Michigan has lots of hunters. MOST of our bucks get killed when they have their first set of antlers. Between hunters, nature, and bad luck, 85% don`t see their second year.
When late archery opens in December, a glimpse of antler is almost unheard of. The ones who have survived until then are a special kind of cautious.
Yesterday evening, I passed a buck that had shed his antlers. He was out moving around at 4:00 in the evening. Daylight was far from gone.
It had been cold, and a bit windy throughout the day, but the wind had calmed, and the clear air allowed sound to travel. I heard him shake like a dog. With my attention towards the noise, I caught some movement. Through my binoculars, I could clearly see him shake again, reproducing the noise of his flopping ears and hide. I thought it was a big doe, and I was getting myself ready as "she" began to work towards me.
There was evidence of the deer digging through the snow to get to SOMETHING in the clumps of swamp grass. Maybe it`s the remaining green next to the ground.
As "she" approached, I was able to clearly see the 1" holes where his antlers used to be. Blood red and undeniable. Obviously freshly shed.
A buck...minus the antlers. Not a deer I would shoot. One or two good shot opps per year are all I can hope for, but I ain`t shooting an antlerless buck on purpose.
I watched him dig through the snow and eat whatever it was in those clumps for almost an hour. At one point, HE, was only twelve yards away. Throughout this time, I was shocked by his total lack of caution. A buck fawn is more cautious than this pig.
He did not watch his surroundings at all. The slight breeze would occaisionally drift straight towards him, and he never caught my presence. My cell phone gave me a low battery warning beep from deep within my pocket. It brought only a stiff moment, before he went back to scrounging through the snow.
He looked healthy and sleek. No wounds visible...no limp.
My question through this long, drawn out post is this...has anyone noticed bucks becoming less cautious or even depressed after they shed.
This fella walked away, and I watched him hold his head midship the whole time. He did not look left or right. He just walked as if was almost too much effort to do so.
I silently bid him farewell, and hoped he would not fall to our ever hungry coyotes.
An encounter I will not forget.
Topic: Bucks that have shed. (Read 371 times)
