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  #31  
Old 01-17-2020, 07:00 AM
Kurt505 Kurt505 is offline
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Originally Posted by northbuck View Post
Yes...and no...
My 2 cents...
There are many factors that dictate the shedding of antlers...extreme cold weather is one of them but not the main one. If that was the case...I would have seen “bald bucks” during a few cold November’s where there were extended periods of cold weather as severe as what we are experiencing now. And in 35 years of hunting, I’ve never seen a shed buck in November, no matter how cold it got.
I’m very fortunate to live very close to an area which is an annual deer wintering and feeding ground...so I get to watch deer almost every day after hunting season. Some bucks I have watched for up to 6 years...and there are certain things I have noticed. The actual physical condition of bucks coming into winter seems to be what most influences the shedding of antlers. I have found antlers in December from some of the deer I observe....and there was always one common denominator with those extremely early shedding bucks...they were in poor physical shape at the end of November. A few of them were old timers that were past their peak and looked skinny and unhealthy...and a few were bucks that were wounded or had sustained injuries. And for most of those deer that dropped in December, it ended up being their last winter...they never showed up again in following years. The few that did return the year after having shed super early....had severely decreased in antler size.
For sure cold can be hard on deer...but our northern deer have adapted over time and are built for it. I have watched groups of bucks go through stretches of extreme cold weather in December and January but still not start dropping antlers much before late February and into March. So cold wasn’t much of a factor those particular years.
I think lack of nutrition along with deep snow after the rut when they are trying to recuperate might be bigger negative factors. They stress and adversely affect a buck’s health or ability to recuperate. Deep snow is the one factor that seems to negatively affect deer the most in my area. Not only do they have to work harder to move to and from bedding to feeding...they also expend more energy having to find and work to reach food through the snow. It also seems the coyotes harass the deer more in times of deep snow...causing even more stress on the latter.
I have never seen noticeably earlier antler shedding from cold weather alone..but the few winters where general antler shedding seemed earlier than usual were always winters with noticeably deeper snow cover than usual.
I’m not saying that cold isn’t a factor...I just don’t think cold alone to be as big a negative impact or physical drain to a buck’s health as deep snow and lack of good nutrition can be.
I agree with your observations, but did you read the link I provided? Antlers shed due to a drop in testosterone levels. It would have to be mighty cold to make testosterone levels drop during the rut.

Deer go into the rut in top condition, testosterone levels are maxed out. When they start getting nutritionally stressed it drops testosterone levels but when testosterone is maxed out I’m not sure how long it would take for them to drop low enough for deer to shed their antlers, that’s why you won’t see them shed during the rut. When you have 3’ of snow in January, finding high nutrition food is hard, the rut is over so testosterone levels are already naturally coming down, then you add in a low nutrition diet and you’ll get early antler shedding, and likewise when it’s 40 below in January after the rut when testosterone levels are naturally dropping and they have to burn up their stored fat and use the food energy to keep warm.

It’s not an emotional thing, it has nothing to do with moon phases it’s a natural process caused by dropping testosterone levels, and nutrition plays a big role in testosterone levels, especially after the rut.
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  #32  
Old 01-17-2020, 04:40 PM
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CanadianEh CanadianEh is offline
 
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How about we concentrate on posting shed pics.

No one wants pages of back and forth arguing.

Cheers
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  #33  
Old 01-18-2020, 12:38 PM
northbuck northbuck is offline
 
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Originally Posted by CanadianEh View Post
How about we concentrate on posting shed pics.

No one wants pages of back and forth arguing.

Cheers
As you wish...
Easy ones from this morning...matching set from a real old buck. He’s the first one I expected to shed...old and has a significant limp since late November.

2126425F-C66C-4067-9CF5-2D914FB97B5C.jpg

51ACEA7C-259A-4F1B-95A7-85A57E9A59C4.jpg

179882F2-4100-4724-954F-0B53F0391148.jpg

As I preview my post, I notice the pics are rotated. I have finally figured out how to download directly from phone but if anyone could let me know how to keep them from rotating...or how to correct it...please let me know...
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  #34  
Old 01-18-2020, 12:53 PM
northbuck northbuck is offline
 
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144DE180-D3B3-4129-8740-E1F8B9D3FCE1.jpg

Here is the matched set. It might not be evident but they are both visible in the “as they lay” pic I previously posted...one on road and the other in the ditch 10 yds past it.
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  #35  
Old 01-18-2020, 04:58 PM
olsy olsy is offline
 
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Wish I had time to get out and look!
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  #36  
Old 01-29-2020, 11:31 AM
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Phil McCracken Phil McCracken is offline
 
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Well at around 0830hrs. this morning, I had 2 bull moose playfully butting antlers about 200 yards in front of the house.

Both still sporting 40ish antlers.

Same thing happened last year on Jan 01. Went for a walk on the 3rd, and found one pan in the snow.
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  #37  
Old 01-30-2020, 02:13 PM
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L2H Lance L2H Lance is offline
 
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First one


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  #38  
Old 02-01-2020, 11:04 AM
sanjuanworm sanjuanworm is offline
 
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-

Last edited by sanjuanworm; 02-01-2020 at 11:20 AM.
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  #39  
Old 02-01-2020, 01:28 PM
hookset hookset is offline
 
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Saw about 80 mule deer on a drive yesterday in central alberta. Seen about 30 or so bucks still packing both sides. Didn't see any 1 antlered deer or obvious shedded bucks. Seen a few groups doing some light sparring as well. Deer were herded up feeding mid day.
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  #40  
Old 02-01-2020, 04:19 PM
Moose Dog Moose Dog is offline
 
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Saw a couple whitetail bucks still sporting both sides a couple days ago. Just east of Edmonton.
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  #41  
Old 02-02-2020, 10:26 PM
snowman160 snowman160 is offline
 
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Picked up 8 whitetail sheds today..lots still packin though
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  #42  
Old 02-03-2020, 01:10 PM
ICMDEER ICMDEER is offline
 
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We're having a mild winter in Wyoming. Not much snow and there are bucks around where I live. I have not seen anything that has shed its antlers yet.
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  #43  
Old 02-03-2020, 01:25 PM
SouthWestRanger SouthWestRanger is offline
 
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I’ve seen some bucks in the West Country without antlers but still see most deer packing once you escape the harsh realities of mountain life
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  #44  
Old 02-03-2020, 01:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1bowhunter12 View Post
Yup .. has a ton to do with it .. stress / weather / feed / age
yup....
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  #45  
Old 02-03-2020, 01:55 PM
Nikanit Nikanit is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trophyhunter View Post


Found this on a nice rub line a while back.
We seen one just like that at Wainright
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  #46  
Old 02-04-2020, 07:59 PM
510-Gem 510-Gem is offline
 
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Almost smoked a hard horned whitetail buck with the work truck in High Prairie on about the 28th. His partner was still packing too.


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  #47  
Old 02-04-2020, 09:54 PM
fishnguy fishnguy is offline
 
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My 5-year old daughter was very excited to see him wearing only one antler. She knows they shed, but had never seen one before with only one, lol. She kept laughing saying that it’s funny.

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  #48  
Old 02-06-2020, 05:23 PM
buckkiller321 buckkiller321 is offline
 
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Great pic!!

I found this guy yesterday, saw it 40 yards off the road
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  #49  
Old 02-07-2020, 03:40 PM
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Saw a group of Mulies East of Fort Saskatchewan yesterday, 3 bucks were in the group and all 3 were still carrying both sides. Looking forward to getting out soon to do some searching with the kids....
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  #50  
Old 02-07-2020, 07:27 PM
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Wife found a couple today


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  #51  
Old 02-07-2020, 07:33 PM
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L2H Lance L2H Lance is offline
 
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  #52  
Old 02-13-2020, 09:51 PM
buckkiller321 buckkiller321 is offline
 
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Any fresh finds?
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  #53  
Old 02-14-2020, 12:18 PM
josh_beeks josh_beeks is offline
 
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I found five whitetail sheds in January from the road, but haven't really been out looking and wont start until mid march seriously
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  #54  
Old 02-14-2020, 01:55 PM
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Out for a sled ride last weekend. Found a spot along a pipeline berm with a whole pile of tracks. Looked like they were all hanging out protected from the wind maybe.
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  #55  
Old 02-14-2020, 07:29 PM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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Nice ones curly. Workin around edson in a good whitetail area. Most still packin from what I can tell. Lotsa snow here in the bush.
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  #56  
Old 02-17-2020, 10:24 PM
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Hugenuge Hugenuge is offline
 
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Been my best start to the season 5 sheds found and two match sets already!


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  #57  
Old 02-24-2020, 12:11 PM
Dougewasiuk Dougewasiuk is offline
 
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Quote:
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Been my best start to the season 5 sheds found and two match sets already!


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That's so great! Quality bonding time too.
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  #58  
Old 02-25-2020, 07:47 PM
Moose Dog Moose Dog is offline
 
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The wife snapped this photo in our front yard this morning. Judging by the tracks it looks like he's been in the area for awhile, gonna have to go take a good look around this weekend.
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  #59  
Old 02-27-2020, 07:51 PM
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Found #6,7,8,9 this last week! Kids are having a blast.




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  #60  
Old 02-28-2020, 08:14 AM
arcticcathinda arcticcathinda is offline
 
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Found one mule deer shed last weekend. Still many packing headgear in the mountain West of Calgary
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