What time should I start looking for sheds, and when do deer grow their antlers back?

If I had to guess I'd say February, and sometime in the summer, is that far off?

How can you tell a buck from a doe with no antlers besides the obvious parts?

When I lived in lower AL, I started shed hunting in March. Bucks start growing antlers back as soon as they are cast. I will start shed hunting here in MO in a couple of weeks. Refreshing my mineral lick I started late last summer this coming week. Will put my cell cam back up then.

I guess deer shed differently in different locations too, or is it about the same time everywhere? The things I wonder... haha.

Usually around march in my area, But i have got pics of some big bucks in Northern Wilcox, still sporting antlers in April before

Wow.

So in pragmatic terms watch your cameras and decide from there?

Just wait until the season is over you may get a shot at one and don't want to run him off tromping through the woods everywhere right now.

Yep right now just baiting and watching cameras, prob not hunting this season, wasn't ready for it.

Some are shedding now in Indiana. Usually by Valentines day, start looking.

On Bankhead they’ve already started. Usually most of AL native deer shed in February or March but may hold on well into April.

Mine will start any day now

It depends on how long the rut lasts.......I figure we have a small second rut in late Feb early March and then bucks begin to drop antlers a few weeks after that....typically late March early April.......I have seen a buck the first week of May still holding on but that's not the norm

So I assume antlerless bucks will be difficult to tell apart from the does, unless they have some age on them?

Good point about the rut.

Somewhat unrelated, but I read that you could potentially hunt the rut the whole season, if you're into traveling anyways.

Deer were transplanted from other states to curb low population levels decades ago, and they kept their rut pattern from those other states, at least according to what I read.

There’s places in AL where peak breeding takes place from early November all the way to mid February, so yes you can travel the state and hunt rut the entire length of the season.

Yea you can. I and I used to. Now I’m about done hunting by Jan 1 for most part.

another reason NOT to run the season until Feb 10 up there.

Exactly. I wish it was over Jan 10. But me and all my neighbors have quit so the survivors are safe for now

On the property I hunt in SE AL they don't start shedding until the second half of March and I've had pics of bucks that still had their antlers the first week of April. Shed antler timing varies greatly from area to area, your best bet is to setup some cameras to pinpoint your timing without guessing.

Yep good point, I just hope they're on my property when the antlers fall off, would be cool to find my first shed.

. If you are watching cameras ---- do you have a gun and ammo, you're ready. You don't need anything except something to kill one with and some time. You don't need stands (ladder, wood, climber) just sit against a tree and wait or if you don't like waiting, go walk/stalk. Don't let these pecker heads you see on TV or anywhere else tell you that you even need camo, just go. Borrow a gun if you need one. You're ready.

Yep, I've seen and have pics of bucks that have cast the first week of Feb. I've never done it but have heard stories up here where folks shoot one and the antler comes off when dragging. Thanks Chuckie.

In Montgomery co, I see lots of bucks with antlers during turkey season. I have seen a buck with antlers trailing a doe
in early May on my home property. These bucks don't shed their velvet until the 2nd or third week in October

Customer of mine from north Alabama shot a good buck late season, found one side of the rack while
Trailing it. Ended up by dragging it from the feet.

How many bucks are actually being killed in North Alabama without antlers now due to the 10 day extension as opposed to when the season used to end 10 days earlier??? Is it even statistically significant or is it just the stories of this one buck ol boy shot??....I mean it is just 10 days

Very few cause most folks up here quit hunting several days ago

I'm of the opinion that the more things we can keep the same statewide the better off we'll be.....Keep it simple when we can..

. I don't think so when it comes to seasons, there is a big difference between north al. and south al when it comes to times to hunt. Folks down south would prefer turkey season to come in even before the middle of march, they birds up there aren't quite ready. It is the same with deer, we haven't even gotten into the rut where I'm hunting.

The only thing that really matters in the end is how many get killed right?

Shedding in KS now. I still see bucks with full sets while turkey hunting in early April here.

To say the states deer herd can be one size fits all statement is very ignorant.

Wow - did not know northern part of Bama shed that early - west central will be April May and I hav seen deer chasing in March early April - it just now starting to be on like Donky Kong with the rut here

Our rut up here fired off around Nov 10 again this year. It’s always give or take then. I got as many as 9 bucks back together now on food. Big doe groups back together and they will feed together. Bucks are so worn down they don’t even want to chase

Well why don't we make the gun season begin when bucks have hard, bare antlers till they cast them?

Why not?......Just as long as we arent killing too many total. That's what seasons and such are really dictating for the most part anyways right? How many we kill

Good to know 257
When I lived in Arky - there peek was Nov 8-9 somewhere in there - I think most states like that but I did not know N Bama like that. When I lived in N FL - their rut very similar to mine now - usually coming on strong jan 21 and later and another flurry in Feb

one of the bucks on my place shed his right antler last night or this morning.

Hunted in southern Illinois last weekend. Saw several that had shed

Many years ago when I started hunting those evil turkeys I kept an eye out for sheds. I was testing out a turkey season for 47 county One morning while headed to a gobbling bird I stepped right in the middle of 3 nice bucks. They all had their racks. Must have been late March or early April. Was also testing the use of decoys.....

All I have is a .223 and a 12 gauge cylinder bore.

The rut didn’t start in Jackson county on Nov 10. We are always mid to late January.

I'll come back here and post when I notice sheds if I remember. I'm keeping on my cameras like a hawk. Unfortunately when I checked the other day I didn't see near as many bucks as usual. Only saw one 5 point I think it was.

I've found sheds as early as the first week of feb here at the office and have seen bucks on the side of i565 in late april with antlers still. My guess is it depends on the area's rut timing and the fall of their testosterone?

Local processor got one Saturday that had dropped both.

my one horned buck that shed one side on the 21st shed the other side yesterday, the 24th. He is poor looking, run down from the rut.

I have seen antlered bucks in second week of April in Sumpter Co.

Y'all aren't anywhere near Lee County are you?

Starting to see that in several counties around here too. Fayette/Lamar/Marion. Already had hunters telling me they’ve killed shed bucks for does

That sucks.