white or light antlers

[sotx]

I have a friend that says white or light colored antlers are a sign of lack of maturity in South Texas bucks.
I on the other hand do not believe this and I believe antler color has no bearing on maturity status what so ever. I will say that one and two year old deer are typically light colored antlered but after this time 3 years and older there is a "greater tendency" for bucks antlers to become darker. However I would not say that white/light colored antlers on South Texas bucks are always young.
I am no authority on this subject but I have always thought that color comes from how a particular buck rubs out his antlers along with dried blood and dirt to create a dark color. And a light colored antler was just a buck that may not rub out at all and just lets velvet fall off.
School me here and settle the argument.

[inthetrees]

In for this...

[meathunter]

I know at our place in Medina county we have a variety of antler colors and it really is not so much by age. I have heard it is diet, but wouldn't all the deer at the ranch have about the same color? I know some of them hit the protein and others do not, so could that be the difference. Another thing I have heard is that it has something to do with the type of tree/bush they rub out on putting some color to the antler. Who knows, it could be genetics.

[az2tx]

It also has a lot to do with what type of plant they rub on

[Widowmaker]

Well,by his outlook - there is a whole Passle of "Immature" monsters running around Kansas,Illinois and the upper Midwest!

[postman]

Going with what they rub their antlers on ......

[highspeed]

Of the 4 I have on the wall from the Big Wells area, 2 are dark and 2 are light. Judging by there teeth, the 2 light ones were old (4.5 & 5.5) The 2 dark ones were younger 3.5's.

[clayton_10]

I'm no expert on this but I would bet it is a mixture of diet, sunlight exposure, and what they rub their antlers on.

The bodies absorption of different minerals can be different for each animal just as it is in humans. Since the antlers are a makeup up various minerals in excess of maintenance and grow like bone, I would bet that certain antlers are higher in different elements or minerals than others.

I would also venture to say that sunlight or reflected light (think about a lot of the Canadian monsters that have super white antlers in the snow) can have some bleaching effect on the antlers as well.

And lastly, but not necessarily in any order, would be what they rub and scratch velvet on. I have shot several bucks that have bark and dirt around the bases of the antler. I would think that over a season this could absorb into the bone causing it to stain.

These are some thoughts I have on the subject. I don't think age has much to do with it unless you consider that a more mature buck would likely be more apt to eat better/more, avoid exposure/sunlight, and mark more territory through rubbing thus increasing the stain of the antler.

Just my opinion. Interested in others.

[Slick8]

I've always thought that there's one more reason for dark antlers and it's just a theory so don't blow me up.

The amount of wet blood under the velvet at the time they rub....I can't see brush alone making an antler dark brown across every square inch from base to tip.

Again, JMO.

[Dusty Britches]

Interesting theory but I have to disagree. I have 2.5 year old bucks who antlers are very dark brown. I wish it was true. It would be easier to judge bucks.

I have noticed their coat color tends to be darker as they age. Maybe due to getting better at daytime cover out of the sun and moving more at night as they age.

[clayton_10]

Just a thought. If someone shoots a really dark chocolate antler buck maybe take your pocket knife and scratch the back of the rack to see if it becomes lighter at a certain depth. By no means ruin a trophy and I'm not suggesting cutting an antler in half. I'm just thinking that if it's primarily due to what they rub on, or something to do with surface make up, then it should be lighter just slightly below the surface. Right?

I would think a fresh antler would be better but I'll take a look at some of my sheds. it's probably a combination of a lot of things and we are trying to simplify it too much. Haha

[CastAndBlast]

Color is in no way directly related to age

[Texastaxi]

It also has a lot to do with what type of plant they rub on

I believe this is 100% correct. How much they rub, will also play a factor.
A young buck might just rub until the velvet is gone and not take too much color.
Where an old buck is out there thrashing the trees, marking his territory, and getting a lot more "color".

Take a scotchbrite sponge to a set of dark antlers. The color will scrub off.

[tbgascorer]

Like others have said, I believe many factors are involved. Which trees/plants are rubbed and genetics mostly. Also, later in the year antlers tend to be lighter because they have had more sunlight exposure. No different than a cast shed laying in a field.

[lab man]

I believe that some of it is genetics and a lot is what types of sap they get on their antlers when they rub trees.

A lot of breeder deer have white antlers because most of the trees are removed from their pens.

If they do not rub off the velvet it will dry on the antler and will be almost black.