When do deer drop their antlers

The bottom line is that antlers will be dropping from mid-December though that is early to early April though that is late.

Since antlers shed at different times in certain areas and in certain years, something causes the testosterone levels to vary from area to area and winter to winter. Thus, the real question is, what causes the testosterone levels to drop to the required level?

We know that testosterone and mating are related, so high numbers of does could lead to late shedding of antlers. Here is how that works: Testosterone in bucks stays high as they chase estrous does. Does will only come into estrus if they have not mated, so when you have large numbers of does, they do not all get bred in the first go-around. When that occurs, hot does will still be popping up later in winter, and rutting bucks will be chasing them. One researcher working with captive deer suggested that bucks in poor nutritional condition, or those that are diseased, shed their antlers earlier than they would had they been healthier.

Poor nutrition causes testosterone levels to drop and, as mentioned earlier, when testosterone drops, so do antlers. Other researchers have found that older bucks often shed earlier, and suggest that this is due to the physical toll on their bodies paid during the rut. Thus, when the rut ends, if they are really run down, their testosterone levels drop faster than normal.

Tied to this poor-nutrition theory is habitat. If habitat is over-browsed, then the body condition of bucks in the area will be poor. Since we know that testosterone levels drop when the bucks are undernourished, then poor habitat might also cause them to drop antlers earlier. In turn, I would suspect that deep early snows, which would limit food intake, also impact the time that antlers drop. In fact, studies show that farther North, where snows are heavier, antlers begin to drop from mid-December to late January.

If poor nutrition leads to early shedding, then good nutrition should lead to late drops — right? I was walking in the woods early last month, just breathing in the crisp air and enjoying the crunch of crusted snow under my leather hunting boots, when something caught my eye — something out of place.

Since I had walked this same deer trail the morning before, I knew that the antler was a fresh drop. A little blood, still red, was visible where the antler had become detached from its pedicle — further validating its freshness. Nonetheless, it was my largest shed find thus far. I picked up the trophy, smiling at my good fortune. The antler rests on my desk as I write this. What is the attraction? Knowing that the buck that dropped the antler is still alive and will likely have a bigger set of antlers next fall is certainly part of my attraction.

It is worth a lot more to me. I have seen bucks that have shed their antlers in early December, and at the other extreme, I once observed a large 9-point still holding his antlers in early April. A few years ago, I had a discussion with a Michigan naturalist, who claimed that most whitetail bucks lose their antlers by mid- January. That has not been my observation here in Pennsylvania.

When I found my shed, I figured that the process was beginning locally, but a week later, my daughter saw six antlered bucks all together.

Antler growth and development is dependent on the photoperiod hours of daylight per day and testosterone levels, not temperature.

So is antler drop. When testosterone levels drop, antlers loosen and fall off. How do these members of the deer family shed their antlers? How do they grow back? Males of all deer species grow antlers, which are bones made of calcium and phosphorus.

White-tailed deer often produce their largest antlers between ages 4 and 7, depending on location and nutrition.

Photo Credit: John Hafner. Antlers are bones made of calcium and phosphorus. These tissues grow extremely fast, sometimes as much as a quarter-inch daily. Age and genetics also affect antler growth. Older deer typically grow larger antlers than younger deer, especially after their bodies reach their maximum size at maturity.

At that point, their bodies direct more energy and nutrition to antler growth. White-tailed deer typically reach their prime at around age 5, and often produce their largest antlers between ages 4 and 7, depending on location and nutrition.

All deer species shed their antlers in winter, after a sustained drop in testosterone ends their life cycle. Several months later, the animals regrow their antlers from spring through late summer. Antlers and horns are terms often used interchangeably — but incorrectly.