I was getting pumped about finding whitetail antler sheds this year, reading a lot about it in Field & Stream. I even went twice

[texasfirst]

I was getting pumped about finding whitetail antler sheds this year, reading a lot about it in Field & Stream. I even went twice, only to discover that, as of yesterday, March 8, the whitetail bucks have still not cast their antlers. We probably have the latest rut in the country (between Dec. 5-Dec.25 peak), so I am wondering: do we have the latest antler shed in the US? Anyone in other parts of the country still see antlers on whitetail bucks?

[Beekeeper]

Tex,

I've seen them on deer in Georgia in mid April. Science says that the better the body condition of the buck the longer they will carry the antlers. I typically see small sheds like the ones I discussed in a previous post begin to fall in early March in my area, find a few big ones too. But, most of the big ones seem to fall later in my area.

[victorytw228]

We went last weekend of feb. Had a few drop but not all and were in the hill country about hour north austin.

[buckhunter]

In Ohio the, for the most part, sheds start falling in the beginning of January but I've seen antlered deer as late as April 18th.

We have a lot of yearlings in my area that go into esterous late in December which brings on a secondary rut. This keeps my deers hormones up until well into January. So my deer do not drop their horns until February which I think is a little later than normal.

The last day of bow season in Ohio is January 31st and I saw several bucks that day in full headgear.

Beekeeper and myself have both commented on this subject in the past. I think hormones determined when a buck drops his antlers and he claims body condition. I think there might me a little of both involved.

[usmcturkey]

I have not seen any here in North Carolina with their antlers still on their head. Hopeing to find my first shed of the season though.

[mdhager115]

The more South you go, the later the deer will take to drop their headgear, especially if the rut was in December. In Maryland the deer started shedding in January, but they also start the rut in November. If I were you, I would just wait a couple of weeks, the bucks should start shedding soon. Good Luck to ya!

[Del in KS]

My dog and I found 1 shed and 1 dead 10 pt buck last week in Kansas.