Horn growth

[Mallardmasher]

Most of our larger bucks dropped around christmas to New Years, and two are already bumped up about 3/4 inch, must be the good grub

[7mmfan]

So you're saying next year is the year for giant black tails?

[Eric M]

Wow that's early for blacktail. I've never found one before the 17th.

[Milkman]

Huh...  still see antlered bucks running around   

[Buck Rub Jr]

Saw this Guy today still packin!

[trophyhunt]

Saw a 3 point 4 days ago, also shot a buck that I thought was a doe about 5 years ago on December 30th. He had dropped his antlers already, other wise I’d have let him go. Blacktail drop early

[jnevs23]

I had a 4 pt whitetail in cam that dropped dec 18th last year.  It seems like most years they start dropping around January 1.  That said, I’ve seen deer still packing in April

[boneaddict]

I noticed more early droppers this year, but new growth already.  That’s weird.

[7mmfan]

Its this way every year. Some drop early, some drop late. I remember living in Ellensburg and finding fresh brown horns in January, and then going out in March looking and all the bucks I saw were still wearing theirs.

[fishnfur]

I noticed more early droppers this year, but new growth already.  That’s weird.

   If memory serves, antler growth is driven by testosterone and daylight photo-period, which should(in theory) be at it's lowest levels this time of year.  Somewhere around late-March into April is when new antler growth should begin, just as the days start making substantial gains in daylight around the Vernal Equinox. 

[J.Brower]

Picked up a roadkill buck last night, horns fell off when the guy hit it, he looked for the horns and left the deer....

[Skyvalhunter]

I noticed more early droppers this year, but new growth already.  That’s weird.

Could be because they are tired of you running all over BFE taking pictures of them!!

[boneaddict]

 

[Southpole]

We had bucks on our Curlew cams that had missing head gear this late December as well. Not just 1 or 2 either, there were several different bucks.

[meatwhack]

I saw a buck that was hard horned already.