Author Topic: The antlers are falling off (Read 2600 times)

thecfarm · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2023, 04:22:13 PM »

Must be no food for them?
The deer have been here for years.
I would snowshoe in sometimes to check on the deer. They go to the same places 40 years as they do now.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #21 on:** February 11, 2023, 04:57:36 PM »

Never was many in my area, even 50 years ago. Moose country mostly. I see about 4-6 deer in a year, none in winter once the snow piles up. They migrate south of here, maybe 20 miles in the Hartland area. There are areas that had a lot more deer than here, the Tobique river watershed was full of deer. No deer yards in my area at all. Last deer yard in my vicinity was about 40 years ago until dogs found it in the cedar woods at the end of the farm next to Maine border. Used to be a lot of dogs run loose that chased deer. Wasn't coyotes, DNR would shoot deer chasers on sight.

JD Guy · « **Reply #22 on:** February 17, 2023, 12:25:34 PM »

Walked a small area of our acreage yesterday looking for sheds and with the deer trails and large numbers of tree rubs we should have found at least one. Maybe still a little early but we are seeing no antlered deer, just 8-15 or more antler-less grazing in the pastures.

Walnut Beast · « **Reply #23 on:** February 17, 2023, 01:48:08 PM »

I know what you mean! When you see tons of deer around and don’t find any sheds! Keep your eye out 👍

JD Guy · « **Reply #24 on:** February 18, 2023, 10:45:37 AM »

We have lots of squirrels, aka tree rats and if they find them first the antlers are seriously compromised

beenthere · « **Reply #25 on:** February 18, 2023, 11:31:56 AM »

I've come to the conclusion over the years that the antlers are chewed on by the rabbits, not the squirrels.
I thought squirrels for years, until I started hanging the sawed-off antlers in a bush or tree up off the ground.

Maybe mice too, but they should be able to reach them in the tree or bush.

Video from trail cam 10 days ago, these bucks still hanging onto their racks. But have seen one buck without antlers, only the scars were left.

https://rumble.com/v29g5es-young-bucks-feb-8.html

KEC · « **Reply #26 on:** February 18, 2023, 04:53:28 PM »

A number of years ago, I was out planting some White Cedar on a friends' property and saw something that caught my eye. A matched pair of antlers from a big 9-pointer that my friend had hoped to get. My son who was with me said "Hey Dad, look at that"! About 30' away was another matched pair of smaller antlers. The bigger set scored 130 B+C. Like a dummy I did not dash out and buy a lottery ticket. After a while I gave the big set to my friend who owns the property.

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2023, 05:02:40 PM »

Just about any animal that naws will eat antlers. Hares, mice, squirrels, porcupine, fox, coyote, bears. They are all known to chew them.

KEC · « **Reply #28 on:** February 26, 2023, 07:07:29 PM »

Today, February 26, 2023, I saw a buck near Syracuse, NY still carrying a set of 6 pt. antlers, fair sized for only 6 points.

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