• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Interesting sight

Boomah21

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Oct 9, 2017
1,176
635
113
42
Went out scouting a couple days ago…had a pretty great walk thru the woods checking out a spot I knew only a little of. Ended up bumping 6 deer which was fun to see…well on the way home I was driving and I glanced up saw a deer on the side of the road so slowed down and it ran across, then another followed by one more, as I’m stopped in the road now the last deer crossing and it was a buck?! Still holding both antlers a small 6 pt

Guess I had figured everything would of dropped by now…is this normal or kind of a fluke
 

woodsdog2

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jun 28, 2019
8,176
10,415
113
I think it’s relatively normal within the overall continuum of when deer both grow and drop antlers. I would say mid to late April would be more abnormal.
 

Glenn

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Apr 16, 2019
312
899
93
54
I still have bucks carrying headgear and Sunday I found a fresh rub on a white pine and it was so fresh the sap was still moving down the tree.
 

boyne bowhunter

Moderator
Staff member
SH Member
Aug 17, 2016
7,597
20,328
113
61
NW Michigan
I've seen them drop here in northern Michigan as early as December an as late as April. It has always seemed to me to correlate somewhat with the severity of the winter. Given the very mild winter we had here this year I'm not really surprised to see deer still holding antlers still.
 

Glenn

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Apr 16, 2019
312
899
93
54
I was listening to a podcast not too long ago with Dr Grant Woods talking about late cycling does. It’s a very small number but does happen.
That’s my theory. Early drop doe fawns coming in heat are keeping the testosterone up causing them to hold on to those antlers a bit longer. And would explain the fresh rubs and scrapes.
 

brydan

Well-Known Member
Oct 15, 2015
825
773
93
That’s my theory. Early drop doe fawns coming in heat are keeping the testosterone up causing them to hold on to those antlers a bit longer. And would explain the fresh rubs and scrapes.
This is the podcast I listened to recently but it’s a very brief mention of unbred does around the 50 min mark cycling a second and third time. Must’ve been a different one from awhile back where there was more discussion about it but no idea at this point which one it was

 

Apex7

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jan 6, 2017
3,745
2,735
113
64
Pittsburgh Pa
Went out scouting a couple days ago…had a pretty great walk thru the woods checking out a spot I knew only a little of. Ended up bumping 6 deer which was fun to see…well on the way home I was driving and I glanced up saw a deer on the side of the road so slowed down and it ran across, then another followed by one more, as I’m stopped in the road now the last deer crossing and it was a buck?! Still holding both antlers a small 6 pt

Guess I had figured everything would of dropped by now…is this normal or kind of a fluke
Went out scouting a couple days ago…had a pretty great walk thru the woods checking out a spot I knew only a little of. Ended up bumping 6 deer which was fun to see…well on the way home I was driving and I glanced up saw a deer on the side of the road so slowed down and it ran across, then another followed by one more, as I’m stopped in the road now the last deer crossing and it was a buck?! Still holding both antlers a small 6 pt

Guess I had figured everything would of dropped by now…is this normal or kind of a fluke
I live near Pittsburgh PA and there are bucks that still have antlers.
 

woodsdog2

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jun 28, 2019
8,176
10,415
113
I’m not seeing anything with antlers anymore on my trail cams. Last was about two weeks ago here in WNY. I’m sure some are still holding in pockets but zilcho on my cams.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BTaylor and Plebe

Jammintree

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Jan 5, 2021
2,219
4,654
113
45
Round here the bucks are already forming new ones. They haven’t quite emerged from under their hair. So there’s not likely anyone still holding onto old tines.