Can I tell how old a deer is by the points on their antlers?

Typically only male deer (bucks) have antlers. Once in a while female deer (doe) will also have antlers. Different to popular belief, antlers are made up of live tissue (bone). Antlers are the fastest growing tissue of any animal. They develop at an average of 1 to 2 in. every 7 days during development. Antlers have a constant blood and nerve supply, which is inside the fuzzy antler covering.

 

The antlers are enclosed in velvet from the time they start growing in the spring, until they stop growing in the late summer to early fall.

 

When the antlers stop growing they begin to discard this velvet covering. Bucks use trees and shrubs to rub their antlers on, to help rub off the velvet. Researchers agree that antlers have evolved as a weapon to gain dominance over other bucks during breeding season.

 

After the breeding season, bucks will shed their antlers, usually in January or February. A new set of antlers will start growing in the spring.

 

Another popular belief is that you can tell a deer's age by the number of points on each antler, which is not always true. The only true way to tell a deer's age is by its teeth.

 

Buck 1/2 year old - It will have small bumps for antlers, they’re called button bucks.

 

Buck 1.5 years old - It will usually have one or two points on each antler, however they can have as many as 3 or 4 points on each side. The antlers are usually small in size.

 

Buck 2.5 years old - It will usually have 3 to 5 points on each side. The antlers will usually be small to medium in size.

 

Buck 3.5 years and older - It will usually have 4 to 6 points on each side. This is a mature buck and will usually have medium to large antlers.

 

Some bucks never develop large antlers because size is influenced largely by genetics and diet.