Mild Summer, Early Drops?

[rumple]

I have heard that if there is a mild winter, where the deer and elk can get to the new vegetation earlier because of less snow, then that stimulates new antler growth quicker and helps the new antler growing in push the old one off. Maybe this is why we see them dropping earlier when we have mild winters?
Anyone know if there is any truth to this?
So in mild winters you could expect to go shedding earlier than hard winters?

 

[bigole5]

I don't know the science behind it but i heard it is all hormones. The lower level of hormones causes them to fall. the biggest seceret is pickem up where they fall!

bigole5

 

[oneguymontana]

JMHO....but I think you're off base. Personally....and I could be wrong but I feel that it has more to do with testosterone levels....after a buck breeds his testosterone drops and the next part of the cycle is to shed that antler. I beleive thats why you "generally" find bigger antlers shed first because "generally" the bigger more dominant bucks breed first....so they are the first to have the testosterone level drop...then the horn is soon to follow? Then later a second batch of horns start to hit the ground from the bucks that have breed during the second rut. And of course you'll find some little horns also drop early on occaision....I think these young immature bucks have a very low testosterone level in the beginning because they are young and immature so some of them drop early also? JMHO...and could very well be wrong....

 

[rumple]

Thanks for the replies. I have no idea, Im just stating what I heard. I could be just what you two have said, makes sense to me, just wondering if anyone else had heard this and how much truth there was to it.

 

[Non_Typical]

I have been tracking the weather patterns for the past 7 years and found a mild winter does not result in an early drop. Last year was the first year I confirmed a pattern for when they do drop. It took me 7 years of research to figure it out. Hopefully all the reserach will pay off this year.

 

[Butler]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-04-06 AT 01:34PM (MST)[p]The #1 factor to the timing of spring antler dropping is the length of daylight. The pineal gland and levels of seratonin and melatonin have the most impact to when antler regrowth occurs. Because not all deer have the same chemical balances, there is a little variation as to when their antlers drop.

 

[Bev42]

Butler--you seem to be correct with your statement. Is that why you find all those antlers on Horn and East Mountain, you know the week they'll be dropping? You and your brothers have found some impressive sheds.

 

[rumple]

Thats true Bev, Ive seen some of their finds and they are impressive. Thanks for the input Butler know I have a little more advantage over the people who are going to be going the same places as me. Now when I hike my a off in this new spot, Bev, Im going to pick up all the good ones and then have you go up there with me to find the old flacky small ones. Better open up that schedule to go with me, haha.

 

[littleBRINK]

well the truth is, when they eat good vegetation the vitamin A will cause them to drop their antlers which would happen in a mild winter with low snow , and stimulates them to grow their next set. that is what they said on discovery channel.

 

[theridge]

We watched this one particular trophy buck for six years. The earliest he cast his headgear was Jan 26th, the latest was Feb 21st. One observation that I have noticed thru the years is that the most unhealthy bucks seem to lose their antlers first. The size of the rack IMO has little to do with the timing of casting. The best thing about monster sheds is that the bucks usually shed both antlers fairly close to each other. Can't wait!

 

[oneguymontana]

<< The best thing about monster sheds is that the bucks usually shed both antlers fairly close to each other.>>

I thought that too until a year later I found the match to that 175+ whitetail I posted way back....found the match 1/2mi as the crow flies and 2 drainages away...and I'm talkin steep ground. Key word in your statement...USUALLY...lol

 

[rumple]

LOL, I just noticed that I titled it mild summer, early drops. What I meant was mild winter, early drops but I think you guys get it. So I guess there are alot of contributing factors to them dropping. You just need to be the first one there!
Good luck to everyone and show me your pics. good luck Butler I hope you beat the madhouse to trail and horn mountain, but the latest place you have benn going has been good to you so Ill keep it secret and let you and your bros keep cashing in on all the goods!

 

[Butler]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-05-06 AT 12:58PM (MST)[p]Sunlight triggers dropping, but each deer or elk is its own individual. I am sure other factors like health, diet, age, weight of antler(especially in elk),ect. do play a role in an animals dropping time each spring. It won't be more than a week or two in my opinion because sunlight is the number #1 factor . If you do really know me, you know I have no timing secrets. I start in Utah for deer the middle of Feb. and elk in the middle of March. I feel that I'm wasting time and energy any sooner. I wish more hunters would stay out of the hills in March and then I can go in in April all by myself and load up!!! It's funny with deer though, they confuse me, some of the heaviest spring bucks I have ever seen on the hoof were while I was picking up sheds(small and large)in early April. Why didn't they drop sooner? I do agree that most bigger bucks drop earlier. From my experience with elk, the more massive the antler the sooner it comes off. I never see big bulls packing in April. They hardly ever drop in Feb. either. If it were all about diet then Arizona deer and elk would drop sooner which they don't. You will find good Arizona grass in mid-Feb. and the elk still pack until mid-March. There seems to be two approaches to shed hunting. If you find a big bull or buck camp on him until he drops, record the date, and next year, if he's back, start looking right close to that date, that's if he's healthy. The other approach to shed hunting is quantity of sheds. Leave an area alone until the 2nd week of April and go in and scarf up. Lately, there is a big problem with appoach number two and that's other hunters kicking the herds around before they have all dropped. As shed horn popularity is increasing, my shed hunting desires have decreased. I guess that's why I'll chat about it now. What's one more guy in the field. "There's more shed hunters than sheds now days!" Have fun killing yourselves and I'll sit at the computer looking at your photos. Good Luck!!!

 

[Bev42]

C'mon Butler, I don't believe for a second that your shed hunting desires have been curbed. If they have, I guarantee Jared picks up the slack for you.

I've also noticed that the bigger bulls drop first. We usually hit our main area in mid-March, and we always see a dozen or so raghorns still packing, but never a 6-point.

With deer, we pick up sheds starting about the first of March. Last year on April 1st my brother and I were watching a group of 9 bucks from about 50 yards. Three of them had shed, the rest were still packing including a 190" 4x5. Two of the smaller 4-points even started sparring and yet no antlers were cast off. We left the area and returned the next morning, all 9 bucks were still there, but nothing had shed during the night. We returned 3 weeks later to find about 7 million boot tracks. I've quit trying to predict when a deer will shed.

I can sympathize with you Butler when you say there are more shed hunters than sheds. It's so bad that we've actually caught people following us from our house to try and find where we shed hunt, on several occasions. Oh well, we still picked up about 1000 elk sheds last year.

 

[BCBOY]

What I have observed is most bucks within a bachelor group will shed within a day of each other. But move to another group on a different mountain and they can be weeks apart from the first group. Of course some bucks are early droppers and some are late. But the 'mass' dropping within that particular group takes place over hours not days. I have watched the same groups on the same mountainsides from year to year and seems there never is the 'ideal' shedding time. One year they will mass shed the second week of Jan and the next year it is the 3rd week of Feb. We've been stacking the mild winters on top of each other since 97 so and every year seems different so I don't think that has anything to do with it. I do see a lot of winter rubbing, sparring and sometimes serious head butting leading up to 'the time'. Seems to me the bucks want to knock them off. Must get itchy for them or something.

 

[Lowedog]

I sure miss the days of not even thinking about shed hunting until late March or early April! The last 5 years in our area has gotten rediculous. The deer that winter in the easy well known areas don't get any kind of break starting now untlil they drop.

The shedding of antlers for mule deer around here seems to be about a 3 month affair. I have never been able to make any since out of it. I have seen the same buck shed out in april one year and January the next. I would say though that the majority of them shed out in about a 4 week period.

About every year I see a buck or 2 still packing in May when others already are starting new growth.

-Lowedog

 

[BCBOY]

My normal shed season doesn't start until April due to too much snow. With these mild winters my shed hunting definately starts earlier now. I'm glad I'm not out there trying to beat the crowds like some of you. I'm out early trying to beat the rodents. Amazing how fast those suckers start knawing. Pisses me off. But sometimes I get lucky. Heck I found a matched set of moose sheds 2 years ago and left them behind as my pack was too heavy. Just picked them up now 2 years later under the snow. Gotta like that.