After a Buck loses

[DRAFTSTUD]

his Antlers, will they keep scraping? I looked at the lease that I have now back in February of 2002 and we were finding fresh scrapes that were being tended. Is this a case of a buck still producing Breeding hormones after his antlers have fallen? But I was also under the impression that those same hormones kept his horns on his head. So what is the answer?

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

OK, All of this knowledge on hunting and killing stuff and not one Guess! 52 Views and no clues?

 

[danr55]

I'm not sure about La. but in Arizona some of the younger bucks don't lose thier antlers until well into March. The older animals will shed thier antlers in Late January or early February, but you have to remember that the farther south you go, the later the rut starts. So whitetails in Arizona will rut as late as the end of January. To specifically answer your question, no. A buck will not tend a scrape line after it sheds it's antlers. They become very docil and begin banding up again in bachelor groups.

 

[iminrut]

I don't know what to say either, as our deer are just beginning to shed up here.

My guess is, yes they will, to a point. My thinking is they may just be scent checking or even communicating via scrapes.......my guess is the act will die off soon.....until their new hardware is in place by lat summer/early fall........but once again, I'm speaking from a northern point of view....I think the above comment is pretty close...being that your rut is much later than some of ours, the possibility of some late estrous does is a possiblity.....

We need a time frame from your perspective.......when do bucks shed.....when is the rut......etc...

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Dan, That is part of the riddle with our Deer, our main rut in our area is around the 2nd week of November, while the rut in Alabama does not start until the 2nd week of January. Also the transplanting of Deer has screwed up when a herd goes into rut. Plus we have a large carryover of does, so we have 2nd and third ruts! I do have a couple of game cameras I could setup over a scrape and see if any knot heads show up. Thanks, John

 

[supersider34]

I know nothing about WT but here I have seen mulies scraping sagebrush to knock there antlers off for shedding. I was told they itch before dropping. Dont know if that is true or not.

 

[birddog]

Just a thought!

I would have to say that there is a good chance the bucks may continue tending scrapes late in the year. Ive hunted states that have late seasons, and have found many bucks running early fawns that have come into heat . I see no reason why some bucks may not continue keeping scrapes fresh for that reason.

 

[CAVETOMB]

Don't know anything about WT, only mulies.