Hard Horned BT

[fishnfur]

I was surprised to see this buck on my trail cam already hard horned on 18 August.  Do you think there is hope for some of the bucks still being in velvet on the archery opener?

[HunterofWA]

Why do you want them to still be in velvet?

[JimmyHoffa]

Why do you want them to still be in velvet?

The way I understand it:  When they are in soft velvet the bucks tend to prefer open areas like meadows or clear cuts.  Also, move more during the day.  Too much brush can irritate them.  Moving at night, they are more likely to hit branches against the growing antlers.  Once they rub the velvet off, they start to move into the heavier cover and also become more nocturnal.

[shanevg]

Last year was one of the warmest years on record and most of them were still in velvet up here in Whatcom County.  (I think I saw one hard horned buck and 6 velvet bucks.)  I also am hoping the velvet holds on.  Even more importantly I'm hoping for a weather system to move in around 8/30 or 8/31.  This warm weather makes alpine hunting lousy!

[fishnfur]

You all seem to understand my concerns pretty well.  Once the velvet is gone, so are the lazy summer bucks that are easy to find and that just might be able to be patterned. 

The accepted dates that this usually happens are the last few days of August, sometimes into the first few days of Sept.    Hopefully this guy, being at least 10 days earlier than expected is not the norm for the entire population this year. Then again, he may just be right on schedule for for him.

[HunterofWA]

You all seem to understand my concerns pretty well.  Once the velvet is gone, so are the lazy summer bucks that are easy to find and that just might be able to be patterned. 

The accepted dates that this usually happens are the last few days of August, sometimes into the first few days of Sept.    Hopefully this guy, being at least 10 days earlier than expected is not the norm for the entire population this year. Then again, he may just be right on schedule for for him.

Ok. Now I get it.

[Martinhunter]

I saw my dads little back yard buck is hard horned now as of about 3 days ago. Seems early to me.

[bankwalker]

I've seen 5 hard horned in the last week.

[pd]

Sorry for the picture quality; this fellow was on the move.

You can clearly see the blood on his antlers.  The velvet has come off as of this week.

[fishnfur]

Drats!  (as they used to say back when I was a kid)   More bad reports.  I did see a spike in velvet two days ago.  He walked right by my truck.  About the same size as Huntersofwashington's skinny doe.  12 days........

Nice pic PD.  That's a cool looking spot.  PM me the coordinates, OK?

[pd]

Nice pic PD.  That's a cool looking spot.  PM me the coordinates, OK?

Sure thing. 

You would be shocked, shocked I say (Foghorn Leghorn...), if you knew where this draw is.

[bulldogs40]

I about hit a blacktail in my truck yesterday that was still in velvet on whidbey island

[pd]

I think it is clear that BT are hard horned by mid August.

[fishnfur]

I'm thinking you're right.  It is easy to take written word as gospel when you have no evidence to suggest otherwise.  Now, I think we're seeing evidence that supports your theory.  We're also getting a bit more details that should help us located your hunting spot.  Thanks for the clues!   

[deerhunter_98520]

There all hard horned now...just a matter of time till the velvet irritates them enough to rub it off