Kyle,

Thanks for watching GrowingDeer.tv! Antlers are shed as a response to chemical changes within a buck’s body. These changes are generally stimulated by changes in the amount of time the sun shines daily. However, within this window, several factors such as available nutrition, general health, and dominance ranking can determine when an individual buck sheds his antlers. For example, deer researchers often mention observing two dominate bucks in captivity fighting during this time of year. The loser will shed his antlers soon (sometimes the next day). It seems hard to imagine that antlers will simply fall off one day due to a change in dominance status (along with hormone levels) but these examples seem to indicate that’s the case. Never underestimate the effects of hormones on all critters!

So yes, antlers for most bucks tend to be shed during the late winter months. However, some bucks will shed earlier due to other factors. Generally speaking, the healthier the herd, the longer bucks will hold their antlers! I like seeing some bucks with antler during Missouri’s turkey season! Bucks healthy enough to hold antlers that late into the winter are an excellent indicator of a healthy deer herd. It also indicates that the habitat is likely good for turkeys also!

Bucks tend to shed their antlers where they spend the most time. Hence, I like to search for sheds at or near food sources and bedding areas. South slopes are often the warmest areas for deer to bed. South slopes with bedding cover do tend to be target rich environments when searching for sheds.

When you start finding sheds, please send some pictures to info@growingdeer.tv.

Growing Deer together,

Grant