My grandkids went to the Virginia Living Museum here in Newport News a couple of days ago. The kids say many things, but in particular they say deer. As late in the year as it is, the deer still had antlers. Is there something related to being in captivity that would cause deer to keep there antlers this late Do they normally shed in captivity I found it very curious. Any one have an answer

I've seen and got trailcam photos of wild deer with antlers up until early April.

We saw a buck in Southwest VA with a rack while leaving for Florida just last week. I guess they are all different.

Several folks I know and trust have seen horns on bucks in the past 3 weeks still

Someone here at my work just told me today that they saw a spike this morining during his drive in.

boys!! i think everybody i know that hunts have said they are still seein deer with the horns still on. my boss said that the land owner where he hunts saw a herd of bucks.. no lie.. 8 of them.. all with horns still on their head!!.. at my land in particular.. i'm still seein horns!!.. its weird!! but its definitly weird knowing its going on all over the state!!..

Saw two small bucks last evening on the driveway...still have antlers. Also saw what I am 80% sure was a buck that has shed.

I have seen a buck as late as the 4th of may (4 points) with a whole rack. While going turkey hunting no less. So new antlers almost push the old off sometimes, plus you have deer born in odd months w/ the pop. we have now.

we saw 3 bucks at cades cove last weekend that still had their antlers,2 were at least 8 pointers and one looked to be a 10 point.these were far from the road and was looking at them through binoculars.i did see one buck with one of the other 8 points that looked like he had dropped or was maybe a spike,he was a large bodied deer like the other one though.of course like always,saw many many does along the road right next to the fence grazing away,my wife got to within a few feet of a couple at the abrams falls trailhead.

"Well dunk my hat and call me Shirley". Heard that on a movie one time, always thought it was kind of funny. I am really surprised. It seems deer everywhere are still sporting horns. I thought antler loss by February was pretty much a given, a fact of life! It appears I was missguided. Makes me wonder though. I wonder if it could be weather related, or because of a good mast crop or some outside factor like that? I'll have to see if I can run down a little more on the subject. Thanks for the reply's guys, I appreciate the input.

didnt John Wayne say that?...lol...i have saw bucks around here in east tn and southwest va as late as late march and even april still have thier horns,i think alot of times the new antlers push the old ones off.

A few years ago there was an 8-point in the deer pen at Bays Mountain park. He didn't shed his antlers one year. I don't know if it was because he was in captivity.

i remember seeing that buck at bays mountain,i havent been up there in the past 3-4 years,i wonder if they have a different one now?do you remember seeing that very big antlered buck - i think it was a 12 or 13 pointer,back in the early 90's that somebody slipped in the park one night and killed (i think i read that they used a crossbow)and took only the head and antlers,left the carcass?

that was me,i always forget to log in!!!!!

Hey ridgerunner, I remember the big buck you're talking about. I knew that someone killed it but I didn't know that they used a crossbow. I wish they'd have caught the person(s) that did it.