livbucks

I saw a nice 8 point last night coming home from a shopping trip. He was still packing both sides. Not unusual though for me, pretty common. I've seen quite a few over the years with horns intact well into March.

BEARBUSTER66

I saw a really nice buck last tues. couldn't tell how many points, but he was well past his ears!!I 'm going through with-draw ,i hope i make it to bear season!!

White-tail-deer

My brother got several trail cam pictures last week of buck that are still carrying their antlers.

PA Bow/Flinter

So is this why I haven't found any sheds yet? LOL....maybe I'm just that bad at spotting them.

livbucks

Nope...can't see what isn't there.
My experience is that the small bucks will shed earlier but bigger bucks hold 'em till mid March. I saw a monster years ago in very early April that still had 'em.

JLmoore1956

Dang wish I could be home to do some shed hunting

Sylvan

livbucks,
I can't remember where I read this so I can't validate how reliable the sourcemight bebut the article said that bucks are genetically programmed to drop their antlers during a 1 week period and will do it in that week every year for their entire life. In other words if a buck dropshis first setthe 2nd week in february he will always drop them at that time regardless of age. Another buck mayyear after year drop his the first week in march. I think the article was the result of a study of captive deer but I read it a long time ago and just can't remember so take this with a grain of salt.

busyhunter56

i myself just saw two nice bucks last night with their antlers still on their heads as well.

livbucks

I was told that shedding is controlled by photoperiodism. The amount of sunlight per day that is absorbed by their eye. Weather can contribute to affect the start of this by having abnormally sunny or heavy overcast days, moon phase, clear nights...etc.
Small bucks have small pedicels and tend to detach much easier. The layer that attaches the antler to the skull will break down at a faster rate. Of course, deer are individuals and results may vary. I have heard of guys shooting shed bucks as antlerless deer in late seasons, although I have never seen this personally.
I have not heard of what you speak of, that is new to me.

Nord QC Bouman

I had read the mechism was also the increased light hours but this is also coupled with a change in diet and decreased sex drive. Antler use I think also plays a part - less fighting, and using the antler to browes under snow. I have a buddy in Alabama that says the antler drops are allways different and some keep them for more than a season.

Maybe depends also on where they live.