Thread: When will fallow bucks drop antlers?

I got on to a decent fallow buck this evening in Canterbury.
But he didn't offer a shot and slipped back into cover.
How long do you experienced fallow hunting guys reckon before he is likely to drop his antlers ?

The reds are well into velvet around here and I saw some well grown red velvet on the West coast last week and even a couple still in hard antlers.

Farm fallow here have been dropping theirs in the last couple weeks if that helps.

This month

I was on a mates farm this morning. All his fallow bucks of varying size are still in hard antler and he made the comment that they should start casting them any day.

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Watched one on Tuesday had dropped and already growing velvet

How come they drop perfectly good antlers only to grow them all over again?

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Originally Posted by Russian 22.

How come they drop perfectly good antlers only to grow them all over again?

Because as they mature, they grow bigger/better antlers each year..

In their growing/velvet stage, they're soft and sensitive, no good for fighting or even touching things with.. but once hard, good for fighting, poking holes in fences, and just showing off.

Obviously they need them hard in the rut, but they can't just switch back and forward between growing and hard, it's a one-way change. So they drop last years antlers and put up a new, better set. Also means if they break an antler off one year, they're not crippled for the fighting/mating game for life.

Originally Posted by StrikerNZ

Because as they mature, they grow bigger/better antlers each year..

In their growing/velvet stage, they're soft and sensitive, no good for fighting or even touching things with.. but once hard, good for fighting, poking holes in fences, and just showing off.

Obviously they need them hard in the rut, but they can't just switch back and forward between growing and hard, it's a one-way change. So they drop last years antlers and put up a new, better set. Also means if they break an antler off one year, they're not crippled for the fighting/mating game for life.

Makes sense. Thanks bro.