Sheds..

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Just got off the phone with a buddy of mine. He was out bow hunting yesterday and found a matched set of freshly shed antlers. He says that it's a 10 point that he'd had pictures of this year so it looks like that buck made it through rifle season.
We both agree that this is very early for our region and the down side is, with a one day antlerless deer only season the first of the year,if bucks are shedding early that could cause bucks instead of does to be taken.
 
Well, look for nipples before you pull the trigger lol. Also, there are several ways to tell besides lifting the tail. The scent glands on the back legs of doe won't be super dark like a buck's I don't think?
 
Just got off the phone with a buddy of mine. He was out bow hunting yesterday and found a matched set of freshly shed antlers. He says that it's a 10 point that he'd had pictures of this year so it looks like that buck made it through rifle season.
We both agree that this is very early for our region and the down side is, with a one day antlerless deer only season the first of the year,if bucks are shedding early that could cause bucks instead of does to be taken.

That is super early. Now I'll have to go start walking. Need to get my cam back out for post-season inventory.

One day antlerless? It runs Jan 1-6 this year from what I read

Btw it is ANTLERLESS season, not doe.
 
That is super early. Now I'll have to go start walking. Need to get my cam back out for post-season inventory.

One day antlerless? It runs Jan 1-6 this year from what I read

Btw it is ANTLERLESS season, not doe.

I double checked the KDWPT website.

Units 6,8,9,10,16 and 17 are all only 1/1/19, New Years day...
Units 1,2,3,4,5,7,11,13 and 14 are the 1/1-1/6/19 days...
 
Well, look for nipples before you pull the trigger lol. Also, there are several ways to tell besides lifting the tail. The scent glands on the back legs of doe won't be super dark like a buck's I don't think?

^^^^^ Possibly, but I would caution against using this as a singular diagnostic tool. It is true that Bucks during certain times of the year will urinate/rub the tarsal glands more than Does, but both sexes do this (even fawns of the same year). Actually, the tarsal glands are active year 'round (both sexes) but look more prominent because of staining during the rut.

In most locales...during the rut and post rut, mature Bucks will exhibit quite a different physique than Does. Primarily a significantly larger and noticeable neck. Also, IF the deer are close enough to observe well through optics...the 'Pedicle' (base for the antler on the skull of a buck) will be apparent.

Of course... neither of the aforementioned traits are as easy to detect as the absence of antlers. And in situations where there is little time to assess, some number of antlerless bucks are sure to be taken.... even if that wasn't the intent.

Just do your best fellow hunters.
 
^^^^^ Possibly, but I would caution against using this as a singular diagnostic tool. It is true that Bucks during certain times of the year will urinate/rub the tarsal glands more than Does, but both sexes do this (even fawns of the same year). Actually, the tarsal glands are active year 'round (both sexes) but look more prominent because of staining during the rut.

In most locales...during the rut and post rut, mature Bucks will exhibit quite a different physique than Does. Primarily a significantly larger and noticeable neck. Also, IF the deer are close enough to observe well through optics...the 'Pedicle' (base for the antler on the skull of a buck) will be apparent.

Of course... neither of the aforementioned traits are as easy to detect as the absence of antlers. And in situations where there is little time to assess, some number of antlerless bucks are sure to be taken.... even if that wasn't the intent.

Just do your best fellow hunters.

Hell, antlers aren't even a fail safe identifier as doe have been known to grow antlers. I wonder if all states use the "antlerless" terminology for this reason? I haven't heard of any that don't anyway.
 
Friend of mine shot a buck on the 15th of December with his bow. Thought it was a doe till he walked up on it dead. By the looks of the pedicles, he had just dropped it's antlers. Deer was healthy, and weather has not been harsh enough here in Wisconsin farmland areas to stress deer. We have a Holiday hunt with firearms for antlerless going on here now till Jan. 1st and I was hoping to get out one last time, but do not want to take a small buck by mistake. Guess I have to lift their tail before I take a shot...........
 
Heard that a stressed/injured buck will lose antlers early.
They do, I shot one a couple weeks ago that was very depleted. Had infection from a small injury I think. The antlers fell off after I shot it.
Some Iowa bucks in good health shed their antlers in mid to late December while others keep them as late as early April.
 
We had a really cold November with a good amount of snow. That's real early for our recent trends around here. Now December has been warmer. Could have something to do with it I suppose.
 
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