Annual Shed Thread

Whitetail Deer

Contributors to this thread:

Zbone 20-Dec-23

Fuzz 21-Dec-23

Catscratch 21-Dec-23

buckeye 21-Dec-23

Zbone 21-Dec-23

JTreeman 21-Dec-23

Straight Shooter 21-Dec-23

Zbone 23-Dec-23

Slate 23-Dec-23

Zbone 23-Dec-23

scentman 23-Dec-23

Insheart 24-Dec-23

Zbone 24-Dec-23

Groundhunter 24-Dec-23

Zbone 24-Dec-23

Insheart 25-Dec-23

Zbone 25-Dec-23

Zbone 26-Dec-23

t-roy 26-Dec-23

Zbone 26-Dec-23

Zbone 27-Dec-23

Zbone 28-Dec-23

Catscratch 28-Dec-23

Groundhunter 28-Dec-23

BoggsBowhunts 28-Dec-23

Zbone 29-Dec-23

Zbone 30-Dec-23

Boreal 30-Dec-23

JTreeman 30-Dec-23

Zbone 30-Dec-23

Zbone 31-Dec-23

Insheart 31-Dec-23

Zbone 03-Jan-24

Zbone 11-Jan-24

Zbone 14-Jan-24

Plum lake 14-Jan-24

Zbone 14-Jan-24

Zbone 17-Jan-24

Groundhunter 18-Jan-24

Groundhunter 19-Jan-24

Zbone 21-Jan-24

Brian M. 21-Jan-24

Groundhunter 21-Jan-24

Catscratch 22-Jan-24

Zbone 22-Jan-24

12yards 22-Jan-24

Zbone 22-Jan-24

Zbone 23-Jan-24

Zbone 14-Feb-24

Zbone 16-Feb-24

Zbone 27-Feb-24

John in MO / KY 04-Mar-24

JB 04-Mar-24

Zbone 04-Mar-24

Pat Lefemine 10-Mar-24

Zbone 10-Mar-24

Catscratch 10-Mar-24

Zbone 10-Mar-24

Zbone 12-Mar-24

Zbone 18-Mar-24

Thornton 18-Mar-24

Plum lake 18-Mar-24

Zbone 19-Mar-24

Plum lake 19-Mar-24

Fisher 22-Mar-24

Zbone 27-Mar-24

Zbone 01-Apr-24

Zbone 15-Apr-24

t-roy 16-Apr-24

Tater 16-Apr-24

Zbone 16-Apr-24

Zbone 20-Apr-24

Shug 20-Apr-24

From: Zbone

20-Dec-23

16:32:47

16:32:54

16:34:56

16:35:01

Zbone's Link

Some bucks are early shedding now, so thought I'd start the annual shed thread...

I like watching deer and about this time of year they open the Brownville's Food Pantry live webcam so I thought I'd see if it was open yet and yes it is... Says live cameras began on Dec 1st, and oats and apple feeding began on Dec 16th this year...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp5HqWLqZV8

Gonna post a few snapshot pix from today's video in sequence I think you guys will like...

The first one is a little 8-point carrying both sides of his rack feeding at the trough at 16:32:47...

A nice mature 4x4 with stickers steps into view 7 seconds later and moves the little 8 off at 16:32:54...

The little 8 goes out of camera view and a few seconds later at around 16:33:21, then returns into camera view exactly one minute later at 16:33:21 with his left side shed...

Then they share the trough for a minute...

From: Zbone

20-Dec-23

16:35:17

The bigger guy seems annoyed by him, so he lowers his head clips the 4x's antler and it drops off, right on camera...

From: Zbone

20-Dec-23

16:35:25a

16:35:25b

Zbone's Link

Attached link of antler dropping:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QttnC3sJ5Xk

From: Zbone

20-Dec-23

From: Zbone

20-Dec-23

18:03:18

Then a huge shed buck shows later, this dude is a bruiser, here's a snapshot of him... Would have liked to see him with his rack...

What I watched of it today, I seen 2 totally shed bucks, 2 half racks, watched another one loose his rack and probably close to a dozen fully crown bucks of all sizes... Heard grunts, snort wheezes, all kinds of vocalizations and watched and heard sparing...

From: Fuzz

21-Dec-23

Very cool!

From: Catscratch

21-Dec-23

Cool!

From: buckeye

21-Dec-23

Wow, seems early for antlers to be dropping.

From: Zbone

21-Dec-23

Not really buckeye, been taking notes for years and early shedding in mid December is not uncommon, same as shedding as late as April, and it doesn't seem have to do with region neither because some will shed in my area in December (have seen it a couple times) and some carry their racks in April, have seen that a few times, and the latest being April 21th one year...

We've had this discussion a few time before on this site through the years and kinda why I brought up an annual shed thread...

I know, I know they say it's because testosterone levels are depleted... I question that, if so then why are shed buck still breeding does, have seen it...

Others say it's severity of harsh weather, health and nutrition... I'll go along with some of that to the extent of if a buck is starving or injured, sure he'll shed early, but if healthy, deer farmers confirm a buck will shed within a couple days of the same date, year after year...

Personally, I think it has to do with genetic heredity... If daddy and paternal and maternal grandpa shed early, good chance the boy is going to shed early...8^)

Attached photo of healthy shed one racker in southern Kansas on December 8th I think I pulled from this site somebody posted here a few years ago is the earliest I've recorded... BTW, thanks to whomever posted it...

From: JTreeman

21-Dec-23

I picked this one up yesterday. He shed his whole head…

—Jim

From: Straight Shooter

21-Dec-23

Jim - that buck has great potential should be a stud next year.

From: Zbone

23-Dec-23

12-21-04-03-16

12-21-11-10-15

I think this is the same buck...

From: Zbone

23-Dec-23

12-23-16-41-38

If it is him, likely shed the other within 2 days...

From: Slate

23-Dec-23

Pretty cool

From: Zbone

23-Dec-23

12-21-14-57-23

I really like this guy, his rack has character, I'd have shot him in a second, he shows up pretty regular...

One thing I noticed, have seen some sparring but no rutting action, would have thought some of those doe fawns would be coming into estrus, but no action I've seen...

From: Zbone

23-Dec-23

12-23-15-32-42

Oops, looks like I spoke too soon, I rewind the video a little from today and the buck I like appeared with his left antler shed and sniffed a doe and then tried to mount her...

Then this night there is more rutting action... That 4x4 with stickers is chasing a doe around while tending grunts... Although there are 2 bigger racked 10-points he must be king, because others try to get involved, he runs them off... Those big tens want nothing to do with him...

From: scentman

23-Dec-23

Cool thread, but those does need less calories;0)

From: Insheart

24-Dec-23

Close up, definately cool buck.

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

12-24-07-09-56

Here's daylight pix of one off those big 10s from this morning I was talking about yesterday... With that pot belly, oughta put him on a guess age list...

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

12-24-01-28-45

Insheart - Here is that character rack 4x closeup early this morning... Notice no brow tine and look at the size of the hole in his head...

From: Groundhunter

24-Dec-23

Be nice on those pics. What state? Looks like a deer zoo....

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

Here is the King and his girlfriend early this morning... I know she doesn't look like it in this photo but she is smallish, probably a fawn... When she starts to move away, he grunts following, and he won't leave her side and if any other deer tries to approach, he runs them off... He is guarding her pretty close...

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

Groundhunter - Look at beginning of thread where I posted links... They are wild deer, no enclosure, here is a statement from their site:

"Started streaming on Dec 1, 2023 The Brownville Food Pantry For Deer feeds up to 800 pounds of native oats and at least a bushel of apples per day to help sustain the white-tailed deer population through rough winters here in Brownville, Maine. Feeding happens daily around 08:00(8AM) to 09:00(9 AM) Eastern Standard Time starting December 16 and continues to around the beginning of April. These are wild deer and this is not a deer farm. Some of the deer have been coming for more than 10 years. At times there are 200+ deer at the pantry. Wild turkeys also come and eat the native oats along side the deer. There is no Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD in wild deer in Maine. Please don't complain about it in chat. These deer are all very healthy and there has never been any type of disease spread among these deer. This "Yarding" of deer happens in Maine every winter, even if they were not being fed. You may see deer that are lame. Experts tell us that leaving them alone is the best thing we can do for them. Thank you for watching!"

You can rewind about 12 hours from live time from the cameras...

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

Ahhh, the photo didn't post above, lemme try again, the King and his girl...

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

12-24-22-08-35

The King is coming, time to scatter...8^) He's still with his girl and they all clear out when they approach... He's got that character racked buck scared to death...8^)

From: Zbone

24-Dec-23

12-24-22-08-36

From: Insheart

25-Dec-23

The king has the look of a big ol bull.

From: Zbone

25-Dec-23

Yeah, and he's got some nice headgear too...

Hey, Merry Christmas my friends...

From: Zbone

26-Dec-23

For comparison, I screenshot a couple pix yesterday of the big 10-point... He's quite a bit bigger that the character racked 4x... They even sparred a little, but the big ten wants nothing to do with the King, which by the way showed up yesterday without the hot doe... Honeymoon must be over...8^)

From: Zbone

26-Dec-23

Looks like this guy shed his left side minutes ago, notice the drop of blood...

From: t-roy

26-Dec-23

A buddy found the matched set from a buck he had been after this season. He found both sides on December 10th. He said he had been getting pics of him regularly and had seen him a couple of times while he was just glassing during our shotgun season. Said that the buck looked to be in extremely good shape. A little odd to see one shed that early here, unless it had been injured or extremely run down.

From: Zbone

26-Dec-23

Since breaking up with his hottie, seems the King has become more tolerant with other deer...

From: Zbone

26-Dec-23

Another half racker...

From: Zbone

27-Dec-23

Got a little feisty early this AM, the big 10 put a smaller 8-point in his place... Notice the fight scattered those close and grabbed all their attentions...

From: Zbone

27-Dec-23

Here is a closeup of the 8...

From: Zbone

27-Dec-23

This was a little strange, 3 days ago the character rack 4x was scared to death of the King, and today the King allowed him to lick or caress his forehead for about a minute,,, strange...

From: Zbone

28-Dec-23

This guy is a monster...8^) At first I thought he'd shed one side... Am curious if he's a fawn button buck or a yearling...

From: Catscratch

28-Dec-23

I've watched bucks take turns eating ticks off each other. Maybe they were doing that?

From: Groundhunter

28-Dec-23

Incredible. Very cool

From: BoggsBowhunts

28-Dec-23

Found a shed off a 1.5 year old buck in our alfalfa field today. Starting to drop in SW MO

From: Zbone

29-Dec-23

Not sure which one on the left is, but he's now half racked... Some of those 4xs in the same age group look alike...

Catscratch - On the buck licking the other day, I'm not sure but don't think there were ticks... He was licking his forehead and around the base of his antlers, it kinda reminded me of a doe licking her fawn or visa versa or buck and doe during the rut... The King seemed like the 4x was too close and and lower his head and the 4x just started licking kinda in a submissive way, BUT it went on for like a minute and seemed like the King liked it... Was weird, but I'd bet they were bachelor buddies last summer and before the rut but when that hot doe was around the other day the King wouldn't allow the 4x close... He may be sharing the feed trough now, but he wasn't sharing the doe...8^)

From: Zbone

30-Dec-23

Not sure if this little basketrack is the same as the one on the 26th...

There was fighting and rutting action this AM...

From: Boreal

30-Dec-23

This bucks wins this season.

From: JTreeman

30-Dec-23

Ace and I picked a fresh one up yesterday. Not a big one but we like the challenge of finding the small ones!

—Jim

From: Zbone

30-Dec-23

Curious Boreal, do you think that buck is hooked up with that doe fawn, any other deer around?

Nice find JTreeman those little one are hard to find, attached are my rattling horns...8^)

From: Zbone

31-Dec-23

I understand red foxes are huge in the northern states, but wouldn't have thought an adult deer would be afraid of one... They all scatter when this guy shows and the only one that doesn't freak in the big mature buck, but even he is ancy...

From: Insheart

31-Dec-23

Earlier in the season I had 2 little gray fox running around. Every time they came into my food plot the (due to all the wolves - normally only 1 or 2 deer anyway) deer immediately left.

From: Zbone

03-Jan-24

Zbone's Link

Now we know, that character rack 4x must like boys...8^)

(See following video clip)

From: Zbone

03-Jan-24

From: Zbone

11-Jan-24

Racked bucks are still sparring... Regardless of the month, if they're in hard horn they'll spar/fight... Once rattled a nice buck in late January... Was in a evening treestand along the edge of a standing cornfield and could hear deer out in the corn but couldn't see them so I decided to try the horns... Sure enough here comes this nice buck... He came in within probably about 20-25 yards and I blew the shot... I can still see that arrow sticking in the snow...8^((( My excuse is I had too many cloths on...8^)

Late standing corn is good stuff for bowhunters, one area near me is just now picking theirs... Our statewide muzzleloader season just ended Tuesday and standing corn probably saved a few deer from being blasted too...

From: Zbone

11-Jan-24

I was surprised how many bucks had shed in December up there at the Pantry... Some had shed weeks ago yet some ate still fully crowned...

From: Zbone

11-Jan-24

The King is still fully crowned...

Wonder if he'll go 300 pounds?

From: Zbone

11-Jan-24

From: Zbone

11-Jan-24

Character racked 4x is still carrying his right side...

From: Zbone

14-Jan-24

Character racked 4x is still carrying his right side today too...

Was watching them refill the troughs this morning and it only takes a little over a minute for them to leave for the deer to filter in...

From: Zbone

14-Jan-24

From: Zbone

14-Jan-24

Our 4-day statewide muzzleloader ended Tuesday and the ODNR released the kill stats with just 2% of overall kill were shed bucks or spikes under 3", so with those stats and by viewing the Pantry site it would be safe to say there's a lot higher percentage shed up there now than here... By viewing that site would guess over half of them have shed up there already...

From: Zbone

14-Jan-24

This long, lanky, sleek looking 3x fresh shed his right side... Dang this buck has some long legs...

There was also some rutting action today, I could hear grunting and chasing out of camera view...

From: Plum lake

14-Jan-24

I’ve been finding sheds since Dec 9. This was my best day yet this year. Top scored 143” for reference.

From: Zbone

14-Jan-24

Wow, nice Mikey, congrats!

From: Zbone

17-Jan-24

Was watched this sparring this morning from a longer view thinking it was a shed buck wanting to play but turns out it was that little spike I posted on December 28th... They sparred quite a while...

From: Zbone

17-Jan-24

This unique rack buck walks with a heavy front leg limp yet still carrying both sides...

From: Zbone

17-Jan-24

Half rack sparring with 4x4 at right

This 3x has recently shed a side... He was also sparring with that other buck that looked kinda comical with one side...

From: Groundhunter

18-Jan-24

From: Groundhunter

18-Jan-24

From: Groundhunter

19-Jan-24

From: Zbone

21-Jan-24

Those fox must have shed their racks...8^)

From: Brian M.

21-Jan-24

They certainly shed their souls

From: Groundhunter

21-Jan-24

Sorry wrong site

From: Catscratch

22-Jan-24

I'm on the board...

From: Zbone

22-Jan-24

Just realized why the weird rack walks with a limb, notice the growth on left front foot...

From: Zbone

22-Jan-24

In the Pantry the folks will sometime comment while feeding and said forecast for rain and a melt coming and said they were going to do some shed hunting... Heck, I think even I could fine a shed or two there...8^) As a side note, the King, the big 10 and the weird rack are still fully crowned, and the character rack 4x and little 3x have been half racked for weeks so there goes the theory they shed the other side with 2 days...

From: 12yards

22-Jan-24

Saw a buck still carrying in a field on Saturday evening. A week ago my MIL's pet buck was still carrying.

From: Zbone

22-Jan-24

12yards - He's chunky...8^)

Two mature shed bucks fighting on their hind legs in background... They went at it pretty hard...

From: Zbone

23-Jan-24

Another half rack...

From: Zbone

14-Feb-24

The King is still fully crowned... These two shed bucks were sparing together then wanting him to join in a 3-way while he was down resting, but he didn't want to fool around...8^) Pretty cool video and evident shed bucks will butt heads... Button bucks will too...

I hadn't visited the site in a while and only racked bucks seen in about the past 12 hours is the King here and a 4x4 and a 3x half rack basketrack... The 4x4 moved a bedded doe to scent check her then worked an overhanging branch...

From: Zbone

16-Feb-24

The 16th, mid February now and at the Pantry at least 4 bucks are still fully racked and 1 half rack, probably more but would guess probably over half are shed now...

A subordinate buck walked up to the King and started submissively licking his crown until the King had had enough and pushed him away...

From: Zbone

16-Feb-24

Pat - Is your freak rack still carrying?

From: Zbone

27-Feb-24

Zbone's Link

From: Zbone

27-Feb-24

Video didn't post but here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q39pa6SUbk

Watching the Pantry past couple days and although at least 3 bucks are still fully racked and one a half rack was wondering if the buck I was calling the King had shed and since hadn't it in a few days assumed he had and now they posted this clip that he had shed his right side on February 19th... They call him Vincent... I hope the guy finds the left side to match... King Vincent had a cool base 4x4 with matching stickers coming off his G2s...

From: John in MO / KY

04-Mar-24

I found this whopper yesterday. Anyone can find big ones, but it takes a real eagle eye to find little ones like this! I saw a group of 7 bucks behind my house this morning. 4 were shed, 1 had lost a side, and 2 were still holding.

From: JB

04-Mar-24

I hear ya John, although this one was in my yard so I didn't have to work too hard.

From: Zbone

04-Mar-24

March 4th and a few bucks in Maine at the Pantry are still carrying both sides... I counted at least 4 still fully crowned the other day...

From: Pat Lefemine

10-Mar-24

Found three more today. I’m at 30, these are the better ones. Gotta love Ohio!

From: Zbone

10-Mar-24

Wow Pat, nice... Some of them are gonna be real dandies next season, congrats!

BTW, is that freak rack still carrying his rack?

From: Catscratch

10-Mar-24

Got to be a stud to find the spikes!

From: Zbone

10-Mar-24

Catscratch - Spoke to a deerfarmer about button buck antlers on his penned button bucks and he told me he has had a bunch of button bucks but was never able to find a single shed button antler, so spikes are easy...8^)))

From: Zbone

12-Mar-24

They shut the Brownville Maine Food Pantry cameras down for the season...

From: Zbone

18-Mar-24

Zbone's Link

I think they collared him on March 7th so he had shed by that time...Would luv to see this PA big boy's telemetry after they put the collar on him... To have survived over 7 years in PA is amazing, he's gotta be smart...

"one very large adult male. The buck had been ear-tagged as an adult in 2019, so 7+ years old. He received a collar"

https://www.deer.psu.edu/deer-crew-diaries-entry-24-9/

From: Thornton

18-Mar-24

It's a relief to finally have good neighbors. Mine are on the same page for shooting older bucks. We both passed this guy numerous times. He found the right side over half a mile from where I found the left.

From: Thornton

18-Mar-24

From: Thornton

18-Mar-24

From: Thornton

18-Mar-24

From: Thornton

18-Mar-24

None of my photos will load. Alert says 'internal error'

From: Thornton

18-Mar-24

From: Plum lake

18-Mar-24

I think I’m upwards of 25-28 now. Most are sets. Half a dozen I’ll have to search for the other side. And still haven’t checked out my other go to places. Should be a good spring pickup as we had a very mild winter and next to zero winter kill.

From: Zbone

19-Mar-24

Wow Plum lake, nice haul, congrats!

They all look the same color, that is crazy...

From: Plum lake

19-Mar-24

They are all freshly dropped this winter. No whites picked up yet as we still got some snow covering.

From: Fisher

22-Mar-24

So far i found one nice fresh one. I brush hogged an area along a stream to put in a culvert. The deer then started to use the clear area to hop over the small stream. When i went back with a culvert pipe, the shed was laying where i had been working. Unfortunately, I do not find many - deer do not stay in my home area late winter / early spring.

From: Zbone

27-Mar-24

LeatherWaller from Iowa posted this photo and said it was taken this morning...

I seen a buck fully crowned from the road the other day but hadn't time to try and get a photo...

From: Zbone

01-Apr-24

Let's see some April racks...

From: Zbone

15-Apr-24

Tax day, will try one last time to see if anybody received pix or trail-cam pix of April bucks still carrying antlers... Thanks everybody...

From: t-roy

16-Apr-24

Picked this one up while I was burning off some CRP.

From: Tater

16-Apr-24

He better get rid of those soon so he can grow some bigger ones. lol

From: Zbone

16-Apr-24

That is going to be a nice one t-roy...

Thanks tater, that is what I was looking for... I've seen a few crowned in April but hadn't ever got a photo of one...

From: Zbone

20-Apr-24

Guy over on the Leatherwall posted this nice one photoed on March 30th...

Just pulled my trail-cam images and got a bachelor group of bucks on March 12th, one still fully crowned, one half racked, and the rest shed... The one shed buck stopped and worked an overhanging limb and scraped with both front legs like it was November...

From: Shug

20-Apr-24

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