Of the four factors I listed in the title, do you feel these variables affect the "TIMING" of bucks shedding. 1. Stress, does too much of it trigger a buck to start the shedding process earlier than usual? Stress can come from many variables. 2. Photoperiod (amount of daylight per day) is there any relation to photoperiod trigging the hormonal process of shedding to occur as a buck ages? In other words as bucks get older do they shed earlier and is photoperiod what triggers it.? 3. How much impact do you believe extreme weather alone, i.e. extreme cold temps can play on the "timing" of bucks shedding? 4. Available feed. Do bucks that have plenty of nutrients actually hang onto their antlers longer than they would if they didnt have the plentiful food sources?
Good questions. This year by just going off of the trail cam pics bucks were shedding quite early here. I'd say half have shed already the last 3 weeks. This was not the case last year. Two things are going on this year that have been different from prior years.... 1. Last year we had snow but not nearly this much this early In the winter. It's been bitter cold too. Gotta stressful you would think. 2. We had more mature bucks then I've saw In 15 years while hunting In 2010. The bucks were running hard with all of the competition. Their weights dropped dramatically. Actually I've never saw bucks loose so much weight as they did this year. I think both factors I listed are the reasons why we were seeing bucks shedding already come January.
All of the factors you listed affect shedding, Troy. I think reasons 3 and 4 are synonymous with reason 1 for the most part. Extreme cold and snow along with lack of food put added stress on the buck and all of their body's energy is transferred to winter survival rather than holding the rack on their head. Photoperiodism is the driving force behind everything anatomical and physiological in the whitetail world, so it plays a role as well. Don't forget genes, too. A buck's genetics also plays a big role in when he sheds (everything else equal, of course) just like it does when he sheds his velvet.
The reason I believe I am seeing bucks shed so early this year are, with the row crops coming off so early, I believe the bucks are trying to conserve all the energy as possible. Which weather plays hand and hand with that also. As we get this extreme cold weather we know they are trying to conserve as much as possible. I believe all the thoughts you listed play parts in it.
Troy I stumbled across this today and it kinda goes with what we are talking about here and on the other topic you put up a couple days ago. You might have seen this already but pretty interesting. http://deeranddeerhunting.com/article/how-do-bucks-shed-their-antlers/?utm_source=ExactTargetMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=01-14-11+Deer+Hunting+NL
FROM THE ARTICLE ...last paragraph.. "Of the many bucks I’ve raised, only two have dropped both antlers at the same time. In all other cases, the second antler was cast 12 hours to four weeks later. On average, most bucks have carried the second antler four days to seven days after casting the first antler, which illustrates why it is so difficult to find a matched set of sheds." Mr. A is talking about penned raised low stress animals. Compared to high stressed whitetails. I can speak for my area .... here big bucks dont move much in the cold winters months. All the scouting and tracking I do this time of year inicates that year in and out.. and rightly so, because the habitat out here provides them everything they need. Unlike destination feed, here they have all the feed they could ask for right in their bedding areas and all the water they need running in each and every draw down the mountains due to all the constant snow melt.. With this being said, maybe this is one reason why I have found so many big sets relatively close over the years. a BIG mature buck, not moving much because he doesnt have too, sheds both antlers in a day or two in a tight area. Its funny too, of all the deer MR. A has raised hes only had two drop right next to each other. I was looking through my big sets just last night... over 20 sets if I count the 3.5s....thinking about this discussion.. and almost all of them I found from 0-200 yards apart.. or less.. and at least 5 or 6 of those sets within 5 yards!.. Again though, In each of those cases those finds had every thing a big buck would need and want for winter time restoration. Thick cover, plenty of sunlight, plenty of feed, so thick in these brushy areas that you can't hardly walk through it to shed hunt and finally.. water everywhere with all the run off in the mountains during shedding season.
Yeah good point Troy now that I think about it it is probably apples and oranges when comparing to wild deer. Only 2 sets close together in however many years of raising deer? Has to be some correlation there to being penned. Shoot I beat that last year!
My theory on when shed antlers drop and how it came about& Reading many articles and talking with Taxidermists that have "pet deer" in references to shed antlers I have come to the following theory. Deer in captivity with controls loose their antlers nearly to the day every year. This day corresponds directly to their birth date and is approximately 9 months from their birthday every year. Changes in Diet and weather have been done and still they loose their racks nearly to the day. This includes deer in small enclosures to those over 10 acres. Nearly all stud bucks have birth tags and papers to support this theory. As you may know, birth dates are tied directly to conception dates. The Gestation period for whitetails is about 202 days or 6.5 months. This means that most fawns will drop during the first week or 2 of May as peak breading occurs the first week or 2 of Nov. Some does will bread earlier and some later. Does with out fawns can come into estrous in the first week of October in the North East and drop fawns as early as the end of March. Then 9 months later from their Birthday annually or the 2nd and 3rd week of February is when most sheds will drop. So, Conceived in >October<, buck Fawns born during >April< will shed some time in >January< Conceived in >November<, buck Fawns born during >May< will shed some time in >February< Conceived in >December<, buck Fawns born during >June< will shed some time in >March< Conceived in >January<, buck Fawns born during >July< will shed some time in >April< Why do larger bucks seem to drop first? A lot of larger bucks are earlier drops and have 15-60 days more of antler growth during the spring. These are from does that came into estrous and were bread in October. Thus these bucks drop their antlers 9 months later in the first weeks of January; they dont drop them "earlier". Some Breeder will inseminate does early in the fall so their stud bucks have a longer antler growth cycle during the spring when days are getting longer and green up is prime. I used to visit a breeder in PA, he had 3 bucks from one stud. All were 10 pts. The largest born in March the other 2 born in May. Considerable size difference with all other controls being fixed; food, shelter, climate, Water and stress factors. In the wild does that have no fawns are naturally the ones that get bread first. They are not nursing fawns, body weight is stable, and health is prime they are also socially active and ready to go. How many will be bread early depends on the health of the population. In large herds I notice more does with no fawns in late summer. In smaller herds nearly all have fawns. In high deer population areas I expect a rolling estrous across the heard. In smaller doe herds a much smaller window. Someone recently asked for my best guess on the percentage of bucks born during March and Early April? My answer is less then 5% yearly; some years and areas maybe none. While I have different views on deer in enclosures, we can learn a lot from them. Hopefully there is a day that shed hunting gets enough attention that a scientific study can be done, I don't think the guys on Myth busters are the answer so don't send this to them. Lol Also wanted to add - Some once said - thats a great theory but what about when it seems anlters in a given area all seem to fall at once, and what about solid antlers one day and fall off while laying down the next day, and I have seen bucks hold 1 antler for a month? I have an answer..... Ever had a kid?, How did you know when the baby was going to be born? Doctors can predict to the day when your baby is going to be born. Many times they are right but other factors like stress, trama, weather, complications, rapid weight loss or gain can change the date. Your significant other might be fine one day and giving birth just hours later.
In my limited experience....I'm sure all those factors play a role. The only thing that seems to be for certain is that an injured buck will shed real early. Also, I havent found many sheds, but I have found 3 matched sets. BUT just this year I've seen 3 half racks running around waitnig to shed hte other side.
