Cutting Antlers

yes Bell that was a new one to me to, i would be interested to know about this as well,


 


i always thought.... Damm if you do.....and Damm if you don't!!!!

Jonhathon, I think I know what your thinking???? Thunder Strike @8???? I am not conviced either way but it helps when they shed before march and shed both sides close together, no matter cutoffs or full antlers.

I have tried everything from cutting them off close to not cutting at all and everything in between. I have had good luck and bad luck with all the different methods but generally can make the following "observations", for what ever its worth..lol


 


1. If you cut bucks, try to leave them several inches of antler to rub with and to give them some weighted antler to shed off. I know its not as nice having a shortened main beam in your hand but it is much better for the bucks to have some antler to avoid infections around the bases. It simply gives them space when they are rubbing and weight when they are shedding.


 


2. One year I had 2 groups of 2 year old bucks and I cut 1 pen of ten and left the antlers on another pen of 10. They were right next to each other and pretty much the same genetics. The pen with the antlers on shed quicker and grew back much more consistently than the cut bucks. They were more even and grew more even due to the fact that they shed the sides closer together. I didn't lose any bucks in either pen so that really wasn't a factor.


 


3. I prefer to leave the antlers on my breeder bucks mainly because I like to look at them. I know that sounds like a silly excuse but i got in this business because I love to watch and look at deer. Why ruin it by cutting everything on the farm.


 


4. If I am handling or working my yearlings, smaller 2 year olds, or mixing breeders with antlers back into a buck pen, I will generally cut them. Most everything else I leave on. We are so busy in the fall that in some cases I never have a chance to work a pen of yearlings and will leave their antlers on. Sometimes we have paid for that, sometimes they are fine.


 


5. On the topic of payday I think that shedding those heavy antlers overnight (I'm not sure how far apart, they were about 50 ft apart the next morning and weighed 10 lbs each) helped him shed cleanly. The fact that he had the antlers on all year kept his bases away from any trees and so he didn't have any infection or puss around his antlers and shed super clean. I bought him for his 2 year old antlers and have been ecstatic that he has gone back to that big typical with extras shape. I'm not saying it would always be the case but I think if a guy was after the giant clean typicals he would need to leave the antlers on the ones that look promising. Again, this is just my opinion and only based on "my" experiences.


 


I know, not very definitive....but hopefully everyone can relate a little!...lol

I agree with Sam 100%. We had to T.B. test last year so we decided to cut antlers since we had them in our hands anywayl. Now I have several un-explained goof antlers or damage looking antlers (I never noticed any damage). We also cut antlers 3yrs ago when we T.B. tested and I didn't like the results the next spring either, I said then I'll never cut again, well seems I forgot after a couple years. It really is a damn if you do, damn if you don't...

We have cut ours each for 2 years.  We had six that did not get cut last year, because of one crazy SOB that was hard to get darted.  Couple with their antlers on shed late and are growing late. we did have one that shed a nob in December and the other a month and a half later.  That side that shed early is abnormal, not terrible but not what it would have been.


 


One thing that we did 2 years ago was used the depoprovera/progesterone shot 2 years ago on about all of them after we cut and did not seem to have any issues.  Has anyone noticed a difference using the shot???? better or worse??? 

I used to always cut out of fear that if I didn't I would lose more bucks to fighting. The ironic thing is though I lost bucks due to fighting WITH antlers sawed off. I also EVERY year had damaged heads that resulted in infections and messed up antler growth the following years.


Last year we left all the antlers on and I plan to do so every year moving forward. I have little doubt that yes I will lose bucks due to fighting when I don't saw antlers. (Note: I did lose one last year as well. However it happened so early that I most likely would not have sawed prior to his death even if I intended to saw them all. Just sucks it was the biggest yearling in the bunch.)


 


Sawing leaves you with:


Infections.


Some percentage of messed up antlers due to head injury. Often times leading to a buck with NO value. (Now add costs to raise said buck to this point)


Costs incurred in darts, drugs, labor/time.


Hard antlers that have less value due to being cut.


Potential late season higher prices on bucks you would have rather sold that year anyway.


Loss of enjoyment looking at bucks with antlers.


Still some risk of deer death due to fighting.


 


Not sawing:


A possible higher risk of deer death due to fighting.


Not able to replicate and or mount the antlers in time for booth displays at auctions/org meetings during show season.


A possible higher risk to care takers of deer.


Harder and more risky to run through a chute system.


 


I feel that in the long run the wins and losses will even out. Besides, if you leave the antlers on and a deer is killed you have a handle to drag his dead body out with easier. LOL!

I have only cut one buck in 7 years. It was because he was bottlefed and would have killed me. After he was cut he was put back with the other uncut bucks and yes he survived. I have had bucks fight and tear out the antler and pedical which set those ones back a year. I never lost one to fighting. So yes you can lose bucks to fighting. But yes, you can also go many years and not lose bucks to fighting. I am fully aware i will inevitably lose a buck to fighting eventually. But for now, since I've been so fortunate I go by the motto, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Cutting antlers on my farm never crossed my mind to this point .(other than that nasty bottlefed I had)

Wow Jonathan that is unfortunate, sorry to hear that. Seeing those numbers of lost income is upsetting. We all know to well the hard work and money that goes into raising each buck.

I see you used an example of raising about 40 bucks a year, I think I have been so lucky/ fortunate because I have a small farm and usually only raise 6-8 bucks per age group. I could see my death loss going up and up if I raised more bucks. However, I guess no matter how many you raise, it only takes one aggressive buck and he can do some devastation.

I know one guy that never cut any antlers and never lost a buck in like 8 years. Then One year in he had a pen of 4 uncut two year olds, all were 160" class bucks. He got one buck with an attitude that killed the other three in only two days. Then a week later the murderer buck came down with pneumonia and died. He lost all 4! Talk about sour luck. Although that was three years ago, he still never cut antlers since that incident and hasn't lost anymore since then.

I know every situation is different and we all must make the decision come September. Good luck to us all, lol, may we choose wisely!

I had to view this again because I'm undecided. I think I'm going to leave them on. My breeder will only be with the does he happily married and my other pen will only have a 2 year old and a 1 year old. I have 2 questions though. Do you think I could put my buck fawns in the pen with the other two? Secondly, this is for Sam. Why did you cut PayDay when you had great results leaving his antlers on last year?

Good question John! I didn't want to. I like looking at him with antlers. I just figured he would be somewhat at risk "cleaning" the antlers so we decided to cut him right when he started to shed. I just couldn't stand the thought of him stuck between 2 trees. So it was a tough decision but we decided in order to market him and make sure he was safe for the next couple months we  elected to cut him. Last year I didn't get him until we was already rubbed out....


Hope that helps....


 

Sounds like a good reason to me.

John, I have had buck fawns with antlered bucks, not often, but I did before. I think if your pen is large they should be fine, the youngsters know to stay back and let them eat first a the feed trough. We all know there are no guarantees., but You know your deer better than anyone, so if you do put them together, watch for attitudes or changes that alarm you.