When Do White-tailed Bucks Shed Their Antlers
BuckManager.com | Deer Management
White-tailed deer shed their antlers every year prior to the re-growth of new ones. It may surprise you to find out that the entire shedding process takes only two to three weeks to complete, and of course the re-growth phase takes place over the summer up into very early fall. Bucks have antlers throughout spring, summer, and most of the winter, but shed them sometime between January and April (depending upon the animal and latitude), after the rutting season comes to an end. A buck can carry-on without antlers at this time of year because they do not need to fight-off other bucks for territory and does.
Deer antlers differ from the hollow horns of cattle in that they comprise solid bone tissue with a honeycombed structure. Pedicles, the skin-covered nubs protruding from a buck’s skull, serve as a base for antler growth and support the deer’s antlers. However, keep in mind that the pedicles are permanent fixtures on the deer’s forehead, and are the point at which antlers separate from the deer each year.
During the first 8 to 9-months, the pedicles grow and begin to appear on a buck fawn’s forehead (nubbin buck). Then, the buck actually begins antler growth as a yearling buck (first set of antlers). Each year the buck will go through the antler growing process and shed its antlers. As the deer matures, the antlers typically increase in mass, beam length, and point length. They also will add points in many cases, but not always.
During growth, antlers are covered with a sensitive skin commonly referred to as “velvet.” This velvet is filled with blood vessels that constantly feed the antlers the vitamins and the minerals necessary for bone building. Antler growth demands a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein, and energy, so adequate native forage or supplemental feed must be available to meet these requirements for maximum antler growth.
Antler growth can range from two to four months depending upon the individual buck. After this time, a hardened ring forms at the base of the antlers (burr) that shuts off blood flow to the velvet-covered antlers. As a result, the velvet deteriorates, dries up, and falls off, often assisted by the white-tailed buck, which rubs his antlers against tree bark.
At this point, the antler growing cycle is complete, the buck will prepare for the rut, and the shedding cycle will resume after the fall and winter breeding season.
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Those pictures of the deer and you were really cool.The deers antlers were the biggest I have ever seen.
gail | Jul 15, 2008 | Reply
It is early December and I came across a whitetail buck with no antlers. Not broken off, but they actually look like they never developed. He looks like he is about 3 years old. What is up with that?
Lonnie | Dec 9, 2008 | Reply
Where do the antlers go when they fall off the buck? I never see any laying on the ground.
Steve Billings | Dec 16, 2008 | Reply
From what I understand, if a buck gets castrated or injures himself while it has no horns he will never grow any more antlers. On the other hand, if a buck gets castrated or injured while he has his horns, he will not loose them. I am not 100% sure of this, only a good friend of mine told me this. Anyone know anything about this?
Lee | Mar 11, 2009 | Reply
I though I saw a whitetail buck in a field that was growing its antlers back. It’s March and is that possible.
Martin | Mar 16, 2009 | Reply
It is definitely possible to see white-tailed bucks growing antlers. Most bucks grow antlers about the same time, but there are also outliers—those that start very early or very late. Where are you located?
Buck Manager | Mar 16, 2009 | Reply
I live in salem co. nj.
martin | Mar 24, 2009 | Reply
I had no idea that white-tailed bucks shed their antlers annually. I thought the size of a bucks antlers was a great indicator of how old a buck is. To my suprise, I learned I was wrong. It is amazing that a buck sheds their antlers annually. They are amazing animals.
TLag | Sep 26, 2009 | Reply
Well see, squrriels can eat one shed antler in under ethier a day or a week, I can’t remember exactly. Thats why you don’t always see them, but alsoIi want to know the exact times that they lose them because other wise the varmets get to them first.
Jake | Dec 8, 2009 | Reply
I harvested a four point buck that was still in velvet. I was told it was called a stag. How common is it harvesting a buck like this?
Mike | Dec 12, 2009 | Reply
I read an article about moose that said if a moose is casterated his antlers would fall off and the next set he grew would be very irregular and would never fall off. I assume this would apply to deer too since they are in the same family. I’ve never seen evidence of this myself.
Ian | Dec 19, 2009 | Reply
Yes, this is correct. If a deer is castrated while he has his antlers he will not shed them, but if he is castrated while he has none he will not grow them either.
Brian | Dec 20, 2009 | Reply
I live in Vermont and I’m wondering if it is possible to get a better time frame on when bucks shed their antlers around here? I have looked all over my property from December to mid-February and have found nothing, but I know the deer bed here and live here. We see them all winter long
Brian | Dec 20, 2009 | Reply
When antlers hit the ground they don’t disappear. You just have to put in the time and have a sharp eye to find them. But knowing where to look can increase your odds.
deer slayer | Jan 28, 2010 | Reply
Lonnie, the buck could of grown his antlers a lot earlier, before every other buck, or he could have lost them earily, or he could of lost them in a fight. And how do you know it was a buck? If the deer was smart he would have ran right when he saw you? I think deer in suburban areas shed their antlers earlier than country deer.
deer slayer | Jan 28, 2010 | Reply
Nutrition is a HUGE factor in when bucks drop their antlers. Our neighbor (both of us have large high-fenced ranches) that does not provide protein and mineral supplements had his bucks dropping antlers in January and February. We feed supplements and our bucks drop their antlers around Easter and grow much bigger antlers. The deer on the other ranch drop their antlers sooner probably because the extra weight of the antlers requires more calories burned for the bucks. In non-optimal conditions the buck needs all stored calories available to him.
Hunter D | Jan 31, 2010 | Reply
Deer sheds are commonly eaten by small rodents and other animals because of the calcium they contain. It’s often a race to get to the sheds before the critters do!
ZRR | Mar 3, 2010 | Reply