# Sheds Yet?



## Marcher

Has anyone noticed any trail pictures of bucks that have lost their antlers yet? Or found some antlers? If so, which part of the state? 
I am thinking about going out end of next week to look...


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## garhtr

I've seen 4 bucks this week in S/W with both sides but none were really big deer.
I'm holding out for a buck during M/L season, sure hope they're not dropping any antlers yet.
Good luck and Good Hunting !


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## Flannel_Carp

Isn't it a few weeks early for that?


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## Marcher

Flannel_Carp said:


> Isn't it a few weeks early for that?


I found the last 3-5 years that by Jan. 1st all the bucks in the area I hunt (S.E. Ohio) had dropped. The trail cameras don't lie...Last year because December was very mild they kept them until mid January. So I was figuring with the cold weather we have had already that some guys would be getting some pictures without their head gear...


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## Fishballz

I have shot two deer in my life during the regular deer gun season that I thought were big does (on public land) that were bucks that had already dropped there antlers. Not to say that's typical though


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## Buck-Eye

Shot a nice buck in NASA on 12/10/16. Left side was only connected with less than 10% of bone. Pulled off while loading into the truck. Base was bloody except for the small piece still connected. Right side was very much still intact.


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## TClark

A few years back I read an article that makes antler hunting much easier.

Get some chicken wire and make a 4 or 5 foot stretch. Then attach it to two sticks and put them into the ground. Then sprinkle some corn as close to the wire as you can.

Any deer with antlers will get stuck in the wire...at least enough to maybe break off those antlers that are ready or close to ready to shed.

If I remember right, the guy was in Maine. He makes a few dozen of these chicken wire antler geters and spreads them
through out his hunting region.

Just a thought to maybe help ya get more than usual, eh?


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## Kenlow1

Marcher-shot a small racked 7 pt on Saturday in Monroe Co ( Woodsfield) and after following blood trail for 75 yds recovered deer however had only one antler. I definitely remembered before I shot with crossbow that the buck had both sides. Figured that he knocked off the one antler while running thru the brush? Thought that after I field dress deer I would backtrack blood trail and find the other antler, so as I moved the deer to dress out, I grabbed the other antler to move to a small incline, the other side pulled off. Now the buck just went to anterless deer or "shed buck"! After dressing deer out, I did find the other antler buried in the leaves right where he fell! Sorry for the long play by play, but to answered your question, this buck would have dropped his rack within 1-2 days had I not shot him. I am not a deer biologist but have heard when there is a cold winter the Bucks will drop earlier but we have not had a cold winter thus far? Not sure how other counties in Ohio are affected but normally the end of Jan. Or first of Feb. is when we see bucks losing their headgear?


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## Marcher

Kenlow1 
It is crazy that there is over a month left in the archery season and at least in certain areas of the state they drop their headgear by Jan 1...I can think back probably 6 years that on the week between Christmas and New Years I went to the cabin and just went for a walk on the one cattle farm down there and found 6 antlers in 30 minutes!!!! Ever since then I put out trail cameras right after gun season to see what I could learn about my area, and I found that by New Years I never saw a racked buck! 
I know another guy who hunts a more agricultural area and he sees bucks holding their antlers into March! He is only an 1 hr and 15 minutes away...it is pretty crazy!!! I am going out looking on Friday so I will let you know if I find any!!


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## Kenlow1

Wow,6 antlers in 30 minutes, were you finding them in bedding areas or in crop fields? What county are you in? Good luck and let us know of any finds.


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## mattlecon

My buddy's son found this one on Monday in Wayne County


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## Marcher

They were in a field. This same field is a place where during the summer I will see them in the evenings. They disperse for the rut and then come back to that area for the rest of the year. Not sure why. Harrison county.


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## Bone2323




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## Bone2323

That's in Ashtabula co


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## Marcher

I went out today and didn't find any. I didn't walk all the areas I normally do because there was snow on the ground and I decided to wait for another time when there isn't any snow. While driving around the block at sunset I saw a small buck that still had both sides. So I may have been premature! I am sure some are dropping but obviously not all...I won't be able to try again until late February!


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## DHower08

Anyone whos going to head out looking for antlers this early. Dont start tromping through bedding areas stick to fields. You push them bedding areas out not gonna have a good shed season


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## senkothrower

Just checked cams tonight and this one has already dropped, could be several Bucks accidentally killed during muzzleloader session this weekend


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## Doboy

Here ya go!
Mahoning County, 14pt crab-claw! 
They were 30' apart, along a rub trail,,,,, but not really close to a rub tree?
I can't believe that they just fell off, that close together.
I think that he might'a been sparing with another buck?
Goollly-geeee I hope he doesn't get smashed by a car.

How many months till NEXT bow season?
Fingers crossed


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## bank runner

Down here in SW Ohio I usually don't start looking until mid Feburary see a lot of bucks with headgear up into March. I saw this buck Feb 23 14 went to get permission to shed hunt the property on March 5 and the landowner said he saw him on March 2nd with full headgear dogging a doe


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## bank runner

Heres another nice buck I jumped up on Feb 15th went back 2 weeks later jumped him and another buck both still sporting full racks


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## Doboy

WOW! Look at the length of those brow tines! Cool
Good Luck on those!


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## Snook

Checked camera's today in Ashtabula Co. My biggest buck I had on camera had dropped both sides already. Definitely him! Several other smaller bucks still had head gear.


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## n-strut

Have several bucks on camera that have shed, found one today. Looks like last years.


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## snag

Saw a nice buck running along rt261 near Kent this morning and had half a rack still on .


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## fishforfun

I pulled the cards today and saw small bucks with horns and a dandy 8 pt.


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## T-180

Saw 3 bucks last weekend that were still sporting their head gear. I pulled a card last night but haven't gotten to check it yet. Central part of the state.


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## n-strut

Saw these two in Dublin today.


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## Rocknut

On my walk this morning I saw over 30 deer with two herds of around 10 each. The one herd had 3-bucks still sporting head gear and spotted two more bucks still with head gear.


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## miked913

My nephew and his dog found a 10pt set in summit county. This past Sunday.


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## fireline

I checked my cameras today in Tuscarawas county and no bucks had lost any horns yet.


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## TomC

in Miami co I have pics of some have lost half a rack others still full, saw one nice one down the road from where I hunt last night that lost his right side.


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## Saugeyefisher

Interesting thread! How rare is it to find a set of antlers???


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## Rocknut

I found this set 2 years ago. They where about 50 yards away from each other


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## buckeyebowman

For me it's damned rare! You'd think I'd run into one here and there when morel hunting in the Spring, but no! The only thing I've ever found was the upper half of a skull (minus the lower jaw) with a small 5 point rack attached. It was part of an entire skeleton that had been scattered all over by scavengers. 

Just last week my buddy's wife saw 2 nice bucks cross the road in front of her, and both still had both sides. Columbiana Co. Who knows when antlers drop and why? I've seen bucks wearing headgear in March!


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## miked913

I have found 3 sets ever. My best year for sheds was spring of 2015 we had a ton of snow that year that came in January and melted in March. I found 10 sheds that year 2 sets. I kept track on my phone I walked 44 miles looking.


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## Marcher

buckeyebowman said:


> For me it's damned rare! You'd think I'd run into one here and there when morel hunting in the Spring, but no! The only thing I've ever found was the upper half of a skull (minus the lower jaw) with a small 5 point rack attached. It was part of an entire skeleton that had been scattered all over by scavengers.
> 
> Just last week my buddy's wife saw 2 nice bucks cross the road in front of her, and both still had both sides. Columbiana Co. Who knows when antlers drop and why? I've seen bucks wearing headgear in March!


I have read that bucks lose their antlers when their testosterone drops to a certain point. This can be affected by the number of does in the area(when they have been bred). Can be affected by health of the buck, stress on the buck, food available, the amount of daylight (photoperiodism). If you are seeing bucks still holding both sides in March you have a herd in good health and low stress!


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## miked913

The believe that the #1 factor is photoperiod, but the other things you mentioned affect if the come off early or late. But studies have shown that if the amount of light is altered on captive deer they will grow multiple sets of antlers in a single growing season.


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## Rainbow Record

This ones still carrying


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## fireline

I checked my cameras yesterday in Tuscarawas county and no bucks had dropped any horns yet.


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## bobk

Friday I had 2 nice 8 pts. Pushing a doe come through the back yard. 1 was half racked. Yesterday around noon 4 bucks were in the back 2 were shed and the other 2 were still holding both sides of their racks. Time to go looking soon.


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## OutdoorMediaCo

I've been out looking and nothing yet! Trying again saturday. I'll be putting more miles on than the past weeks so hopefully Im rewarded. Most of the places I look for sheds they hold till march for whatever reason.


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## catfishhunterjames

I have a 180 plus still carrying he was see today around 7:30 pm. Just hoping I find them when he drops them. Also several other buck still has theirs also I have one that be carrying one side for 3 or 4 days.


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## fireline

I checked my cameras in Tuscarawas county today, several 1 1/2 year old bucks have lost 1 side or both, I have several pictures of 3 1/2- 4 1/2 year old bucks carrying both sides. I am also getting pictures of bucks that I have never seen before.


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## James30

This was Saturday in Medina, tough to see but there were 5 bucks and one doe...

County


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## fishgig

You're doe has a thick neck . Could it been a shed buck ?


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## 2120Tom

Noticed two bucks yesterday with only one side of their antlers, they still had both sides 3 days ago.


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## fireline

Here is one I got a picture of still carrying his rack around the 9th or 10th of February, 

Photo on next post, operator error


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## fireline




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## supercanoe

Nice, that deer needs to be shot.


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## James30

fishgig said:


> You're doe has a thick neck . Could it been a shed buck ?


She was darting around and the large one was chasing the others away so that's why I assume it was a doe, and she led the group back into the woods....


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## Shad Rap

fireline said:


> View attachment 230504


Weird...pic looks fake as hell...not saying it is...just looks it...deer looks super imposed into the pic...body seems way too small also...looks like a midget deer...and whats up with the ears?..looks like a bad, bad photoshop to me...just my opinion.


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## DHower08

Will be out on two different farms this weekend. The farm im going to saturday i found 6 the first time i ever shed hunted it. I have high hopes but am expecting the worst


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## Lowerider1029

There is a chance they might be covered with snow this weekend ! Hope not !


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## DHower08

If we get a bunch of snow ill wait till next weekend


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## bradley4

I found these 2 in less than an hour the other day.


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## Misdirection

Saw this guy on Wednesday. Hopefully he'll drop his soon right in my back yard.


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## supercanoe

I went out the other day for 3-4 hours, but didn't find any antlers. I found 2 old doe carcasses. I did see 6 bucks that day. Four of the Bucks had no antlers, and 2 bucks still had both antlers.


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## OutdoorMediaCo

I'm over 20+ miles and not a shed yet! Trying again saturday before accepting defeat to greenup.


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## Monark22

2 hours Sunday. Found 4.


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## snag

Last week my brother had two bucks with headgear in his backyard , with the snow then you could see the racks easily.


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## snag

Last week my brother had two bucks with headgear in his backyard , with the snow then you could see the racks easily.


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## DHower08

Ill be out sunday on an awesome urban property and then next weekend on my main farn


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## Frostbite

I have found 3 sets so far. I plan to hit the woods this weekend to look. All the bucks I have had on camera had dropped their head gear


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## 1more

So who's our there holding all the antlers?


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## OrangeMilk

Brother in law found these this week, matched set 12 yards apart.


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