Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: Rob on December 14, 2022, 12:57:15 PM

Title: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Rob on December 14, 2022, 12:57:15 PM: one of my resident 1x2 whitetails lost his 2 point antler yesterday. He showed up today and has now dropped the spike.

Seems early to drop antlers?
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: redi on December 14, 2022, 01:00:20 PM: Wow! Very early especially for a small buck
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: buckcanyonlodge on December 14, 2022, 01:04:53 PM: I've had one drop on Dec. 10th before. First pic is Dec. 9th...still has both antlers....second is on the 10th with one antler gone.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Rob on December 14, 2022, 01:05:46 PM: he is a fighter though! His ear is split, and I caught him trying to spear a turkey with his remaining spike yesterday.

Pretty sure this is him sparing with his spike buddy.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Rob on December 14, 2022, 01:09:10 PM: Quote from: buckcanyonlodge on December 14, 2022, 01:04:53 PM
I've had one drop on Dec. 10th before. First pic is Dec. 9th...still has both antlers....second is on the 10th with one antler gone.

Interesting. I did not realize they dropped so early. I have seen them with antlers in early Feb before.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Rob on December 14, 2022, 01:09:38 PM: The early Feb deer was a muley though.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Southpole on December 14, 2022, 01:24:58 PM: I’ve picked up fresh whitetail sheds before Christmas more than a few times.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: GOcougsHunter on December 14, 2022, 02:36:24 PM: My first bow killed blacktail was a little guy I shot on Dec 9th 30 years ago. Thought it was a doe, but after I first approached the animal, you could tell it was a buck and had just recently shed both antlers.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Limhangerslayer on December 14, 2022, 03:01:40 PM: In a stressful winter like this I think you’ll see a lot of earlier shedding. I believe @alwinearcher had a video of a whitetail they shot that ran after the shot and got a tree losing both of it’s s antlers? Think it was the last day of season which Would of been there 15th of December
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: dilleytech on December 14, 2022, 03:24:09 PM: Quote from: Rob on December 14, 2022, 01:09:10 PM
Quote from: buckcanyonlodge on December 14, 2022, 01:04:53 PM
I've had one drop on Dec. 10th before. First pic is Dec. 9th...still has both antlers....second is on the 10th with one antler gone.

Interesting. I did not realize they dropped so early. I have seen them with antlers in early Feb before.

It’s not uncommon for deer to shed in November. And as late as April
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: trophyhunt on December 14, 2022, 03:33:31 PM: Quote from: Limhangerslayer on December 14, 2022, 03:01:40 PM
In a stressful winter like this I think you’ll see a lot of earlier shedding. I believe @alwinearcher had a video of a whitetail they shot that ran after the shot and got a tree losing both of it’s s antlers? Think it was the last day of season which Would of been there 15th of December
Thats a name from the past, maybe it was past the last day of the season?!! :chuckle:
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Buzz2401 on December 14, 2022, 03:44:28 PM: Quote from: buckcanyonlodge on December 14, 2022, 01:04:53 PM
I've had one drop on Dec. 10th before. First pic is Dec. 9th...still has both antlers....second is on the 10th with one antler gone.

I'm I the only one who feels these are two different bucks.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: CamoDup on December 14, 2022, 03:49:17 PM: 100% two different bucks
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: nwwanderer on December 14, 2022, 03:51:43 PM: Am with you, different
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Rem14 on December 14, 2022, 04:59:01 PM: Still carrying around here this year. Last year totally different. The buck my wife was targeting shed before the modern season even started, the end of September. She said he knew when the season was going to start and did not want to get shot. Also had two other legal bucks that shed during the October modern season.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Pinetar on December 14, 2022, 05:04:23 PM: Looks to me like the same buck, just holding is head different so you can't see that lil extra point
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: buckcanyonlodge on December 14, 2022, 05:16:33 PM: Quote from: Buzz2401 on December 14, 2022, 03:44:28 PM
Quote from: buckcanyonlodge on December 14, 2022, 01:04:53 PM
I've had one drop on Dec. 10th before. First pic is Dec. 9th...still has both antlers....second is on the 10th with one antler gone.

I'm I the only one who feels these are two different bucks.

You are right.. The one that shed was a buck we called the trash buck...little stickers here and there.. The other one was a buck that would come in to feed with him . At first I thought it looked different because of the angle...but on closer look it is the other buck.Got him mixed up. The next year the trash buck shed one antler on Dec. 18th.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: TeacherMan on December 14, 2022, 09:15:00 PM: I picked up my first nice 5 pt shed last year 12/27 :tup:
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: huntnnw on December 15, 2022, 08:41:10 AM: Nothing early about mature bucks dropping , it’s odd a very young buck did. Usually those guys are hanging on later than most.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: blackveltbowhunter on December 15, 2022, 09:02:20 AM: The earliest sheds I have found were small. Fork horn thanksgiving weekend is the earliest. Have found a couple small forks and spike around this time frame as well. This is Blacktail.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Southpole on December 23, 2022, 02:01:13 PM: Had a little buck on my cam December 18th that was missing his antlers. Pretty certain it was one of many spikes I have around the house.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: fowl smacker on December 23, 2022, 03:23:03 PM: They're still packing here.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Watimberghost on December 23, 2022, 05:40:56 PM: I've seen mature BTs drop in late Dec. Don't remember seeing little guys dropping that early
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: teanawayslayer on December 23, 2022, 05:52:57 PM: A buddy shot a bt December 12th several years ago that horns were shed. In an any deer unit.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: BKMFR on December 23, 2022, 08:35:28 PM: Dropping on the East side.... Wenatchee North...
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: HereDuckyDucky on December 27, 2022, 03:44:12 PM: Found my first muley shed on Dec. 21st--still bloody.

RW
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Doublelunger on December 27, 2022, 05:11:53 PM: In general whitetail drop earlier than mule deer and mature deer drop earlier than immature deer. I always see WT bucks dropped by christmas. I just saw a one antlered mule buck in Republic today and was surprised. Also heard reports of mule bucks in Eastern oregon starting to shed.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: Lapua07 on January 07, 2023, 06:09:03 PM: Seen 4 muley bucks today at work. Decent 4 point and a wide 3 still packing. 2 different forkys with one horn. Hopefully the snow keeps from covering them the next couple weeks.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: dvolmer on January 08, 2023, 10:26:37 AM: I saw 4 bucks in Grant County yesterday. All had their hardware up top.
Title: Re: Dropped antlers already
Post by: vandeman17 on January 08, 2023, 10:53:21 AM: All the town bucks I am seeing are still packing