you get hit with EHD like Dave has a couple times you may find out.
Early Shed bucks…
- Thread starter Concordmeadowsfarm
- Start date
@Boarhead
I recall that you hunt inside the same county that I hunt (@theotherfarm).
When I hunted gun week in that county, I did take notice by day 5 all the half rack young bucks, and I did think to myself that it was odd to see that many missing antlers already.
This phenomenon is not happening here @home. From what I can tell, today, all of our bucks down here are still holding, every one of them.
Any ideas why Fairfield County would be so different than Ross County? I do not recall that being like that in recent prior years. Any insight of yours would be greatly appreciated. I highly respect your thoughts/opinions, much appreciated Brian, thanks!
I recall that you hunt inside the same county that I hunt (@theotherfarm).
When I hunted gun week in that county, I did take notice by day 5 all the half rack young bucks, and I did think to myself that it was odd to see that many missing antlers already.
This phenomenon is not happening here @home. From what I can tell, today, all of our bucks down here are still holding, every one of them.
Any ideas why Fairfield County would be so different than Ross County? I do not recall that being like that in recent prior years. Any insight of yours would be greatly appreciated. I highly respect your thoughts/opinions, much appreciated Brian, thanks!
Spencie
Senior Member
I have been hit before at other locations. Yes, it made things more difficult but I found that it cleaned up the genetics and made those farms better a few years later.
I have always seen a few bucks over the years shed b4 xmas..I dont really think it's early as every buck sheds at different times. Just like we always have some shed in march and early april.
You should be very thankful, Mike. I live at the edge of a 3 deer county that is only a mile from 2 counties that are 1 deer. I am a great product of county line disasters. We have had less than 20 bucks cruise the property combined this year. With only 1 being older than 2.5. We have also only had 2 does and I haven't seen them since bonus gun. It feels like NW Ohio in the 90s all over again.
Like Brian pointed out, I've also been hit twice recently with EHD. Still having some fun, but it feels a bit like work some days.
Like Brian pointed out, I've also been hit twice recently with EHD. Still having some fun, but it feels a bit like work some days.
One more question. Do you believe then that shedding has something to do with genetics? Because that does make more sense to me. The deer @home have a history of shedding in late February, early March and some of the older mature bucks even go into April, drop them, and within a week, start growing their new ones.
Again, I appreciate your time and thoughts, thanks!
@Wildlife I honestly don't know on the genetics. I have a buddy that used to raise deer years ago and he said he could write on his calendar each year when his bucks would shed and it was always on or within a couple days of what he had written down.
I know the buck I shot on January 10th this year was getting close to shedding, his hair was starting to pull away from his bases. Glad I shot him when I did.
I know the buck I shot on January 10th this year was getting close to shedding, his hair was starting to pull away from his bases. Glad I shot him when I did.
Thank you!
Perfect, I believe I can almost do the same as your buddy with the bucks around here that I have history with, at least, that's how it's been over the last three years, Just so you know, I look up to you regarding your field experience and backed up with your accomplishments that are excellent examples such as this one. I knew you'd help me understand better.
Thanks again for taking the time and interests in responding! I think I'm good to go now, and congrats once again on that beautiful and amazing muzzy buck harvest! That was awesome!!
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Had 40 run in front of us at noon 2miles down the road when we were headed to town. This is alot of sq miles population worth around me. Anyways 6 bucks still holding both sides. 2 good ones. 1 buck with a rack just as wide as hes ears got his front leg around his joint shot during during gun week was moving good- minus the leg- in the herd and looked like he had been eating well. He looked a bit rough moving when i jumped him the monday after season so i was shocked to see him alive let alone holding a rack.
Bighoun52
Active Member
OO2
Well-Known Member
Yeah they be shedding here in Kansas…must be the next world record whitetail?!?
Bighoun52
Active Member
Went to pull some traps here in pa and came acrossed two sheds.
Good call Boarhead. It would be easy for a weekend warrior to see him and think "that's a huge doe!" Bang. Dang. Not sure who hunts around you but I suspect with warmer temps we may see more muzzle loader hunters this year.
I will see if I can find it but I read a good article about this. IIt'll has to do with nutrition and with the "timber bucks" loosing food/nutrition. I don't know what area you all hunt in but the guy nailed my area and said it's not common,
but was not a sickness. This was a biologists talking and he was not physically here so take that as you want. I know we're having the same issue and for me it makes me thing the deer/animals know something we dont....(maybe the winter is just getting started).
but was not a sickness. This was a biologists talking and he was not physically here so take that as you want. I know we're having the same issue and for me it makes me thing the deer/animals know something we dont....(maybe the winter is just getting started).
Yeah, I am truly interested and determine to find out or get to the bottom of this phenomenon as to why such a big difference between the two farms that I hunt even though they are neighboring counties. I'm mean, it really hit me during gun week. It was so obvious by day five that you just could NOT take notice.
Nutrition does make sense to me too because the habitat between the two locations is much different. There are far more bucks without antlers right now @theotherfarm and I'm still NOT seeing any bucks missing antlers here @home. That's kinda weird, and I do NOT understand exactly why the big difference.
If you OR ANYONE ELSE can or find any good information regarding this phenomenon, I'd be very interested in looking it over, thank you!
I just checked a camera and had 2 bucks that I have 3 years of history with drop their antlers on January 1 and January 3... I only have 3 bucks on camera total and the small 4 pt is still holding and all 3 have been running together for a week or so. Both the bigger bucks did not shed until late February the 2 years before this year. I am in a hard hit ehd area and I just came up with this idea that maybe due to such low numbers of does to breed due to ehd they had to travel a lot more to find a hot doe and burnt way more energy than usual to breed. What you guys think? We're any of the areas you guys are seeing early shedding hit by ehd this year? Or possibly even the early shed deer got ehd and survived?