TboneHunter90's BB

[Redhunter1012]

Tbone shot a buttonbuck this morning that went around 200lbs. Actually it was a 5 or 6 year old buck that had already dropped both antlers. It looked as if he dropped them over a month or so ago because they were already healed over. Anybody else see this early?

[V.P.]

We had a half dozen or so bucks running a field between 2 sub-divisions. All appeared healthy all summer long. Come October one had dropped his antlers.

My guess is that he was past prime and probably would not of survived the winter.

[HalfBass]

I have never seen it this early, but nothing surprises me anymore. It may be a genetic defect, injury, stress, or poor nutrition that keeps him from growing antlers at all or caused early shedding.

I found this on the internet....



In whitetails, a restricted diet has been found to cause bucks to shed their antlers early. It has been suspected that the lack of adequate nutrition somehow affects testosterone output. Nutritionally stressed bucks may also grow their antlers and shed their velvet later. Older-aged bucks are thought to shed their antlers earlier than younger bucks. It has also been reported that higher-ranked (more dominant) bucks cast their antlers sooner than lower-ranked (subordinate) bucks. Older-aged more dominant bucks probably shed their antlers sooner because of the high energy costs incurred in maintaining a higher dominance rank.



Here is the website link.... http://www.netgeist.com/antlers.htm

[Redhunter1012]

THE FUNNY THING WAS THIS BUCK WAS BEDDED WITH A DOE ALL BY THEMSELVES IN A THICKET SO I think he was trying to breed her

[stumphole]

I heard from my son and friends Monday that they took what they thought was a doe, turns out it was an old buck that had spikes. The spikes were laying back on his head. Haven't seen pics yet. They said he had hardly any teeth left so he was on his way out. I'm guessing he qualifies as a mature deer. If I get the pictures and they turn out I'll post them.

[quackerwacker]

I was hunting the Richland/Ashalnd county border on opening day, when i saw what appeared to be a monster 8 pt walking down the other ridge. After glassing him for 5 minutes, i realized he had already dropped his right horn. This was a huge bodied, mature buck in his prime...but only had 1 horn. Kinda strange!