LF white antlers?

[perfectstorm]

Do LF/native mature bucks have that bleach white antler look or is it a breeder buck thing?

[Encinal]

Yes. Northern deer have white horns a lot of the time. Horns also get lighter the longer they are out of velvet.

Even s Texas deer can have white horns at maturity.

[CentexRancher]

Lol yes for sure at my ranch in Fayette county, alot of the antlers are bleached white. No high fences for miles, and if they were breeder bucks youd be very disappointed with size haha.

[bloodtrailer28]

Yes maam we have some here in Eastern Williamson co that will have the bleached white horns.

[perfectstorm]

I saw another thread where people were thinking a big buck was a breeder bc of his antler color. And I must admit the buck did look outside the norm for LF but just wondering- thanks guys!

[Passthrough]

Lots of deer where I hunt in Kansas have white horns

[SharpStix]

I had a guy tell me that the bleached horns were indicative of a high quality diet rather than high fence vs. low fence. It just so happens that animals in a high fenced area will typically have access to a higher quality diet.

[Grizz83]

My biggest that I got up in Collingsworth County had very white horns.

[Puddle Duck]

Call me misinformed but I was under the assumption it was the type of tree the buck rubbed his velvet off with makes the color of the horns. Cedar equals dark horns, no trees, scrub brush equals light colored horns. Curious in this thread.

[Corn Sack]

Call me misinformed but I was under the assumption it was the type of tree the buck rubbed his velvet off with makes the color of the horns. Cedar equals dark horns, no trees, scrub brush equals light colored horns. Curious in this thread.

^^^^this is your answer ladies and gentlemen. No ifs, ands or buts about it. Don't believe it, just find you a set of "dark antlers" and wash them. The dirt debris and sap will come right off.

[venado]

Puddle Duck and Corn Sack are right on. Here are a few links that confirm:

http://www.huntonly.com/articles/2009/02/whitetail-deer-antler-facts.html

The buck's antlers can also vary in color. This variation is usually the result of the amount of oxidized blood left over from velvet shedding and the type of plant the deer uses to help shed the velvet. The chemical reaction between the blood and sap present in the tree or bush used to rub the antlers can sometimes lead to interesting color variations.

http://www.nyantler-outdoors.com/deer-antler-growth.html

Oxidized blood/local plants - antler color depends partly on the amount of oxidized blood left over from velvet shedding and partly on a chemical reaction between the blood and sap from plants on which the antlers are rubbed.

http://whitetailhunting.info/whitetail-deer/what-determines-antler-color-in-bucks/

This variation is usually the result of the amount of oxidized blood left over from velvet shedding and the type of plant the buck uses to help shed the velvet. The chemical reaction between the blood and sap present in the tree or bush used to rub the antlers can sometimes lead to interesting color variations. In short, this explains much of the color difference between bucks from different regions of the United States, but also from deer harvested on the same ranch. If bucks use different tree or brush species for rubbing off their velvet in late summer or early fall follwing antler growth, then antlers will look different.

http://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/deer/antlers.asp

Rack color varies from white to brownish. A white rack can result from the blood enriched velvet drying rapidly and not causing a stain from frequent rubbing. A brown stain may result when the velvet dries slowly and the rubbing causes a stain. Many claim the brown stain occurs when deer rub certain types of trees and shrubs. Possibly, the coloration is affected by heredity.

[CentexRancher]

Call me misinformed but I was under the assumption it was the type of tree the buck rubbed his velvet off with makes the color of the horns. Cedar equals dark horns, no trees, scrub brush equals light colored horns. Curious in this thread.

Cool this explains so much, one of my ranches has about 100 acres of thick cedar, all the bucks have dark antlers there, always wondered why... My main ranch has majority yaupon, all of the bucks have white antlers... Was always wondering because these two ranches are only about 20 miles apart

[Patton]

Typically its more of a northern thing, as well as a reddish scalp, but I have seen 3 or 4 bucks with white horns in Caldwell and Edwards county.

[lovemylegacy]

Do LF/native mature bucks have that bleach white antler look or is it a breeder buck thing?

Deer antlers take on the color of whatever saplings that they rub. The sap gives the antlers their color be it oak, persimmon, pine or a combination of trees. Check out some of Grant Woods videos on Growing Deer Tv...he can explain it better than I ever could.

[Backwoods101]

I learn something new everyday. Great question and as always, great feedback! When I read Puddle Ducks response I thought he was fixing to get hammered. Who's the dummy now lol