Deer dropping antlers (mice, cold, survive, wild)

[1AngryTaxPayer]

What date have you noticed shedding? I saw some bizarre behavior unless it was a buck, which I think it was. I saw an anter-less Deer (large) try and mount a smaller one. I've seen cattle do this so maybe it's just a dominant behavior?

[North Beach Person]

Here in the east late Winter/early Spring is antler drop. You might have seen an antlerless buck.

[snofarmer]

We see them drop around late March to April.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Here in the east late Winter/early Spring is antler drop. You might have seen an antlerless buck.

Could be this year. This one buck in this area usually is a none by 3 as in only grows one side. This year he could have not grown.

[Kracer]

In Nj they could drop from December to March. Every critter has different hormones just like people. not every woman menstruates at the same age or guys get 2ndry sex characteristics the same time.

This year in Maine I was with a friend who found a perfect pair of fresh moose sheds laying side by side the day before Thanksgiving. Looked as if the antlers were dropped within a day or two based on the slight amount of blood on the base.

Saw one screwed up buck that had 6 pt velevet antlers in early April.

[brokencrayola]

Originally Posted by Kracer

In Nj they could drop from December to March. Every critter has different hormones just like people. not every woman menstruates at the same age or guys get 2ndry sex characteristics the same time.

This year in Maine I was with a friend who found a perfect pair of fresh moose sheds laying side by side the day before Thanksgiving. Looked as if the antlers were dropped within a day or two based on the slight amount of blood on the base.
Saw one screwed up buck that had 6 pt velevet antlers in early April.

^^^ That's pretty neat, I'd love to find moose antlers like that.

Here in the Northwest we go looking soon after the snow melts, which is like March or April.

[fisheye]

Originally Posted by brokencrayola

^^^ That's pretty neat, I'd love to find moose antlers like that.

Here in the Northwest we go looking soon after the snow melts, which is like March or April.

I agree with Kracer. Antler drop times can vary and it could be linked to genetics. Here in the Northeast we can have good years for acorns and bad years – so the deer's diet will vary. Don't forget that we have many humans that interfere with nature by supplying mineral licks – of course not all deer get at these licks. I always thought that extremely cold conditions can trigger an antler drop. I have had bucks around my house that lost their horns after a week of below zero weather. I have seen bucks loose their horns around Thanksgiving and some not until late winter/early fall.

By the way, as far as finding horns in the wild; our field mice eat the horns fairly quick. I am sure there are larger carnivores that would also enjoy the bone and calcium supplement. I have ducks and the female ducks go out of their way to eat eggshells. Nature seems to know what minerals they need to survive.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Shed hunting is a good sport right about now to Spring. Get em before the porkys do.