photofool Report post Posted February 20, 2015 Ok all you biologists Is this buck about to shed his antlers? Are they dead, Is he unhealthy? Old? What the heck ,why are they white? The third photo is the same buck a year ago. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
creed_az_88 Report post Posted February 20, 2015 Is there a lot of brush around there? Looks pretty open in the first pictures. That would explain why they're white. Probably never really got color from rubbing in the first place 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5guyshunting Report post Posted February 20, 2015 Dont know why they are white, but they are tall. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Havasuhunter Report post Posted February 20, 2015 PM me GPS coordinates and I'll go study the situation and get back back to you. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted February 20, 2015 ^^^^^This^^^^^ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted February 20, 2015 Antler color seems to be determined by the amount of oxidized blood on the antler during the shedding of velvet and the type of vegetation the buck rubs on during velvet shedding. Bucks in open habitat types like the one you showed often have light colored antlers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeardownAZ Report post Posted February 20, 2015 My buck I shot this year was very light almost but not as light as that one. The smaller one with him was light like the one you pictured. It too was grassy open terrain. Probably the rubs or lack of like others posted Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost85 Report post Posted February 20, 2015 their color most times is a direct correlation of the habitat they call home. antlers are "dead" when their velvet is shed. Also, I'm almost positive that is a different buck. the "forked in the back" 3 point configuration is a gene that some mule deer are born with. i think it would be extremely unlikely that a buck will change from a standard 3-point (forked in the front) to the latter of the two. not impossible, but unlikely Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted February 20, 2015 to be honest to me I think its the very bright sun shining directly on the antlers - look how bright white the rump patch is - on the last on you can see the darker/normal antler and the bright spots where the sun is hitting it directly - even his dark haired body looks very light in color camera lenses can catch things the human eye cannot - especially how bright and shiney items appear Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
