
It isn't unusual for a small percentage of bucks to drop antlers in December here in Maryland. Usually the oldest bucks first and probably linked to changes in hormone levels following the rut. One of thedrawbacksof having an early January antlerless hunt, as we are thisyear,is the occasional killing of a buck which has dropped his antlers. Bucks willsometimes drop antlers as the result of injury as well. Hopefully not the case with your deer.
It isn't unusual for a small percentage of bucks to drop antlers in December here in Maryland. Usually the oldest bucks first and probably linked to changes in hormone levels following the rut. One of thedrawbacksof having an early January antlerless hunt, as we are thisyear,is the occasional killing of a buck which has dropped his antlers. Bucks willsometimes drop antlers as the result of injury as well. Hopefully not the case with your deer.
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 212
RE: Large shed antler, ALREADY!?!?
I found a shed too on Christmas day here in NY, a3 pointer. It still had a blood ring so it must have been like that day or before. I was wondering if the deer was wounded asI thought our deer drop in late Jan.
Steve
Steve
#7
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: central Wisconsin
Posts: 76
RE: Large shed antler, ALREADY!?!?
My Dad was out in the woods a few days ago and came across a blood trail in the fresh snow. So he starts following the trail and it leads him to a shed antler. First time in his life to come across one. We were suprised that they were droping all ready as well. We have had a good snow cover on the ground for quite a while some thing that's become rare for our area this early in winter. Maybe because of the snow cover they're not getting enough nutrition and that might have some thing to do with them sheding so early around here.