When do axis deer shed?

[sundownbrown]

Thanks for all the replies

[MagicBlade]

Whenever they get tired of growing them.

[ldoyle]

The spots on the right front shoulder, show day, spots over the rear quarter show month. Spots on the dark stripe down spine gives year

Good one !

[TAMU84]

October would be the peak month for finding axis sheds.

[Slick8]

I believe Axis can be grouped into two main groups. Winter hard horned bucks, and Summer hard horned bucks. The winter bucks follow closely to a whitetail's calendar I believe. Summer bucks don't get hard horned until April/May. From my observation, the majority of bucks are hard horned during the Summer. Using this info, I would say some bucks shed in spring, and others in late fall.

I believe this to be the case as well.

[ultrastealth]

October would be the peak month for finding axis sheds.

Yep, most of ours shed October through December.

[trjones87]

bday! they reproduce twice a year so thats why youll see them drop in winter/summer

[Shane]

At any given time of year, there will be bucks with hard antlers, bucks in the velvet, and bucks that have recently shed. Most are hard antlered in the summer and rut then.

[jrshuman]

On our lease, we see all different stages within groups. This past season, I saw a group with a mature buck that had just shed, a mature buck that had big velvet bulbs popping up, and a couple younger bucks that were hard horned. We tend to see more hard horned bucks in late spring/summer at our place. A couple years ago, I was after an axis buck with huge cottles and long beams. He was always with the same 2 bucks on camera. Ended up seeing him during bow season and he had recently dropped his antlers. I knew it was him because of the 2 bucks with him. Talk about a kick in the nuts

[Patton]

Most axis deer rut in the summer, and shed around November. March has proven to be great month to hunt fully developed bucks in velvet.

I believe Axis can be grouped into two main groups. Winter hard horned bucks, and Summer hard horned bucks. The winter bucks follow closely to a whitetail's calendar I believe. Summer bucks don't get hard horned until April/May. From my observation, the majority of bucks are hard horned during the Summer. Using this info, I would say some bucks shed in spring, and others in late fall.

This is pretty much what I believe as well.

bday! they reproduce twice a year so thats why youll see them drop in winter/summer

There are two ruts, but an individual doe only breeds once a year- their gestation period is around 7.5 months.

[Deerguy]

A lot of answers above are sort of right.

As a population, individuals within the population can shed at anytime of the year, meaning that at the same time you can have 1 that just dropped, 1 that is wid-way through growing, 1 that is finished growing but in velvet, and 1 that is hard-horned. But, each individual buck is on a set cycle, just like a white-tailed deer. This reason for this is because bucks can only breed when they have hardened antlers (due to testosterone levels). The does can be in estrous at any time of the year (although again, an individual is on a set cycle), so it wouldn't make any sense for a doe to be receptive at a time when there were no males to breed her. Thus, the varying antler cycles. The bucks do not drop on their birthday, rather they drop on their birthday plus around 7-8 months. Also, the does cant breed twice a year as the gestation is too long. There is no real 'rut' in axis deer at all, at least in terms of a what were used to seeing with whitetails.

[Shane]

It sure seems like they rut every bit as hard as any other deer, just not all at the same time. They're all on different schedules. Biggest part of the bucks and does rut during the summer. Other individuals are on various other schedules throughout the year.

[Chad C]

Shane is correct.


Doe's have regular estrus cycles, each lasting three weeks. The female can conceive again two weeks to four months after the birth.

[Patton]

It sure seems like they rut every bit as hard as any other deer, just not all at the same time. They're all on different schedules. Biggest part of the bucks and does rut during the summer. Other individuals are on various other schedules throughout the year.

I wish the WT in Edwards county rutted like the Axis! As you know, if you hit it right there are axis roars constantly sounding off and bucks walking around all over the place in the heat of the day. Last year that was the last weekend of May where I hunt--bucks literally walking/roaring through camp at 1pm.

[Shane]

I wish the WT in Edwards county rutted like the Axis! As you know, if you hit it right there are axis roars constantly sounding off and bucks walking around all over the place in the heat of the day. Last year that was the last weekend of May where I hunt--bucks literally walking/roaring through camp at 1pm.

Yep. They act like elk in the rut. They act like elk all the time, pretty much. Cool critters.