How are antlered bucks defined in Virginia?
By Department regulation, antlered bucks are defined as deer with antlers visible above the hairline. Male white-tailed deer grow their first set of antlers at 1-½ years of age. This means that male fawns (approximately six months old), commonly called button bucks (see photo), are not considered antlered deer. Button bucks are antlerless deer that can be tagged using an antlerless only deer tag. The hair covered bumps or protuberances on a button buck’s head are not antlers. They are the pedicels from which the antlers will grow the next year. Older adult bucks that have shed their antlers, usually in late December or early January, are also considered antlerless deer that can be tagged using an antlerless only deer tag.
