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One characteristic that whitetails, moose, elk and caribou (reindeer), all species of North American deer, have in common is that the males shed their antlers in early winter when the weather first gets cold. At the proper time the antlers simply fall off the animal's head and anyone who searches for shed antlers will find them just lying on the ground. Anyone who knows American deer species can identify the species of deer simply by looking at a shed antler.
Whitetail deer, numbering some 18 million, are found throughout the continental United States except in five states where the weather or terrain is not suitable. In fact, many regions of the country are home to their own unique subspecies of deer that has adapted to local conditions. Whitetails vary greatly in size not only by subspecies but also by gender, Bucks (male whitetails) range in size from 130 pounds (60 kg) to 300 pounds (130 kg) while does (females) weigh only 90 to 200 pounds (40 to 90 kg). Even though there isn't very much meat (venison) in a small deer, hunters hunt for deer in the legal hunting season because the meat is tasty. There are many delicious regional recipes for venison.
Antlers vary in size among the subspecies of whitetail deer but each year a buck's rack (pair) of antlers will increase in size and complexity. In whitetails, the antlers are similar to branching in a tree. Each branch of the antlers ends in a pointed tip or simply point. Trophy hunters want the most elaborate rack of antlers they can find which typically occur on the most mature bucks. Hunting associations use a uniform scoring system for evaluating whitetail deer antlers that is based on the number and configuration of the points on the antlers. The best sets of antlers make the local, national and international record books.
Of course, trophy bucks are elusive. Mature bucks with trophy antlers have been crafty enough throughout their lives to elude predators, including hunters. Whitetail bucks lead solitary lives and only join the herd of does and fawns during the mating season and occasionally during the winter. The rest of the year, bucks live in relatively inaccessible locations. This means that shed whitetail antlers are difficult to find in the wild.
There are plenty of treasure hunters who spend their time in remote locations searching for shed antlers from whitetail deer. These shed antlers are used for a variety of decorative purposes.
Alan B. Stables is a freelance writer on alternative agriculture, has organized alternative agriculture events and has also been a guest speaker in Brazil, China, Egypt, Italy, Latvia and Spain, on how to market agricultural produce for maximum returns.
In addition to writing on deer farming, Alan also writes articles on alpaca farming and other alternative farming projects.
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