hard horn

[mrbb]

OK was out today and seen my fist hard horned buck for this up coming season, was only a small 4 pointer, and was solid hard horn, not even any signs liek just came off, looked like been off a few days or more??
very early I think, but getting to be that time of yr

anyone else see any Yet ??

[Toke2]

Yes... Checked my cams on July 21 and all bucks were in full velvet. Went switched cards on August 15th and was very surprised that almost all the velvet was already gone. Seemed very early to me, but the photos don't lie. As a side note, I did see some substantial growth from July 21 to Aug 15th. I expected to see "less" in terms of the racks once the velvet was off - as I know it can make the horns look bigger, but I was pleasantly surprised to see significant increased tine length and improved mass. When do you all think the bone really stops growing? I have heard lots of theory on this....

[ed1315]

I was taking a walk in my neighborhood on monday. I passed a empty lot about 4.5 ac. saw an unbeliveable buck (urban deer) that looked like most velvet was gone. He was staring at me for about 15 min. at 65yd. now and then he looked to the left so I circuled around and two spotted fawns jumped out at 20feet. I started calling and one came within 5feet of me. I did a foot stomp and they were gone! Love these type of encounters! :)

[mrbb]

for about 15+ yrs I kept pretty close tabs on the deer wqhere I mainly hunted, runninga lot of cam's and spending a lot of hrs on the farm
and up here Normally, the velvet would be off on MOST bucks about thesecond week in Sept, so I always felt they must stop growing about 10 days before that, so say the last week in Aug, based on what I seen
I always seemed to have one or two bucks that held velvet a lot longer as well as a few that semed to shed sooner

which just lead me to think, and belive, that bucks start to grow there antler/stop growing them, based on when they are born, once born earlier do everything earlier, and one's born later do it all later

BUT then the curve ball
a few yrs I had some same bucks make it for 2 or 3 yrs, and had racks you couldn't miss/mess up with other bucks
and the same bucks grew and shed antlers at dfferent times of the yr
one buck one yr shed its antlers in Dec and the next yr didn't shed them till almost March
and seen it growing new one's in March one yr and the next not till like mid /Late April
so I have NO idea anymore, nothing makes sence to me about them??
weather has been close to the same here and so has food for them, so?? cannot factor that really into a reason for"X" to happen
Maybe stress?? but I cannot figure it out at all
I just take what I get LOL

[00buck]

Haven't seen a buck where I hunt last one I saw was almost a month ago and it still was in velvet

[Strother23]

Still in velvet since I've been out to hunting area last week.

[zachc]

I pulled my cards yesterday and I have about 5 bucks that have been running around here that are all still in velvet but the nice 10 we've been watching has completely lost all of his velvet.

[00buck]

What's he look like hard horned

[Mikebaker]

I went out this past wknd and found a dozen scrapes and about 20 plus rubs. Put the cameras back out so I can't wait to pull the card. I've seen a few out of velvet already tho. It's gettin close fellows!