Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Bucks are already dropping their horns up here-my buddy saw three with one side shed already-very early for that too happen.
Weird!!!
- Thread starter Northern Rancher
- Start date
Mike
Well-known member
Believe it or not, the 23 degree tilt of the Earth¹s axis is the ultimate
cause for the annual cycles in deer antlers. This tilt is what causes
Earth's annually recurring seasons. Deer have adapted their physiology and
behavior to these seasonal changes, including antler growth. The
environmental cue that regulates antler growth is the amount of day
length, or photoperiod.
The physiological cue is the male hormone testosterone. The way this works
is complicated, but changing day lengths are sensed by the eyes, which
send this message, via the optic nerve, to the pineal gland. The pineal
gland - a pea-sized organ at the base of the brain - produces many
different hormones. One hormone produced is luteinizing hormone, which
controls the amount of testoserone produced in the testes.
The antler cycle lags behind the changes in day length because the
hormonal changes take time. During fall, decreasing day lengths cause
melatonin production to increase, resulting in decreased production of
both luteinizing hormone and testosterone. Decreasing testosterone levels
then cause the antlers to shed.
Antler Shedding
In the past, it was believed that deer withdrew to secluded places to shed
their antlers in order to avoid the loss of virility in 'public.' However,
it is likely that deer are unaware of when they will lose their antlers.
Antlers are shed when a thin layer of tissue destruction, called the
abscission layer, forms between the antler and the pedicle. This layer
forms as a result of the decrease in testosterone. As the connective
tissue is dissolved, the antler loosens and is either broken free, or
falls off on its own. This degeneration of the bone-to-bone bond between
the antler and the pedicle is the fastest deterioration of living tissue
known in the animal kingdom.
In whitetails, a restricted diet has been found to cause bucks to shed
their antlers early. It has been suspected that the lack of adequate
nutrition somehow effects testosterone output. Nutritionally-stressed
bucks may also grow their antlers and shed their velvet later. Older-aged
bucks are thought to shed their antlers earlier than younger bucks. It has
also been reported that higher-ranked (more dominant) bucks cast their
antlers sooner than lower-ranked (subordinant) bucks. Older-aged, more
dominant bucks probably shed their antlers sooner because of the high
energy costs incurred in maintaining a higher dominance rank.
The farther deer are from the equator, the more defined their antler
cycle. In other words, northern deer have a shorter "window" of when
antler shedding can occur, compared to deer herds in southern states. In
addition, the specific date when a buck will shed his antlers may be
determined more by his individual antler cycle than any other factor. This
cycle is independent of other bucks and is believed to be centered on each
animal's birth date.
Penned deer studies have allowed scientists to measure the exact dates of
antler shedding for individual deer year after year. One study in
Mississippi found that individual bucks usually shed their antlers at the
same time each year and almost always during the same week. Yearling bucks
with only spike antlers shed sooner than yearling bucks with forked
antlers, likely because they were more nutritionally stressed than
fork-antlered bucks. This study also indicated there was no relationship
between antler mass and date of antler shedding, although other studies
have shown that bucks shed their antlers earlier as they grow older.
Additional penned studies have also revealed that bucks usually shed both
antlers within three days of each other.
Although there is no clear evidence that weather directly affects antler
shedding, it is likely that severe winters may also cause bucks to shed
their antlers earlier than normal because of the nutritional stress this
causes.
cause for the annual cycles in deer antlers. This tilt is what causes
Earth's annually recurring seasons. Deer have adapted their physiology and
behavior to these seasonal changes, including antler growth. The
environmental cue that regulates antler growth is the amount of day
length, or photoperiod.
The physiological cue is the male hormone testosterone. The way this works
is complicated, but changing day lengths are sensed by the eyes, which
send this message, via the optic nerve, to the pineal gland. The pineal
gland - a pea-sized organ at the base of the brain - produces many
different hormones. One hormone produced is luteinizing hormone, which
controls the amount of testoserone produced in the testes.
The antler cycle lags behind the changes in day length because the
hormonal changes take time. During fall, decreasing day lengths cause
melatonin production to increase, resulting in decreased production of
both luteinizing hormone and testosterone. Decreasing testosterone levels
then cause the antlers to shed.
Antler Shedding
In the past, it was believed that deer withdrew to secluded places to shed
their antlers in order to avoid the loss of virility in 'public.' However,
it is likely that deer are unaware of when they will lose their antlers.
Antlers are shed when a thin layer of tissue destruction, called the
abscission layer, forms between the antler and the pedicle. This layer
forms as a result of the decrease in testosterone. As the connective
tissue is dissolved, the antler loosens and is either broken free, or
falls off on its own. This degeneration of the bone-to-bone bond between
the antler and the pedicle is the fastest deterioration of living tissue
known in the animal kingdom.
In whitetails, a restricted diet has been found to cause bucks to shed
their antlers early. It has been suspected that the lack of adequate
nutrition somehow effects testosterone output. Nutritionally-stressed
bucks may also grow their antlers and shed their velvet later. Older-aged
bucks are thought to shed their antlers earlier than younger bucks. It has
also been reported that higher-ranked (more dominant) bucks cast their
antlers sooner than lower-ranked (subordinant) bucks. Older-aged, more
dominant bucks probably shed their antlers sooner because of the high
energy costs incurred in maintaining a higher dominance rank.
The farther deer are from the equator, the more defined their antler
cycle. In other words, northern deer have a shorter "window" of when
antler shedding can occur, compared to deer herds in southern states. In
addition, the specific date when a buck will shed his antlers may be
determined more by his individual antler cycle than any other factor. This
cycle is independent of other bucks and is believed to be centered on each
animal's birth date.
Penned deer studies have allowed scientists to measure the exact dates of
antler shedding for individual deer year after year. One study in
Mississippi found that individual bucks usually shed their antlers at the
same time each year and almost always during the same week. Yearling bucks
with only spike antlers shed sooner than yearling bucks with forked
antlers, likely because they were more nutritionally stressed than
fork-antlered bucks. This study also indicated there was no relationship
between antler mass and date of antler shedding, although other studies
have shown that bucks shed their antlers earlier as they grow older.
Additional penned studies have also revealed that bucks usually shed both
antlers within three days of each other.
Although there is no clear evidence that weather directly affects antler
shedding, it is likely that severe winters may also cause bucks to shed
their antlers earlier than normal because of the nutritional stress this
causes.
kolanuraven
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2005
- Messages
- 10,917
In other words.....global warming probably!
:lol:
:lol:
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
The buck's are dropping their horns probably 6-8 weeks early and it's not because of nutritional stress either-if anything colder weather will make them do it. Bigger deer usually rub their other horn off right away after one drops just because I think it bothers them to have all that weight on one side. My son is a big time shed hunter (100 plus) a year and it's quite often early February before he starts finding sheds with fresh blood onthe ends. They quite often drop both together but coyotes will carry them off aways.
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
It was -35 here yesterday afternoon with the windchill-bring on global warming lol.
Manitoba_Rancher
Well-known member
Its -26 here right now and the windchill is making it feel close to -38 suppose to even be colder tonite and tomorrow its going to be a temperature of -6 but he windchill is going to make it feel like -38. Your right on NR bring on that Global warming!!! Give ole Haymaker some of this cold weather so he could enjoy his whiskey in front of a fire... :wink:
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
jigs said:
Did that not just happen? :shock:
kolanuraven
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2005
- Messages
- 10,917
BMR.... it went right past him!!! :arrow: :arrow:
