I have a ranch in Lavaca Co, and we started finding sheds last weekend... We found 4 sheds. Do u all think that the lack of available forage due to drought is causing the deer to shed permaturely ? We have fed protein all year and it is disappointing to have this happend so early.

How many have you found already....sounds strange to me?

It happens occasionally. We've gotten in a couple of deer during late December and mid January in the past that had shed already or were about too. This season is so screwed up that nothing surprises me anymore. The two year drought really has messed things up everywhere.

As of today, we have found 4 sheds. We our in a MLd program, so our season goes through feb. and we have about 33 doe to shoot; So, with that said. e have to be careful and make sure it's a doe.

Ny chance they are from last season? Bleached looking, chewed up, delapidated looking? That does seem real strange but w/the way the rest of this season has been nothing would suprise me now.

id bet they were from last year....JMO..... and if not, then i sure hope that trend doesnt spread to my part of the county....

The shed were from this year, cuz we also have deer on camera with one antler and blood on the head. Last year we found one shed in late december. Our is ranch is 1500 acre high fenced. Maybe this is a sign that our desity is way up there and we need to extensive culling.

Must have been fightin' like a SOB! That's all I can think. Also, when they lose them naturally I don't think they bleed, @ least not enough to be visible on a game cam.

It does happen I shot what I thought was a big doe in december last year turns out it was a buck that had allready droped its horns. We went to the game warden office in brownwood to have them check it out and they sadi that it sometimes does happen but not often.

Yes they do bleed enough to be visible on pics and in person. I have witnesses many deer that have just shed their antlers and the blood will run down their head for a very short time. It is interesting to see to say the least. Never seen any sheds in Dec in my part of the world. Do the bucks rut really early like late Sept/early Oct in Lavaca county like they do in some other coastal counties? Maybe this is why they shed so early.

Our rut is in october. Normally we don't start finding sheds until early march.

This didn't happen TX but 2 weeks ago my buddy and his boy were hunting South of Springfield MO. It was a doe season and his boy shot a doe (he thought) it was a buck that had already shed it's horns and no doubt about it being a buck.
It's MO but he say's it's still way early for that to happen for them.

I was hunting N of Springfield this past weekend and buck where seen without antlers.

which part of lavaca co. u in?

Speaks.....Check us out @ thevickranch.com

I saw two bucks last year in sutton county they had dropped in mid january. I almost killed them for doe's at first glance, before i glassed them and noticed they had white spots on thier heads, and a pair between thier legs.

you have to kill 33 doe off of 1500 acres. Thats probably not your antler problem but i say you have a density problem.

We've never seen any sheds even remotely close to deer season... seems a little strange to me or i'd be shed hunting on horseback a lot earlier in the year

I think it might have something to do with the bad conditions we've had. The man that owns the place next to us said he don't remember a time when it was so dry like we had it in 08-09. He is in his 60's his family has owned his place for many years. The only thing that was green was the rosehedges and trees!!

Ive seen it happen on places where the deer density was to much for the ranch to carry and the deer in poor condition. But I havent seen heathy deer loose them this early. I wittnessed a guy shoot a buck which was in poor condition and when the deer hit the ground off came his antlers. LMAO.

well, u arent too far from me.... im over near the crossroads

We saw 2 bucks this weekend with one antler....Thanks for all the helpful output.

Maybe it is last years sheds. Seems to early for this year.

Yes they will shed this early usually due to poor range conditions shot some does

when would one find sheds in NTx?