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Joined: Nov 2007
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OP
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Joined: Nov 2007
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Yesterday there were 15-20 deer out in the winter wheat fields down the road from home. One of them was a big 10+ pointer. Having spent the last 30 years 200 miles North of here, I can’t recall ever seeing a buck with antlers after late December. The second rut was going right after the first of the year, but we are almost to February. We live in Jackson County, about 25 miles South of Lansing,MI. Is it normal for bucks to still have antlers at this time here in Southern Michigan?
Mark
NRA Life Member Anytime anyone kicks cancers azz is a good day!
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Oh The Drama!
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Joined: Dec 2010
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2010
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here in PA i see them into april.
My diploma is a DD214
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 887
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2006
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I'm in Indiana and I get trail cam pictures of bucks that have lost one side as soon as late Dec., get other pictures with bucks holding both sides as late as early March.
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Joined: Nov 2015
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2015
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I'm in Indiana and I get trail cam pictures of bucks that have lost one side as soon as late Dec., get other pictures with bucks holding both sides as late as early March. Same here in Kentucky.
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Joined: Nov 2007
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2007
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I wonder what makes the difference? Rut stress?
Mark
NRA Life Member Anytime anyone kicks cancers azz is a good day!
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
Oh The Drama!
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 5,759
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I've seen them in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa with antlers clear into Spring turkey season.
Know fat, know flavor. No fat, no flavor.
I tried going vegan, but then realized it was a big missed steak.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Running about 15 cameras right now... only 1 shed antler buck showing up
Hunt...
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Joined: Jan 2016
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 96,094 Likes: 19 |
I've seen them in Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa with antlers clear into Spring turkey season. Ive seen big muleys with racks the first of April in west Texas.
Last edited by jaguartx; 01/23/21.
Ecc 10:2 The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
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Joined: Jan 2012
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 45,042 Likes: 29 |
It's the brand of superglue a particular buck might use.
Some are just plain ole cheap and buy dollar tree schit Some are smart and buy upper end durable brands.
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Campfire Tracker
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Been seeing a nice buck when I drive through coopersville on the way to work in the mornings. Same field behind the high school. SW MI.
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Joined: May 2002
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2002
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I often see antlers hanging on til march or so. About 4 years or so ago I noticed a road killed small antlered buck on the eastern apron of the interstate 80 Mississippi river bridge in mid April
Saw a dandy 8 pointer just a couple of days ago, on my way to town....
"Chances Will Be Taken"
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Joined: Dec 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2010
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I've seen them with antlers late Feb. here in NY and shot one late Dec. that had already shed.
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Joined: Dec 2002
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
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With the buck to doe ratio being as screwed up as it is in Michigan some does don't get bred until December. At least that's what I've read from Dr. Ozaga (sp?) I've seen dinks carrying half-a-rack into March in Saginaw County. YMMV...
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Joined: Apr 2009
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Campfire Regular
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About 10 years ago we a young fork horn that carried one antler into June
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
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There were two out in the yard last night with decent racks.
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2013
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With the buck to doe ratio being as screwed up as it is in Michigan some does don't get bred until December. At least that's what I've read from Dr. Ozaga (sp?) I've seen dinks carrying half-a-rack into March in Saginaw County. YMMV... Secondary rut, the doe fawns will get bred then. Pretty common.
The last time that bear ate a lawyer he had the runs for 33 days!
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Down here on the Gulf Coast the rut is just kicking in.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Around here, most of the bucks carry them well into March. Some will drop them in January, but I think the majority don’t shed them until early March, some even hang on till April. I read somewhere that Whitetails will always shed their horns within a couple days of the same date every year. It’s true as far as I can tell. My Dad raised one from a doe that was hit on the road shortly after giving birth. It came onto my cousin’s property, looking for her. He tried to give it to a deer farm, but they won’t take a buck unless they know it’s a good one. Long story short, they give him a bill of sale ( so it’d be legal to possess) and a paper on how to care for it. He gave it to Dad because he didn’t have enough room. The Old Man took it into the house for two weeks, feeding it goat’s milk every 4 hours, wiping it bunghole with a wet paper towel. (The mother will lick it to stimulate bowl movement) In the meanwhile, me and Dad built a small corral outta 7’ chain link fence. We named him “Stilts” on account of the long legs fawns all have. We had him for 5 years, finally selling him to a ranch. He never really had a wide spread, but each year he developed a nice, high rack of 8 to 10 points. And he always dropped them the second week of March. 7mm
"Preserving the Constitution, fighting off the nibblers and chippers, even nibblers and chippers with good intentions, was once regarded by conservatives as the first duty of the citizen. It still is." � Wesley Pruden
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Campfire Tracker
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As late as April here but that's rare. I think the end of February and March mostly.
I read it has to due with when the rut happens where the deer's ancestors were from originally. Unfortunately places like Alabama and Miss. where the rut is in January and the deer were restocked there from say a Northern state that the rut was pretty much over in early December with the main rut in November, it can have bad effect on the antler pedicle. The bucks are still rutting and fighting when they are trying to shed their antlers and they get damaged.
Figures don't lie, But Liars figure Assumption is the mother of mistakes
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The healthier the buck the longer they hold. Only bucks stressed are dropping already. Not unusual to see them hold into April.
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