Deer Antler Size report
Antlers are extensions of the skull in deer and similar animals. Deer antlers are a single structure composed of bone, cartilage, fibrous tissue, skin, nerves, and blood vessels. They are usually found only in males and shed every year and grow back.
It takes a fair amount of energy for deer to produce antlers, so those expensive antlers are there for a reason. Antlers evolved primarily as weapons, but they have a few other uses as well, and strong antlers make bucks more attractive and competitive during mating season.
No other animal has these unique bones on its heads; why do deer have them? You will find answers in the following post. It should be noted that antlers and horns are not the same. Horns are never branched, and they are composed of a bony core covered with a sheath of keratin.
Deer Antler Size Guide
Antlers are one of the most easily recognized characteristics of the family Cervidae. They are present only in males, except for caribou, and can grow astoundingly large. Antlers do vary from species to species in shape and size. Antlers grow from pedicels, which are bony supporting structures that develop in the lateral region of the frontal bones.
Males use their full-grown antlers during the breeding season in social interactions in competition for females. In winter, pituitary antler-growth hormone stimulation decreases as day length shortens. As a result, the pedicel loses calcium, weakening the point of connection between it and the antler, and eventually, the antlers are shed. Males then are without antlers for a few months in late winter until the cycle begins again.
Deer Antler Growth
Contrary to popular belief, the deer antlers' size and the number of points do not indicate the age of the deer. The size of the deer antlers depends on their health and how it gets their nutrients. Antlers grow from the small bones on the top of the head and are covered by a layer of skin and hair called velvet, which gives the antlers protection when vulnerable. Even the largest antlers grow to full size within three to four months, making them one of the fastest-growing tissues.
Antler Growth Potential By Ages
If animals are born during the spring and the fall hunting season, they obviously will be nearest the "half-year" of whatever year they are. So there is a size chart to show the deer antler growth potential by age.
Deer Age | Growth Potential | Looks |
---|---|---|
1.5 Years Old | 20-30% | inside ears |
2.5 Years Old | 50-60% | near ears |
3.5 Years Old | 70-80% | outside ears |
4.5 Years Old | 80-90% | impressive |
5.5 Years Old | 90-95% | incredible |
6.5 Years Old | 100% | staggering size |
Deer Antler Maturity
When the antlers get bigger and slow or stop growing, the blood vessels that keep the antlers growing close around the base of the antlers. It causes the velvet hide to die and eventually flake off, sometimes leaving trails and hanging debris for weeks. Male deer typically rub their antlers against trees and other objects to remove the velvet.
Deer Antler Fall Of
Since deer antlers' growth needs a lot of energy, it is advantageous for much smaller deer to get rid of their antlers as soon as possible after the mating season is over. Deer absorb calcium and similar nutrients back into the system, which brittle and dry out the antlers. A layer of cells grows at the base of the antlers, gradually severing their connection to the body and causing them to fall off.
Conclusion
Antler growth takes up a lot of available nutrients and energy, and only the healthiest deer can develop large antlers. Antlers are hard bones that protrude from the frontal bone above the deer's skull and are the secondary sexual characteristic of stags. Antlers are shed and regrew each year. After three months, the antlers usually reach their maximum size. The bone begins to harden, and the soft outer epidermis gradually dries up and falls off, the exposed bone horns are no longer living tissue, and the antlers no longer feel pain. At this time, it is also the mating season of the deer, and the antlers become the weapons for the bucks to compete within the species and resist natural enemies.