Antlers Dropping

Does anybody else have bucks dropping antlers already? We have 2 bucks that have dropped there cutoffs already. Does this mean they are stressed or is there a problem that they have already dropped? Seems pretty early to us. We are in central IL so is anybody else noticing this at there farms? Thanks

We had one yearling drop one side today. The side that droped was damaged. It was broken in velvet at the pedical and was haging down in front of its eye. Looks like it shed off clean.

I had a yearling drop one side on the 15th. I'm in Alabama. I was wondering if he might have been sick and that's why he dropped early. Does it mean that they will be huge next year now? Lol

No that means he is probly sick and will be dead by next year. Just kidding but this is awful early to be shedding might wanna keep close eye on them when shedding this early could be sick.

If I head some drop this early if they or not stressed bad or sick I would be checking my feed.

know people that have found sheds already from wild deer in central IL

Run a cbc test if you are worried it will tell you alot about the deer , before he gets will sick .

We are feeding maxrax and havent had any problems before this but thanks for the help and we will keep an eye on them and hopefully figure out what the problem is. Thanks everyone!

All of ours still got racks on. We did have a 2year old missing one side but after checking it out alittle closer he broke it of about an inch from the pedicle. We will keep you posted though. We did see a buck in the wild the other day missing one side of his rack but he also sportted a noticable limp so I assumed he dropped it from a related injury. Rick

My yearling dropped his second nub last night. Hes eating good and looks good. I had him breeding 4 does. If he got sick would he still have bred the does?

I hope he still bred them

,every year someone starts the topic of antler shedding in December, I am always caught off guard by this subject coming up in december because in four antler shedding seasons my earliest buck to shed was on Feburary 12, that was last year, and i had nine bucks. Most of my bucks will hold on way into march, its quite amazing how some shed earlier than others. I did have a buck that lost an antler in october once while rubbing a tree, he must have wedged it in there good, but the base of the antler looked like a normal shed and he had a normal rack the next fall so no damage to pedicle, he held his other side until april. I really dont think a buck shedding early is anything to be concerned about as long as he is being his normal self, i think they just shed different times, they are indiduals, no two deer are the same.

Maxrax is a very good pellet I wouldn't think that would be the problems

We had a wild deer in the low 130's shed early 2 years ago and watched him start to grow before some of the other had even lost their antlers. he ended up being in the mid 150's i think it depends on the deer

Dec. 15 we had 2 yearlings and one 2 year old shed one side each then 2 days later shed the other side and Dec.16 got trail cam photos of bucks in the wild with only one side still intact. Our yearlings and 2yr old shed normally and are very healthy not any different diet than the rest that are in those pins.

Alright, so I studied him alot more today and compared him to the bucks in the main bucks pen. The buck that has lost both sides has 7 does in with him to breed. Im wondering if maybe they have been bossing him around or keeping him from eating as much as hes supposed to or what but I definitely noticed his neck is not swelled up like most of the other bucks. He does seem to look a little smaller than the bucks without any does. Would you guys consider taking him away from the does since he should have the job done by now and put him back in with the rest of the bucks? Im afraid once they get to meet the new guy in town they are going to start their pecking order again and he doesnt have any nubs to fight with so he has a good chance of the other bucks damaging his pedicle. Would you guys try treating with anything? There arent any symptoms we are trying to treat its only assuming something is wrong because he has dropped them early and his smaller body size. Hes getting hay and maxrax just like the other 50 deer so it shouldnt be diet unless the does are preventing him from consuming what he needs. Would putting him in with the bucks be more or less stress than where he is now? thanks again

Do not put him in with other bucks they will more than likely kill him. Wait till others shed before reintroducing him to that pen. If you feel does are not letting him eat maybe put some extra feed out on other side of pen so while does are feeding he can feed somewhere else.

I would have to agree with Virgil. Putting him in with the other boys will most likly cause serious problems for him since he would be the only outsider, and that he has nothing to protect himself with. Putting feed else where in the pen so that he can eat in peace would be my first try. As far as giving him drugs.... if he isn't showing any signs other than being ran down a bit becuase of breeding I would give it a little more time before you take that route. Just keep a close eye on him. Just my opinoin.

Just an FYI: My husband and I have a small whitetail deer farm in Northeast Ohio and three of our bucks have lost their antlers already, and they're all healthy. We also feed them Max Rax and hay. If anyone finds out what's going on, please let us know. Thank you!

WOW ! What seems to be going on with the MaxRax? I am in Northeast Ohio and in the 7 years I have been doing this my records show the earliest I have had one shed is January 23 . Usually they are end of Feb. and into March. I do not feed Max Rax, I just feed a grind that I get made up at the feed mill 16% protein