DNR: Let’s Talk Antlers

Let’s talk antlers! More specifically, what causes antlers to look…strange. You’ve probably seen a deer with antlers that don’t quite look right, and we want to talk about what causes these unique sets of headgear.

Have you seen a deer that has antlers in velvet well beyond when they should be? This has a name – cryptorchidism. Abnormally low testosterone levels can reduce interest in the rut. They may also have antlers that never shed and remain in velvet because of low testosterone preventing the regular antler cycle.

Did you know that a white-tail doe can have antlers? They are quite rare, with studies indicating 0.1% antlered doe to buck ratios in the wild. This can be caused by unusually high testosterone. These antlers are often small, similar to a yearling buck. These antlers often remain in velvet without the testosterone boost prior to the rut that a buck will get.

What about antlers that just look strange? These are often caused by injuries. Damage during velvet can cause beams to be at weird angles or split into two shafts. Damage to the pedicles (which is where the antler attaches to skull) can cause an antler to not develop at all. Strangely enough, transplanting pedicle material to another part of the body can cause an antler to grow there.

All of this to say, antler growth is a wild thing. Have you witnessed strange antlers through your years of observing or hunting deer? If you have any that were particularly fascinating, we would love to see them.