Early Antler Shedding

[Buck154]

   Anyone notice more than normal bucks have shed their antlers already? I have had 2 on camera which is not much but i'm in central Jersey. Some bucks will shed early if in poor health. But I know of at least 3 or 4 guys that have found sheds already. Have seen a few guys post trail cam pictures of some shedheads on the site too.  So if you are looking to take a big fat doe in this late season take a close look cause it maybe a buck that shed already. 

[Buck154]

This was December 19

[Sharpdogs]

My son found a new shed the weekend before 6 day.  That is early to be dropping them.

[hammer4reel]

33 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

   Anyone notice more than normal bucks have shed their antlers already? I have had 2 on camera which is not much but i'm in central Jersey. Some bucks will shed early if in poor health. But I know of at least 3 or 4 guys that have found sheds already. Have seen a few guys post trail cam pictures of some shedheads on the site too.  So if you are looking to take a big fat doe in this late season take a close look cause it maybe a buck that shed already. 

Bucks have been shedding since first week in December . 

This isn't the first year it's been happening .

IMO it has nothing to do with  stress or animal health .

Once peak breeding is done and testosterone levels drop bucks can start to drop.

 

[Buck154]

1 minute ago, hammer4reel said:

Bucks have been shedding since first week in December . 

This isn't the first year it's been happening .

IMO it has nothing to do with  stress or animal health .

Once peak breeding is done and testosterone levels drop bucks can start to drop.

 

There is definitely more than normal this early and poor health will definitely cause a buck to shed early 

[Gobblengrunt]

It seems up north by me they have shed earlier the last few years.  Areas i hunt (north morris/ passaic county) have an excellent buck to doe ratio but not many deer.  This produces a more intense rut really tiring these bucks out.  I use to see plenty of bucks with antlers in february and even march.  Now, they seem to all be shed by mid january.  Just my observations.

[hammer4reel]

14 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

There is definitely more than normal this early and poor health will definitely cause a buck to shed early 

While poor health can cause it .IMO 

It's not poor health in many cases these bucks are shedding .

In a bunch of areas I hunt bucks have continually dropped the first week in December and it's the better bucks that had shed .

[SPEARFISH]

I have one with one horn on camera but at least 12 others with full racks.  I'm still seeing chasing and scrapes too.  I set a stand and a camera up on a big scrape yesterday so we'll see what's there.  There was a solid 8 at the scrape Saturday night but I was about 80 yards away.  Middlesex County

[Buck154]

21 minutes ago, SPEARFISH said:

I have one with one horn on camera but at least 12 others with full racks.  I'm still seeing chasing and scrapes too.  I set a stand and a camera up on a big scrape yesterday so we'll see what's there.  There was a solid 8 at the scrape Saturday night but I was about 80 yards away.  Middlesex County

Yeah they were hitting the scrapes hard last week