Look what I found on today's walk.
Whitetail bucks shed their antlers as the days grow longer.
In our area, most are shed in February & March.
A closer look shows this is a 3 point antler, probably off a young buck.
Age is a critical factor in growing large racks.
During the buck's first 3 years, his rapidly growing body is utilizing most of his nutrtional intake.
Once he reaches maturity at 3 years, the nutritional surplus goes to antler development.
The base
The point of attachment
This is a recently shed antler, due to the pristine condition.
Once antlers are shed, mice & other critters gnaw on them for the calcium.
Unfortunately, the lure of antlers means few Whitetail bucks
live long enough to reach their full antler growth potential.
live long enough to reach their full antler growth potential.
No comments:
Post a Comment