I know that Axis deer antlers harden in the spring or early summer. How late into the year do they retain their antlers?

In some herds, there are always axis in hard antler.

I've hunted them (Hill Country) at all times of the year, and there were always antlered bucks around.

George

Every Axis can be different. You can have three bucks standing next to each other. One just shed his velvet, one just shed his antlers and one is in mid growth.

You will probably find most will shed their velvet early in the summer though.

Those would drop their antlers 5 or 6 months later.

The herd I regularly hunt near Kerville Texas is around 120 total animals and always has bucks in hard antler.

year around; highest % in May-September time frame

quote:

Originally posted by Wendell Reich:
Every Axis can be different. You can have three bucks standing next to each other. One just shed his velvet, one just shed his antlers and one is in mid growth.

You will probably find most will shed their velvet early in the summer though .

The same down here !!

L

These photos were taken on the same ranch. The axis in the pen were photoed between March and June. The stag in velvet was taken during the last weekend in December.
GWB