20ftupatree Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 I was talking with a guy and he was telling me the bucks he's seeing have really dark horns, almost brown. Anyone know what causes this? Food maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20ftupatree Posted October 30, 2010 Author Share Posted October 30, 2010 I guess the question is what makes some darker than others? Any guesses, thoughts?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggamefish Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 I would think the amount of rubbing on trees. Just a guess though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nycoyotehounds..BUB Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 how much and type of trees being rubbed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solon Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Factors that Determine Antler Color and Symmetry Genetics - antler symmetry is determined almost entirely by genetic makeup. 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. found this on the web... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggamefish Posted October 30, 2010 Share Posted October 30, 2010 Thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYDeer Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 how much and type of trees being rubbed +1 I noticed deer in areas with heavy pines/evergreens have darker colored racks.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geno C Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 i heard its what they feed on but im not sure if i beleive that... genetics probobly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gundeck Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 Have you ever seen what pine tar does to the grip on a bat? I imagine the trees they rub would be a significant factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Landowner Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 A few years ago I saw a monster of a buck, I was hunting on the edge of a big swamp. He had chocholate antlers they were great looking. I only seen him one time. I wished I had him on my wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted November 6, 2010 Share Posted November 6, 2010 I always thought it was from the trees being rubbed. But then, how would the color wind up so uniform. If antler color was the result of some applied substance, wouldn't the color be blotchy or more built up in some parts of the antlers than others? What I have noticed is that dark colored antlers are of uniform coloration. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20ftupatree Posted November 6, 2010 Author Share Posted November 6, 2010 I always thought it was from the trees being rubbed. But then, how would the color wind up so uniform. If antler color was the result of some applied substance, wouldn't the color be blotchy or more built up in some parts of the antlers than others? What I have noticed is that dark colored antlers are of uniform coloration. Doc That was my thoughts on it. After hearing the ideas posted here I got to thinking about that baseball bat and I wondered why then is the WHOLE antler darker, The buck would only be rubbing a certain portion of the antler most of the time I mean yes it all probably comes in contact but there would be one certain part of the antler that would be darker than the rest and other parts that are virtually untouched, I mean they can't possibly rub every square inch of a rack, think about the underside of the tines and in the crotches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyantler Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Its is a mixture of the velvet and the type of tree that the buck is rubbing... normally hardwoods creat a yellowish orange color .. and softwoods like cedar and suck create the chocolate color because of the heavier sap in softwood trees.. the color of the dried blood from the velvet can add to collor tones as well during the rubbing process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyantler Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Oh yeah and believe it or not the amount of sunlight that a deer is exposed to can have an affect on the color as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Culvercreek hunt club Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Oh yeah and believe it or not the amount of sunlight that a deer is exposed to can have an affect on the color as well never thought abou that...bleached blonde bucks...lol. Makes sense though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetailfreak Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 It must be what they eat and some genetics most of the saskatchean deer have the chocolate horns that I've seen on tv of course almost never white Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyantler Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 The bleached blonde ones are the best cause you can see those racks gleeming from a long ways away... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 My rack from this year is quite dark at the base and the further you go to the tips, the lighten up. Here is a pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biggamefish Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 That is pretty light to some of the ones I hsve seen. Putting some thought into it the different areas I hunt have different shades of antlers. That being said I would think it has something to do with food and resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HounderEmily Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 randome thoughts on the subject: Just looking at bubba's pic, the rougher parts are darker. looks like blood remnants from the velvet near the base. The smoother parts higher up are rubbed cleaner. Antler sheds left in the woods for years are usually light in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WNYBuckHunter Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The rack on the buck I have mounted looks very similar to Bubba's deer. Dark on the bases and light up at the tips. All of the bucks in my area look like that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isles323 Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Is most of the abrasion to the antlers taken by the tips of the antlers, with less abrasion as you get closer to the skull? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 the color is nice, but he tastes better than he looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyantler Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 Actually bucks rarely get to rubbing the tips that hard.. most of the heavy rubbing is near the base.. you can even see remnants of bark left on the burrs sometimes.. the tips are quite light color right after the velvet falls off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isles323 Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 Yeah, but why are the tips so much smoother than the base? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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