Bucks & Antlers

As I drove through Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center just before sunset it dawned on me that it’s been several weeks since I’ve seen a White-tailed buck. On this particular evening I counted more than 30 deer. Not an antler in sight.  All does, right?   It wasn’t until I spotted another group of deer towards the backside of the property that it dawned on me that perhaps some of the deer I suspected to be females were actually males. My suspicions were confirmed when I got closer and noticed a couple of deer were sporting only one antler each. Perhaps it was my imagination but the look on their faces seemed less than dignified. I’ve never been a deer hunter or a taxidermist so I’ve never really thought much about the development of antlers, how they grow and how long they last.  So, I searched web sites like any academic starved Googler looking for a quick fix. An explanation in 30 words or less please.  For those of you who prefer high brow charts and graphs, check out the TWRA site http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/deerantlers.pdf   For me the Cliffs Notes version sufficiently quenched my curiosity. To keep it simple, antlers begin their growth due to an increase in testosterone which coincides with the White-tailed Deer mating season. This season is referred to as the "rut" and typically occurs around here between October through January.   Antlers are made of true bone that is fed by blood which is carried in an outer velvet-like covering. At this stage of development the antlers are sensitive and bucks avoid confrontations with other males. It’s not until the velvet is rubbed away that a buck challenges other males for a mate. Age, nutrition and genetics are all components in developing the larger sized antlers found on a prized 10 or 12 point buck.  The largest I’ve spotted here on the property has been a 10 point buck.  “Casting” as it is referred to by wildlife biologists, begins as testosterone levels decrease. When the bucks sense that all the does in the area have mated, their antlers simply drop off. Discarded like dog-eared business cards. At least that's the Cliffs Notes version.