whitetail buck already shed antler.

[BULLBLASTER]

Pulled these pics off my cam today... this old warrior looks to be about used up. Shed his antler in the 27th or 28th. Little bit early.

[Ridgerunner]

Sweet looking buck, does seem early.

[HornHoarder]

That old buck looks in rough shape. Stress can cause them to drop early.

[DoubleJ]

I was going to say stress too.  Looks like he's running out of time.  He might be so old his teeth have ground down and he's starving to death. 


BTW, that's the happy humane thing the anti's would like to happen. "Let that deer live until it's his time to pass"  just don't think about the fact that his passing will be a weeks long miserable starvation death.

[huntnnw]

maybe so with this buck, but this is not uncommon in this area...most 4.5 yr old bucks are dropping in 2 weeks

[mdbuck5x5]

He definitely looks all wore out and somewhat scrawny!

[nwwanderer]

He sure does look tough, lots more will be loose if it gets as cold as they say this week.

[BULLBLASTER]

Ill have to check my pics from earlier he might be a buck that has been in rough shape all year. Hopefully I can pick up the antler. Gonna have a friend arrow him if she gets the chance.

[PA BEN]

Antlers help to dissipate body heat, like a radiator. When the temps drop like they are now they will shed to keep body heat. Back in the day when late buck opened thanksgiving day a buddy shot a nice buck and when he grabbed his antlers to drag it they came off in his hands. It was -20 out that year, I shot a nice buck the same day that year -22 that day where I was and his antlers were hard as a rock and he was rutting hard.

[C-Money]

Pennsylvania has had a LOT of early snow this year. Modern opened last Monday, and lots of guys were saying when they grabbed an antler of their deer, they were coming off. I think weather plays a big part in when antlers drop.

[Elkrunner]

Do the deer like to eat those pumpkins?  Never thought about that.

[HornHoarder]

Deer definately love pumpkins. They are a great bait, and easy to get after halloween.

[Elkrunner]

Both whitetail and mulies? Maybe a trip to hunt the pumpkin patch would be in order.

[HornHoarder]

Yes, muleys too. In my experience it is much tougher to bait mulies. Not impossible, but they seem to be more sporadic. 

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

Mulies are as easy as WTS, bait wise IMO.. grain and alphalfa is all you need.... BTS wont touch pumpkins.. I got a bunch this year and nonthing.... Hope amber gets a shot at that guy here in a week or so!

[BULLBLASTER]

. Hope amber gets a shot at that guy here in a week or so!

Me too!  I think its the same 5x4 I showed you when you were over. I have to look.

[oldleclercrd]

Do you normally break the pumpkins or leave them whole? Seems like it would be tough for em to get in a whole pumpkin, especially if it were frozen.

[GUscottie]

The deer will use their hooves to break the pumpkins. Its not too hard for these critters

[BULLBLASTER]

I break them and leave them whole. Usually more broke since its so much fun smashing them all over! 

[buckfvr]

Slam them down...........I put them out here at the house and see what happens........if you dont break them, they may rot and then they wont eat them.....and if they freeze, they cant break them.  Pumpkin is a great food source for them, as is dug up potatoes.

I feed them all kinds of stuff out of the garden at the end of the season.  Pumpkins and any squash is a great thing to feed them in the fall.  We grow extra just for the deer.

As for the buck that shed......I dont give him much of a chance.......

[BABackcountryBwhntr]

Slam them down...........I put them out here at the house and see what happens........if you dont break them, they may rot and then they wont eat them.....and if they freeze, they cant break them.  Pumpkin is a great food source for them, as is dug up potatoes.

I feed them all kinds of stuff out of the garden at the end of the season.  Pumpkins and any squash is a great thing to feed them in the fall.  We grow extra just for the deer.

As for the buck that shed......I dont give him much of a chance.......

I also give him no chance.. my wife will lay the hammer on him if he shows up!