Deer shed their antlers annually, with most species dropping them once a year during late winter to early spring. For whitetail deer in particular, the typical shedding window is January through March, though individual animals and regional conditions can shift the timing a bit earlier or later. Key points
- What triggers shedding: After the rut, a drop in testosterone weakens the tissue at the base of the antlers, allowing them to detach. The antlers then fall off and regrow the following spring.
- Species and timing variation: While whitetail deer are the most commonly discussed in this context, other members of the deer family (e.g., elk, moose) also shed annually, with their own species-specific timing. The general pattern is annual shedding within a winter-to-spring window, but exact months can vary by region, nutrition, age, and individual health.
- Growth cycle: Antlers are during growth in the summer and early fall, covered in velvet. By late summer to early autumn, velvet is shed, antlers harden, and the rut occurs. After mating season, the cycle resets as the antlers are shed and regrown the next year.
If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific region or species (for example, whitetail deer in the Midwest vs the Southeast) and note typical month ranges and any notable regional deviations.
