Latest You've Seen a Buck in Full Velvet?

StraightSix · Feb 12, 2020

Hello! I've been a long-time visitor to the forum, and am a relatively new member. I enjoy the photos and stories that are swapped on the site.

Just curious... what's the latest any of you have seen a buck in full velvet? (Obviously not cactus bucks.) The buck in the picture is my 2019 Utah rifle buck. I was able to take him on the 2nd to last day of the hunt (October 25th) and I was shocked when I walked up on him and found him to be in full velvet.

This buck was no stag (everything was uh... in tact) and I have several trail cam pictures of him during the summer which allowed me to watch his antler growth progress... so I know he had shed his antlers in the spring.

Not sure what would have caused him to hang on to his velvet for so long. Laziness? Old Age? Regardless, I was thrilled with the buck and ended up doing a European mount that I think looks great.

What's the latest you've seen a buck in full velvet?

BOHNTR · Feb 12, 2020

October 17th

money · Feb 12, 2020

My older brother had a deer tag in Arizona last fall and we glassed up a really narrow 3x3 that was still in full velvet. That was the very end of October. He as only about 21" outside but had easily over 50" of mass! Bases were crazy big and he was a really cool buck! Didn't end up getting him dead and never saw him again, but sure was a neat deer.

yoteduster · Feb 12, 2020

End of October

Cahunter805 · Feb 12, 2020

Great buck!

Wapitiwilly · Feb 12, 2020

I have one in my pasture now 2-12-20

hornkiller · Feb 12, 2020

I've seen them in dec and Jan!
Not sure if they was cactus bucks because they had normal horn configuration.

Wapitiwilly · Feb 13, 2020

bullskin · Feb 13, 2020

StraightSix said:
Hello! I've been a long-time visitor to the forum, and am a relatively new member. I enjoy the photos and stories that are swapped on the site.

Just curious... what's the latest any of you have seen a buck in full velvet? (Obviously not cactus bucks.) The buck in the picture is my 2019 Utah rifle buck. I was able to take him on the 2nd to last day of the hunt (October 25th) and I was shocked when I walked up on him and found him to be in full velvet.

This buck was no stag (everything was uh... in tact) and I have several trail cam pictures of him during the summer which allowed me to watch his antler growth progress... so I know he had shed his antlers in the spring.

Not sure what would have caused him to hang on to his velvet for so long. Laziness? Old Age? Regardless, I was thrilled with the buck and ended up doing a European mount that I think looks great.

What's the latest you've seen a buck in full velvet?

I am looking at one on my wall right now! Nice buck str86

Rough Country · Feb 25, 2020

this one held a bunch into November, Alberta 2019

hornkiller · Feb 26, 2020

That's a dandy any more pics?

DeerHunter53 · Feb 26, 2020

November 7 still in full velvet and never came off....

Rough Country · Feb 26, 2020

hornkiller said:
That's a dandy any more pics?

Rough Country · Feb 26, 2020

roadrunner · Feb 26, 2020

Late Oct.

Bambistew · Mar 2, 2020

November 7

1shot1miss · Mar 10, 2020

I’ve shot at a buck on the last day of the muzzy hunt last year that was in full velvet, I was pretty surprised. And there’s a reason I said shot at instead of killed.... I really need to go to the range....

Houndsman77 · Mar 11, 2020

I found this one on the 7th of march

WHT_MTNMAN · Mar 11, 2020

My son killed one Oct 28th in Az

This one was Oct 21st in CO

1shot1miss · Mar 11, 2020

Houndsman77 said:
View attachment 3211
I found this one on the 7th of march

Looks like probably a stag due to the velvet and the hollow base

Houndsman77 · Mar 11, 2020

Browtine18 said:
Looks like probably a stag due to the velvet and the hollow base

I didnt think stags shed there antlers?

1shot1miss · Mar 12, 2020

Houndsman77 said:
I didnt think stags shed there antlers?

I honestly didn’t think so either but every hollow based shed i have found has had velvet on it unless it was so old the velvet rotted off, and all of them have been wacky and trashy like a cactus buck. It only makes sense but I’m not completely sure

Houndsman77 · Mar 12, 2020

That makes sense thanks for the info

DeerAddiction4 · Sep 8, 2024

I wanted to bring this thread back because the bucks are beginning to shed velvet. The latest I’ve seen one shed is late October he must’ve got CWD and was to sick to rub he disappeared and I assume he died of cwd.

Wapitiwilly · Sep 8, 2024

Feb 4, 2023

antlerradar · Sep 8, 2024

1shot1miss said:
I honestly didn’t think so either but every hollow based shed i have found has had velvet on it unless it was so old the velvet rotted off, and all of them have been wacky and trashy like a cactus buck. It only makes sense but I’m not completely sure

I have seen the same and I am confident you are correct. The stags do not shed theory is false