If you find yourself in the midst of deer territory in the first quarter of the month, you may be surprised to find several deer antlers on the ground. Some people may find this odd and surprising, but a deer will shed their antlers once a year. Deer antler shed is not a rare occurrence since it will happen for the rest of the deer’s life. However, it also raises the question as to why and when do deer shed and drop their antlers?
We will answer this question, along with some other facts about deer antler shed. We will also discuss some factors that can affect deer antler shed and the reason behind this occurrence. If you plan on going on an antler shed hunting trip, we will also include some tips on how to maximize your performance.
To answer the question when do deer shed and drop their antlers? It happens during the first quarter of the year. Between January and April, you are more likely to find deer antlers that have shed. The deer antler shed will take two to three week before full completion. However, the antler regeneration can take around two to four months before it is completed.
1 Deer Antler Shed: Gender
Female deer do not usually shed their antlers. This is because female deer either lack antlers or their antlers are smaller in size. In addition to this, the antlers of a female deer have lesser branches. Reindeers are the only species that have similarly sized branches for both genders. However, a telemetacarpal female deer can occasionally grow antlers.
On the contrary, the only male deer without antlers is the Chinese water deer and the Caribou. Apart from their sexual organ, antlers are considered to be the secondary sexual characteristic for male deer since it is used for sexual selection as well. The deer antlers are considered one of the most exaggerated secondary sexual characteristic among animals. The deer antlers are also used by male deer for their protection. In addition to this, it allows the deer to wrestle without causing injury to the face of the other deer.
2 Deer Antler Shed: Age
The older the deer, the larger and more branched out their antlers will become. Once they have grown in age, the antler of the deer will grow comparatively larger in size. Moreover, this will branch out even more through the years. This means that you can probably predict the age of a deer by how large the antlers are. When compared to the previous year, the antlers of a deer are going to grow larger in size.
3 Deer Antler Shed: Health
The health of the deer can also affect the growth of the antler. If a deer is in its best health, the antlers are likely to grow bigger. In addition to this, they can also branch out better when they are in their top shape. When a deer is injured, the antlers fall off rather easily. A healthy deer wears their antlers longer since their tissues and bones are stronger. Moreover, the antlers of a healthy deer are likely to grow faster when compared to a deer that is not in their best condition.
4 Deer Antler Shed: Social Hierarchy
The antlers of a deer can also be telling of a deer’s position in the social hierarchy. When the deer antler is heavier, they are ranked higher in terms of the social hierarchy of their tribe. This means that their antlers are able to shed later than most deer. The antlers also have a direct correlation to the reproductive capacity of the deer. This means that the larger the antler, the greater their capacity to reproduce.
5 Deer Antler Shed: Climate
Another factor that can affect the antler shed is the climate of the area. Deer who grow in tropical countries will have a less than exact deer shedding time. This means that the deer shed can happen at any time. Moreover, when the weather is hotter, the deer antler is likely to grow slower. Oftentimes, the deer located in extremely hot places in the world do not even shed their antlers.
On the other hand, when the deer live in a colder climate, the antler shedding occurrence happens more consistently. A deer that lives in the Arctic is highly likely to grow their antler quicker since the length of daylight is shorter.
The deer antler begins growing from the pedicle, which is an attachment point found on the skull of the deer. These antlers are then covered in velvet, which aids in antler growth. This is because they supply the nutrients and oxygen to the antlers. At some point, the velvet will be lost. This happens once the antler has reached its maturity. Antlers will require a lot of nutrition since they grow yearly. In addition to this, the antlers will fall off once the bone at the base is destroyed. The mature bone is destroyed by the osteoclasts.
The deer antler shed occurrence can puzzle most people. This is why it is important to know why this instance happens. The reason behind the deer antler shed is due to the rapid decline of the male deer’s testosterone. When the tissues and bones are softer, the antlers drop off from the attachment.
The antlers that a deer has shed are especially popular for hunters. Since this is a rare occurrence, most hunters will do their best to find the heaviest and biggest antler. However, there are other purposes for these deer antlers. Moreover, we will also discuss the tools needed to improve shed antler hunting and how to preserve them well. In addition to this, we will also discuss how to maximize your trip so that you would not go home empty handed.
1 Animal Consumption
Antlers from deer contain several nutrients and minerals. It contains phosphorous and calcium. This is why animals tend to chew on them, particularly smaller animals. In addition to this, pet owners use these antlers for dog chews. This is done to improve the health and wellness of their pets. Moreover, it can also be used for training your dogs.
2 Dietary Supplement
In Asia, the velvet from deer antlers is believed to contain healing properties. Some benefits claimed by users are the improvement in athletic performance. Research suggests that it improves the strength of your knees. Moreover, it also helps alleviate muscle pain and spasms. This is because a deer antler contains calcium and other nutrients.
On the other hand, others claim that it helps in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. There are even others who claim that the deer velvet can improve sexual performance. However, these benefits are not yet proven, which means that it is not guaranteed that the deer antler can truly reap these benefits.
3 Decorative Purpose
Most hunters hunt antlers as an added ornament to their home and collection. The larger the antlers, the better since hunters would take pride in acquiring them. Moreover, you can also use these antlers for decorative purposes since you can carve them and engrave on them. In addition to this, some deer antlers are used for certain ceremonies and dances.
If you plan on doing your hunting in the night, you must use a high-quality flashlight like the 18650 flashlight. When looking for this type of flashlight, there are some things to consider. One factor to consider is the LED bulb of the flashlight because “it’s able to determine the kind of light that is displayed.” You should also look into the carrying option of the flashlight since “the keychain option would let you know if you can attach it to your bag.” It is also suggested that you get a waterproof model that will allow you to use it during heavier rain.
When going on an antler shed hunt, it is important to be equipped with a great binocular since you would want to be able to find an antler even from a distance. When you use a binocular, your vision is magnified by a mile. This allows you to perform better since you can see the surroundings clearer. When a binocular is faulty, it is highly likely that you will miss certain spots, which leads to a less than fruitful hunting trip.
3 Shed Hunting Dogs
A dog may not be a tool, but they are a necessity if you want to perform better. This is because a dog has a stronger sense of smell to guide you to places that have been lived in by deer. The dogs can follow the scent of deer pee and poo, which can lead you to the presence of antlers. When a dog is trained to hunt for shed antlers, your trip is likely to become extremely fruitful.
When you hunt for antlers, there are times when your trip ends up with unpleasant results. This is because some people start off without a plan.
1 Stop Looking for Full Antlers
If you begin hunting for antlers later than most people, there is a high possibility that most full antlers are already taken. You can look for the tip of the antler or the branches. Since they are difficult to find, there are other hunters that take them for granted. This is the reason why you need to look for these antlers in order to make the most out of antler shed hunting.
2 Take the Road Less Taken
When finding antlers, you must take a closer look on the ground. This is important not just for looking for antler tips, but also for finding footsteps. When there are several footsteps in a certain direction, you must take another path. This is because other hunters may have already cleared that area of all the antlers. When you head to a direction that fewer hunters have conquered, your antler shed hunt can become more fruitful.
3 Think like a Deer
Once you decide to go on an antler shed hunt, you must be able to think like a deer. It is important to think about where the deer would sleep or where they would gather their resources. The best place to find a deer antler is to let your shed hunting dog barks at because they will lead you to where the best place to hunt in.
Moreover, you must consider the climate when you hunt for deer antlers. If it is too cold, the water might be lacking in certain places since they have turned to ice, which makes it important to find a great source of drinking water. This place will be likely to be inhabited by deer since it is looming with resources. The same principle goes for food consumed by deer. Since deer are herbivore, they eat fruits, vegetables, and plants. However, they are likely to anything during the winter since the resources are lacking during this time of the year.
Now that you have collected your deer antlers, it is time to preserve them if you plan on putting them up for display. It is simpler than you think because all you need is a scraper, a brush, and some clear acrylic. The first step in preserving a deer antler is to clean up any dirt that has accumulated in the antler. You can use the brush and scraper to allow for a more thorough cleanup of the deer antler. Next, all you need to do is to apply clear acrylic on the antler to ensure that it can last longer since it will be able to seal the deer antler.
We hope that your antler shed hunting trip has become more fruitful with the pieces of advice that we have left. In addition to that, we also hope that we have answered all your questions regarding why and when do deer shed and drop their antlers?