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Dropping Already?

woodsdog2

woodsdog2

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Just got this cell cam pic this morning of a half rack. Can’t tell for sure but it looks clean to the head so perhaps not broken off. Several years ago I shot an “antlerless” deer which looked to be a large doe. Once I came upon the carcass I noticed it was a buck that had recently dropped both antlers and the pedicels were still somewhat bloody and it was still November. What are your experiences with deer dropping antlers early? Neither buck seem/seemed injured in any way. Explanations or ideas anyone??
 

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Funny you mention that... half of a 6-pt on my cam this morning.

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Ope, forgot to attach photo
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I also stalked a very large (doe) in late November which also had bloody pedicles. Made me sick at the time. I just assumed he may have gotten injured causing him to drop early.
 
Last season opener for PA rifle my friend shot what he thought was a big doe. Once recovered it was a buck that dropped both sides. That deer was big and otherwise healthy except a split hoof.
 
I shot a half rack on Dec 11, 2009. I thought that was early but I've never seen anything as early as your pic.
 
redsquirrel said:
I shot a half rack on Dec 11, 2009. I thought that was early but I've never seen anything as early as your pic.
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I was watching this buck this fall. His left side was an irregular, semi straight spear looking antler and he was a 7 or 8 overall. He was under my stand a few times while I was on phone calls instead of in the stand. a couple days earlier he had both, but here on the 10th of November he lost half. This is NJ and it hadn’t dropped temp much yet. I figure it was nutrition and defect on that side. This buck wasn’t much of a fighter as best I could tell from watching him but you never know.

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woodsdog2 said:
Just got this cell cam pic this morning of a half rack. Can’t tell for sure but it looks clean to the head so perhaps not broken off. Several years ago I shot an “antlerless” deer which looked to be a large doe. Once I came upon the carcass I noticed it was a buck that had recently dropped both antlers and the pedicels were still somewhat bloody and it was still November. What are your experiences with deer dropping antlers early? Neither buck seem/seemed injured in any way. Explanations or ideas anyone??
Click to expand...
Nutrition plays a factor in early dropping of antlers as well as a possible injury. Earliest I’ve seen sheds is end of Dec. latest I’ve seen still holding both antlers is St. Patrick’s day in Wis.
 
Fgirtyman said:
Nutrition plays a factor in early dropping of antlers as well as a possible injury. Earliest I’ve seen sheds is end of Dec. latest I’ve seen still holding both antlers is St. Patrick’s day in Wis.
Click to expand...

i suspect we have poor nutrition here. Very few farms that aren’t deer fenced. Old ridge tops that are very rocky with lots of old growth forest. Not much soil on hillsides. Mostly leafy and woody browse.
 
Went on a public hunt on November 27th. A guy had a nice buck in the back of his truck with both antlers sitting beside it. Both fell off as he grabbed them to drag the deer out.
 
There are two half-racks on my property as of now. Might be more but I haven’t seen them. One is a big 8 who probably broke one side off fighting. He’s a mean bastard so the neighbor and I believe he screwed with his own headgear by playing Ivan Drago. The other one’s a forkie, nutrition isn’t an issue around here so I’m not sure what’s up with him. Maybe he’s a fighter, too.
 
Usually I get pics of a few deer a year that shed this early. They're the minority but it is pretty common to see that. Just checked a cam yesterday behind my house and in the last week I have a picture of two half racks and one that shed both as of yesterday (probably one of the half racks). Look like 1 or 2 year olds so maybe they ran themselves a little hard. Also not that uncommon to see a half rack here or there in November.
 
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