Bucks that have not shed yet?

[Mac5dawg]

Heard a guy talking about what determines the shedding time. He said it is all tied to un-bred does. Bucks that are around un-bred does still secrete hormones that keep their antlers from shedding. Bucks that are not around any hot does anymore will stop producing the hormone after a while and the this eventually leads to the shedding of the horns. The longer you have un-bred does, the longer bucks will carry their horns. He went on to say that ranches with a 1-1 ratio of bucks to does and an earlier rutting season will see horns shed earlier. His theory suggest if your ranch has bucks still with horns, as compared to other ranches in your area, you have too many does. Any thoughts on this?


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[flywise]

I don't think it has a ton of merit but I'm no biologist either.

[Creedmore]

Not so sure about that one. Most of our Val Verde county bucks are still hard horned right now.

[bearintex]

Not so sure about that one. Most of our Val Verde county bucks are still hard horned right now.

*****. We are starting to see fawns hit the ground already and nubs are growing.

[88 Bound]

I think it’s very possible. We have way too many does on our lease and our bucks always have their horns later than normal. We have seen rutting activity in March before and have very late fawns every year. I’m sure one of our GS biologists will chime in soon enough on the subject. I’d like to hear their input.

[R Dubya]

I'm in for more on this one. I'm new to the lease this year, but have been told that we don't have a lot of does. I'm seeing bucks with antlers on camera, as of last Saturday.

[Mudslinger]

Here is an article that might back up the premise of the OP's post.

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/big-game-hunting/when-do-deer-drop-their-antlers/

[Mexico]

Most of our bucks still have horns... and we don't have too many does.

[bigtex76]

Interesting.

[sierracharlie338]

All the bucks on my camera lost their horns about a month ago. No fawns that Ive seen yet but definitely no horns.

[kingranch]

our place in harper bucks still had horns a couple weeks ago, i pulled my card and was very surprised to see that and no sheds to be found

[Mac5dawg]

Here is an article that might back up the premise of the OP's post.

https://www.grandviewoutdoors.com/bi...their-antlers/

This is an interesting read. It supports the conversion I was involved in with a biologist.


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[Deerguy]

There can be some annual variability in antler shedding dates caused by a variety of factors, but it is primarily controlled through photoperiod. Otherwise, does that were never bred (uncommon but does occur every year) would keep coming into estrous all year and bucks would never drop. Hormone levels are ultimately controlled by day length. The reason axis are on different cycles is because does in the herd come into estrous at different times of the year. Wouldn't work to have receptive does with no capable bucks to breed them, so the bucks are on different cycles to accommodate them.

[Fmjag64]

Our deer started dropping them about a week or 2 ago in North Tx.

[deerwatcher51]

I still had a half dozen bucks last week that still had both antlers.....had one this morning that still had both antlers and I know for a fact that I have more bucks than does on my place...I believe this disproves the too many doe theory, at least in my instance.