When do your Bucks Shed their Antlers?

South Arkansas here, they have started but there's always some that hang on till end of February,

Western Ky. here n 1st week of Jan. they started

Not an expert but I think it varies a bit from year to year depending on weather and stress. In Iowa right now about half dropped. Have seen some drop in mid-December but January seems to be the month in Iowa. Once in NJ saw a full hard-horned rack in early April.

I hunted extreme north-central Missouri December 27 to January 3rd for their muzzleloader season. The outfitter told me the bucks are dropping their horns very early this year. One of the hunters, while I was there, thought they were shooting a large doe, it turned out to be a buck. They were seeing so many single horn and zero horn bucks that the outfitter phoned the remainder of his customers (late season bow hunters) to advise the bucks were going antlerless very quick and offered to allow cancellations on their hunts. I was told the time of antler shedding varies year by year according to several variables, but they thought the very early arctic cold and then another super arctic cold period immediately prior to Christmas caused this year's early drop.

I think it depends on a lot of factors. I've seen a wide variety in our area. For example, I recall one year after a previous year mast crop failure, guys dragging deer by their antlers and having them pop off near the archery season in mid-November. I think a lot of it has to do with stress. If bucks are rutting hard and bad weather delays recovery, they seem to drop them earlier. When conditions are good and deer are healthy and unstressed, I think they retain them longer.

All my deer, young and old are still holding their antlers here.

Yes ive wondered how much diet affects keeping those racks longer or not ?? It can sure affect how they grow !!!
On a lease we put out brown mineral licks really early one spring bought from the grain elevator in S. Michigan and hauled them north to our spot .
Holy Smokes did that make a Difference on those antlers !!! I was amazed that fall to see 14" & 15" Spikes Even let alone the older deers racks !!! Wow they were far heathier looking Period !!! After we saw that we kept buying them and set them on stumps . Doe always had 2 fawns too after those licks . Perfect for 1 1/2 yr old doe meat production !!!
I dont know if they hung on longer or not but it stands to reason they may have if nutrition plays a role .

Wow he looks to be a Dandy for this next year too !!! Keep them cameras going ..... Believe id put out a couple mineral licks for that dude and make his horns go wild growing . May as well have his coat all shiny pretty too for his hangin on your wall .