I went for a quick scout this morning, and on the way out I heard what sounded like two bucks sparring. It's off season, so there shouldn't have been anyone out there rattling, and I can't think of anything that would make a similar sound.
Friend of mine had pics of two young bucks sparring and that was from a month ago so i would say it's not too early
Interesting, are you the only person hunting the property? Could it have been someone else setting up a stand or hammering something rather than rattling or deer sparring? Hopefully you don't have a poacher. I couldn't possibly imagine that it's deer sparring already, but anything is possible, and I've been very wrong before. I've seen a deer in March that still hadn't dropped it's antlers yet. You might have to pull a little recon mission to the area you heard it coming from and see if there's any evidence left behind...let us know!
It was in a state park, so setting up stands or prepping is not allowed. There were signs of recent human presence (campfire sites by the old skeet range, which I'm sure is against regs as well), which had me on my toes. Sounded just like rattling though!
^^ Thats what I was gonna say, they still have velvet and wouldnt be sparring yet. Once that velvet is gone...anything can happen
They can spar this time of year, but they won't get serious until the antlers are hardened and the does start coming into estrous.
I agree that they may be lightly sparring, but it wouldn't be hard enough to hear at any distance. I know I've heard some homemade trailers go by on the roads in WI that at a distance rattled like antlers.
I was out at a local municipal park that holds a large deer population. I saw two young bucks (both 4 pointers) going at it until a 6 pointer showed up and they stopped.
"On the northern range, as early as late August, increased testosterone secretion, cued to the decreased photoperiod, arrests antler growth, hastens antler hardening and ultimately leads to velvet drying and stripping among some prime-age bucks. As with coat molt, those animals in superior health will complete the process first. Yearling bucks and other less-robust, older males will follow suit within a few weeks." Cox, Daniel and Ozoga, John (1999) Whitetail Country Sparring before antler hardening will damage antler growth.
