I have at least one buck that’s dropped one side already (basket rack). I have 100 pictures of him during season with both sides up until the last week.

We had a few the last week of January and I saw one that had shed both sides in a food plot 2/8.

Another 8 point dropped one side. Crazy we could hunt 4 days ago.

Some deer in my area (Bankhead) will drop mid-late Jan. Im on the northern fringe but saw 5 deer the other night in my field. 2 still had full racks. Couldnt tell if the others were does or had already dropped. Im gonna walk the hayfield just to be sure a tractor tire dont find one.

They still have em on the place I hunt in Morgan County.

Mine will have racks until turkey season a few mature bucks will drop earlier but I have spotted fawns in late Dec early Jan.

Does the time of breeding have anything to do with dropping antlers? I thought it was time of year.

They start to drop antlers when testosterone levels change after breeding. Most earlier breeding populations naturally drop earlier. Healthy deer will actually hold them longer within a localized population, but stress initiates an earlier drop in some individuals, even if breeding is still occurring.

So if our deer drop antlers so soon after the rut, why do Midwest deer that rut in November hold there’s for so much longer?

Or do they?

They typically don’t hold theirs longer. The majority of Midwest deer have shed or are shedding now.

Some of our native AL deer have shed, but most won’t until the month of March. I’ve seen them holding both sides in April. Last year I saw 4 bucks the first week of May with 5-7” of antler already growing.

Strange that a local population can fluctuate so much. I’ve also seen bucks with horns during turkey season.
I had an 8 point chase a doe by me in late March one year.

Wow that’s crazy

I’m shocked my deer just above the state line are still holding with the acorn failure.

Last year it was April but it was the largest acorn crop in 20 years.

Most years its late January-first week of March. Most in February

Same where I live in Lauderdale. Early December rut

Starting to happen in central al

Is that from this year?

Matt

I’ve noticed over the years that few days leading up to the start of the majority dropping, they start sparring and some times a fresh rub or two pops up. I’ve always attributed it to a sudden spike in testosterone right before they shed.

One year I had pictures of three sparring. I got done checking camera and turned around and there laid one shed off all three deer. Apparently each deer knocked one off that night.

I started getting pictures of sparring last week but still holding. I’m expecting them to start dropping any day.

Yes, there can be a surge in testosterone right before dropping.