Written by HLRBO - Alexandra Carter| 2/7/2023
Deer shed their antlers during late fall to early spring, with most of the shedding happening between December and March. Most hunters know about shedding season and why it may appear as if you’re only seeing doe or fawn. But do you know why? This blog post takes a look at why deer antlers fall off.
Why Do Buck Antlers Fall Off?
The Quality Deer Management Association studied northern deer herds. They found the most dominant bucks shed their antlers earlier than younger, smaller bucks, suggesting it could be related to nutritional status, as many older, more mature bucks are heavily involved in rutting activity and undergo more physical stress each fall.
The textbook answer for why buck antlers fall off is that deer physiology and behavior change with the season largely because of changes in daylight. When the daylight hours shorten, certain hormones like testosterone are produced less, causing an abscission line to form at the pedicel base as connective tissue dies. Then the antlers fall off. But, there are other factors that influence shedding, including:
How Do Antlers Fall Off?
Antlers grow from an attachment point on the buck’s skull known as the pedicle, a very strong connection point that can withstand the impact of fighting and even being drug by hunters. Researchers suggest that maintenance of the connection between the dead tissues of the antler and the living tissues of the pedicle is only possible during periods of high testosterone levels. So, when testosterone levels drop, a special type of bone cell called an osteoclast works to remove the bone tissue by reabsorbing calcium between the antler and pedicle, and the antler falls off. Some bucks shed both antlers within minutes. But most carry for a few more hours or days.
Do Deer Shed Their Antlers Every Year?
Yes. Because of how levels of daylight and testosterone impact antler shedding, most bucks shed their antlers after mating season every year. Some may shed early in December, while others won’t shed until March. If you see a deer shedding its antlers during any other time of year, it could be because injury or malnutrition caused its testosterone levels to drop.
Serious shed hunters who have tracked the week or two when deer in their area cast their antlers will be at an advantage over those who go hunting on a random weekend when the weather allows. Just like hunting the deer themselves, finding their freshly dropped antlers is a matter of luck and paying attention to big trends and few details.
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