shed antlers | Buck Manager

Last Shot at Finding Shed Antlers

Spring has officially sprung and although a few white-tailed bucks may still be holding onto last year’s antler growth, the vast majority of bucks have already shed their antlers. The timing of an individual buck’s antler development depends upon many things, but the primary factor is the buck’s hormone levels. In short, areas where local deer populations breed earlier always shed antlers earlier. And although looking for deer sheds is not an important part of a deer management, it can be awfully fun!

This is an exciting time of the year, not only because whitetail bucks are beginning to grow new velvet-covered antlers, but also because their antlers from last year are lying on the ground… somewhere. A lot of hunters may have their spring food plots in the ground or their supplemental protein feeders filled, but then neglect to get out in the field during the spring. I was once guility of this. Following the close of deer season I would just shut her down and stay out of the field until mid-summer, but that was many years ago.

Since that time, early spring has become one of my favorite times to get out into the deer’s world. Not only can I get a good assessment of late-winter habitat use, but I have waited long enough that most bucks have shed the last year’s antler growth. And that gives me my best chance at finding a few shed antlers. With short green grass, sparse brush, most antlers laying on the ground, and favorable weather, early spring is my best opportunity to cover some country and see what I can find.

The best spots to find shed “horns” year-in and year-out continue to be food plots, in the general area around supplemental feeders, watering sources, draws, woodlines, and well-traveled corridors. In areas with thick brush cover, I always have good success in tree-covered (closed canopy) areas with an open understories (no brush), primarily because deer often use these spots as bedding areas. In fact, two of the four whitetail sheds I found yesterday were in these types of areas. The other two were along woodlines, where the edge of a wooded area turned into open field.

Since finding shed antlers is not always easy, especially in an area with a low deer density, it is a good idea to look in areas that you think deer reguarly visit. Yesterday, I spent 2 1/2 hours of continuous walking who-knows-how-many miles and covering an untold number of acres to find 4 sheds, and one of those was from the year prior. And this was even after narrowing down my search to areas that I believed deer frequented. Of course, I have spent longer days in the field looking for sheds and have come back with less, often zero.

But yesterday I found 4 sides, no matches, and none of them were exceptional by any stretch of the imagination. It was still enjoyable, and there is always something about standing exactly where something notable happened, at least in a buck’s life anyway. Currently, the deer is without his most notable defenses. His testosterone levels are low, there is no need to battle for receptive does, and the buck has started a new antler growing cycle.

The next time I stand over his antlers they may still be attached.

Shed Antlers Rustled Up in Texas

Just as I mention that the shed hunting season is in full-swing down in Texas, one of my friends sends me some photos from their ranch in Coryell County. And yes, apparently there are shed antlers are on the ground — and they found some really nice ones, too!

Here is a quote from the “serious” shed hunter from March 12:

We started our shed hunting today. We found these from the truck, no “serious” hunting yet. The antlers that Patsy is holding to her head are from a buck we’ve seen on camera. I gave him a modest 14″ spread and he scored 148 1/8″.

More Shed Photos from the Four A Ranch:

Time to Hunt for Shed Deer Antlers

Hunting for shed antlers means getting out in the woods at a different time of the year. If you’re like most white-tailed deer hunters, then you spend the majority of your time in the woods during the fall and winter of each year. However, the habitat that white-tailed deer live in — just like the animals themselves — are found there year-round. Shed hunting is a good opportunity to get out and explore the area you hunt, learn more about it, and possibly even find some nice shed antlers.

With spring just around the corner and whitetail bucks beginning to shed last year’s antler growth, there is a good opportunity to learn more about your deer hunting area as well as the deer that live there. Hunters get excited when bucks start growing their antlers each year because it’s a chance to witness the affect of past management activities and offers a look ahead to, hopefully, future harvests. It really is something to get pumped up about.

Shed Hunting Season

Then, on the other hand, there are some hunters that also get pumped up after the hunting seasons have already ended. Those guys and gals are the shed hunters. Once winter sets in, it marks the fact that soon whitetail bucks will be dropping, casting their coveted antlers. As it turns out, there are ways to get a huge set of antlers on your wall other than shooting the big boy. He may have eluded you during the season, but you can still find his shed antlers!

Finding shed deer antlers not only ends with great rewards you get to take home, but also with some valuable information you can tuck away in your back pocket for next season. Information such as the quality of bucks that made it through the last hunting season, the number of different bucks that were in the area, and specific areas that these bucks used while in your area.

Shed antlers also allow you to physically track bucks that you may have been keeping a close eye on. Measurements that can be taken from year to year include common measurements such as beam length, tine length, and mass measurements.

Shed Hunting Tips

Look in and around late-season food plots and other food sources.
Examine deer travel corridors, water sources and anywhere deer commonly travel.
Use a game camera to monitor the deer herd and ensure most of the bucks in the area have already shed their antlers before your start. More antlers on the ground ups your chances at finding them.
Don’t wait too long to hunt for sheds. Rodents will eat and destroy cast antlers due to the coveted minerals they contain. In addition, warming weather will spur forb and grass growth and make finding antlers much more difficult.
Keep an eye out for new hunting locations. This may inspire you to cover more ground, increasing your chances of finding deer sheds.

When Do White-tailed Bucks Shed Their Antlers

White-tailed deer shed their antlers every year prior to the re-growth of new ones. It may surprise you to find out that the entire shedding process takes only two to three weeks to complete, and of course the re-growth phase takes place over the summer up into very early fall.

Bucks have antlers throughout spring, summer, and most of the winter, but shed them sometime between January and April (depending upon the animal and latitude), after the rut and breeding season comes to an end. A buck can carry-on without antlers post-breeding because they do not need to fight-off other bucks for territory and does.

Antler Loss

Deer antlers differ from the hollow horns of cattle in that they comprise solid bone tissue with a honeycombed structure. Pedicles, the skin-covered nubs protruding from a buck’s skull, serve as a base for antler growth and support the deer’s antlers. However, keep in mind that the pedicles are permanent fixtures on the deer’s forehead, and are the point at which antlers separate from the deer each year.

During the first 6 to 8 months of age, the pedicles grow and begin to appear on a buck fawn‘s forehead. These young bucks, born earlier in the year, are commonly referred to as “nubbin bucks” by hunters. A whitetail buck actually begins antler growth as a yearling buck (first set of antlers) at about 1 year of age. Each subsequent year the buck will go through the antler growing process and loser its antlers, over and over, annually. As the deer matures, the antlers typically increase in mass, beam length, and point length. They also will add points in many cases, but not always.

Growing Antlers to Use, then Lose

During growth, antlers are covered with a sensitive skin commonly referred to as “velvet.” This velvet is filled with blood vessels that constantly feed the antlers the vitamins and the minerals necessary for bone building. Antler growth demands a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein, and energy, so adequate native forage and/or supplemental feed must be available to meet these requirements for maximum antler growth in bucks.

Antler growth can range from two to four months depending upon the individual buck. After this time, a hardened ring forms at the base of the antlers (burr) that shuts off blood flow to the velvet-covered antlers. As a result, the velvet deteriorates, dries up, and falls off, often assisted by the white-tailed buck, which rubs his antlers against tree bark.

At this point, the antler growing cycle of a whitetail buck is complete. The buck will prepare for the breeding season, and then antler shedding cycle will resume after the fall and winter breeding season. After the weather warms and Spring green-up, bucks across the whitetail’s range will start a whole new year of antler growth.