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What causes the Bucks to lose their antler?

J

jakew

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I'm Curious on what causes the bucks to lose their antlers? Is it their diet change? Change of season? Temp? Or what? And can it be provoked by minerals or hormones. I'm really curious because of the bucks you hear about some deer losing their antlers in november, and then some that don't loose them til march. Could it even be the age of the deer, possible provoked by time? Anyone for conversation sake?

[This message has been edited by jakew (edited 01-25-2002).]

[This message has been edited by jakew (edited 01-25-2002).]
 
Jakew...I have always been told it is a hormonal thing, but I am not sure what triggers it(rut's end or sometimes stress I imagine). Anyway, sometimes if a buck loses the family jewels (or if a doe grows antlers), you get some real bizare racks that may never be dropped.

I expect a biologist or someone with the real scientific answers will respond to your post.



[This message has been edited by IaCraig (edited 01-25-2002).]
 
Bucks drop there antlers because there hormone level drops dramatically after the rut. Something to do with shortening daylight hours.
 
I'd like to know if all this warm weather will cause some of the bucks to drop their antlers later than they normally would.

[This message has been edited by MadisonB&C (edited 01-25-2002).]
 
The change in hormones that cause the antler pedicel to demineralize are triggered by the pineal gland, and are a result of shorter daylight hours. This is called Photoperiodism. Photoperiodism is the factor that determines the timing of the rut, antler growth, antler shedding, etc. I personally believe that bucks with larger antlers and those that are more physically run-down from the rut (or injured) tend to lose their sheds first.
 
I happen to believe that stress plus hormones have a lot to do with it. My dad shot a deer during shotgun season about 4 years ago that had already droped his antlers. The thing had a club leg and was in bad shape. The part where the antlers were, were actually still somewhat bloody. Like he had just dropped them that day. And the deer didnt have his antlers when he shot it so we know it didnt knock them off after he got shot.

Numba1
 
Those were all very helpful comments. Thanks for all the information Guys.
 
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