Early or late 2012

whiteshadow · Jan 1, 2012

Just curious what you guys are thinking if we will have early horns dropping cause all the feed causing early growth, or if they will hold on to them longer cause of the mild weather not taking a toll on the animals. Saw one guy coming off the hill with a paddle on the front of his wheeler, any other luck with anyone finding any moose this year.

insideloin · Jan 1, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jan-01-12 AT 06:59PM (MST)[p]I'm not sure if there are any facts to say that an antler sporting animal will shed early or late because of feed, or caused by mother nature. if anyone has some facts on that please enlighten us. the best thing you can do is study your animals, and know the season. where I live the weather and feed have never changed the (time frame) for antler growth, or drop. I don't know anything about the northern regions so I will let those of you who live there tell some facts. it's been that way here for the 30+ years i've been doing this. I know I can go during the 3rd week in FEB.and find brownies. I can also go the end of march, see deer still sporting anlters, just the same with elk, and find brownies. does that mean it was early or late. NO it means that is the time frame. this doesn't answer your question about moose, but it does apply to antlers in general.

Hope that helps.

whiteshadow · Jan 2, 2012

an old timer once told me that elk lose their horns like teeth the new ones push out the old ones and the feed is what causes the growth to happen, but i also had heard from other horn hunters with more harsh winters that the deer and elk will lose their antlers sooner because of the harsh condintions ie. more head movement to dig through or shake off snow and not as stressful, so just curious as to what some MM's think.

velvetfvr · Jan 2, 2012

I live in Nevada and it seems to me that the younger bucks shed a little earlier than the older bucks but they all shed within a month. Usually from February to march but watched a giant 3 point carry both of his antlers into late march like a couple days before April and was really odd but he wasn't a stag. Found him in July and he was a 180-195 class non- typical.

MTSHEDHEDZ · Jan 2, 2012

Regardless,Im ready to get started,these open hills with no snow are driving me crazy!

shedhead · Jan 3, 2012

no lie i saw a buck yesterday that is a town buck with only one horn and a bloody socket i am trying to get some photos of him but have not seen him again with a camera in hand...

Muleys24Seven · Jan 3, 2012

I've wondered if testosterone levels impact when deer shed. If its a late rut or more does going into heat 2nd cycle they may keep them longer. Around here I saw quite a bit of rut activity thru mid-December and I'd be suprised if there are many horns on the ground by mid-Jan. Well see

rackman · Jan 3, 2012

Here's a pic of a buck that has already shed this year! He's the only one I have seen so far without his head gear.

Randall Limb
Limb Creek Outdoors
www.limbcreek.com
www.facebook.com/limbcreekoutdoors
Wac'em Broadheads Pro Staff

SSakitas · Jan 3, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jan-03-12 AT 07:24PM (MST)[p]That doesnt look like a shed buck to me, more like a yearling nubber buck.

insideloin · Jan 3, 2012

well here goes nothing, the bone (antler) on the animals head hardens after the velvet period as you all know, and continues to harden over many months until they drop. the bone becomes dense as it hardens. the skull plate bone differs ever so slightly in genetic construction that the antler bone will seperate from the pedicle on the suture line. once the suture on the skull side seperates from the antler base it is only a matter of a day or a few days that it will drop. when i get time maybe this weekend i will post some pic's of the suture lines that seperate, and cause the shed. eveyone will have there own thoughts, or hypothesis on this, so the thing is to study. then you will know. this is good discussion so throw us some bones if you know some facts. mine might be just a bunch of bull. !

BigMedicine · Jan 3, 2012

A friend of mine picked up a big brown antler today, Jan. 3. Earliest I have ever seen a brown mule deer shed picked up. Probably just an exception?

bonepicker · Jan 4, 2012

I've seen tons of bucks with antlers still on. It seems that in milder weather, bucks hold onto their antlers longer than in harder years. Last year, I saw bucks dropping in December and January. So far, nothing yet that I have seen. It seems that they are really high and spread out this year (at least in my area) it may mean alot more walking. In fact, it might be possible to find as many horns on north slopes as on south slopes this year. We'll see.

ShedhuntUT · Jan 7, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jan-07-12 AT 12:34PM (MST)[p]While glassing deer two days ago, January 5th i spotted a buck that had already dropped. i couldn't believe it. but what could cause them to drop early? is it just random every year? Last year i didn't pick up my first brown shed till February.

idahoan · Jan 8, 2012

I really believe/ think that it depends on the animal whether it is early or late, and it depends on the year.(feed, suture and stuff like that)

In 09' I stepped like 15 yards of the road to glass and found a 2 point horn either early that morning or the night before. It had blood on it, it was (Jan 7) I wasn't even looking for horns, just seeing what was there. So I really believe it depends on the animal.

My thoughts.

massNtrash · Jan 8, 2012

i dont know if it is the lack of snow or what but i watched a buck shed his head gear this week just a little guy but still one of the coolest things ive ever seen!! It just came a few days to late due to the season in wyoming i have to let them lay for five months only to have them poached more than likely.