Deer Shedding Antlers Already????

[Hookeye]

Buddy shot a 6 pt late in MZ season years ago.
Went up to it and it was a "doe".
It was facing away and he's a good shot, only part above brush was neck/head, so he centered that.
Spine hit offered enough framework shock to literally take the deer out from under his "hat".
He found both antlers laying nearby.

And when skinning the deer, found a shotgun slug.
Wounded but recovering, the draw on the deer's system had him ready to shed way early.

 

[mkgr22]

I kinda wish I hadn't noticed that it was a buck now. All I've been seeing are bucks and yearlings. That antlerless buck would have topped off the freezer.
Edit: Yes, I know it would have been a legal kill, just not a kill I'd knowingly make based on my personal ethics.

You're right. Legal, but not ethical, since we know the intent for the antlerless season is to cull does. You did good.

 

[Hookeye]

Could have been ethical, if further investigation showed substantial injury causing the early shed.

 

[jbell_64]

He seemed pretty darn healthy. I saw him again yesterday. He had a coyote tailing him. Too bad I couldn't get a shot on the yote.

 

[Hookeye]

Yote or deer? Even if a decent buck in season.......always take the yote

 

[jbell_64]

Deer was healthy. The yote was kinda mangy lol.