How do antlers shed

After two to three months of velvet they scrub the velvet off their antlers. Then they have their antlers until the next winter when the cycle starts over. We set high expectations. We value initiative, courage and dedication. We take personal responsibility for the goals we set and work hard to achieve them.

We work and learn together. We see teachers as coaches, students as team members, families as partners, and learning as practice and action. All of the various species of animals with antlers grow them for the same reason. Researchers believe the Cervidae family developed antlers as a way to compete with other males and increase their reproductive success.

The largest males with the biggest antlers breed with the most females, thus spreading their genes to the next generation. Antlers also serve these creatures in defense against predators by providing them with a weapon to fight back with. They also use their antlers to assert dominance over other deer for non-reproductive resources as well, such as prime feeding spots.

Nearly all animals with antlers shed those antlers seasonally. But why do they shed their antlers in the first place? Each year, as the deer ages and develops, his antler growth increases. Males must shed their antlers to make room for the growth of the new antler each season.

Each year, a male's antlers grow larger than the year before. The process of antler shedding begins in late winter and early spring. As the days shorten, the males produce less testosterone, and the calcium connecting their antlers to their skull weakens.

Eventually, the antler falls off. In most species, new growth begins shortly after the area forms a scab. All animals with antlers cast and regrow their headgear annually, typically in association with the breeding season and the length of daylight. However, the specific months that this process occurs vary based on where the species lives geographically.

As for the reason antlers are shed, it's due to a drop in testosterone following the rut. When a buck's testosterone levels fall, it causes a weakening in the tissue and bone at the antler base pedicle to the point where the antlers simply fall off. This process can happen quickly; antlers that are firmly attached one day can weaken and fall off within 24 to 48 hours. A buck in peak physical health will shed his antlers later than a weaker buck, and injured deer often shed their antlers early.

By Bob Robb September 01, Categories Big Game Whitetail Deer. Sign Me Up! Join other outdoor enthusiasts who already get great content delivered right to their inbox.

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