what are antler points called

Here are some more terms and definitions so you can get a firm grasp of antler anatomy:

• Beam – Central stem of the antler.
• Burr – Bony rim of the pedicle.
• Brow Tine – The point at which the first antler branches off.
• Bay Tine – The second branching-off point.
• Tray Tine – The third branching-off mark.
• Surroyal Tine – Fourth branch on a separate tine of a deer’s antler.
• Fork – End of the antler that forks out into two tines.

Full Answer

What is the point of an antler called?

There is a term for the point of an antler. Everyone knows some of these terms, but others are less well known. The points of antlers, for example, are known as tines. Any point that branches out from a deer antler and is at least an inch long is a tine. Deer antlers are like human fingerprints - no two are ever the same.

How do you count points on antlers?

How to Count the Points on Deer Antlers. Measure each protrusion from the area where it leaves the main beam to its tip. If it measures at least 1 inch in length from the main beam, it is counted as a point.

What are normal and abnormal points on an antler?

Typical/normal points are those extending from the top of the main beam. Abnormal points can extend from the main beam near the burr. [7] Total up the lengths from base to tip of each abnormal point on the right antler and on the left antler. This should be fairly easy and short unless your deer’s antlers are extremely abnormal. [8]

What is the fourth tine on a deer antler called?

Surroyal Tine – Fourth branch on a separate tine of a deer’s antler. Fork – End of the antler that forks out into two tines. Palm – Usually used to discuss moose, this refers to the end of the antler that spreads out, resembling a human hand. Crown – The top tine on the deer’s antlers. These definitions explain the layout of deer antlers.

Point 1: Antlers are not horns

A moose pair at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in northern Minnesota. | Image Details

Point 4: Antlers are used for saber rattling more than as a saber

Bull elk sparring at Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge in Nebraska. | Image Details

Point 5: Winter is the best time to shed some pounds

Once the fall rut is over, why carry around extra weight? Antlers have served their purpose and can be discarded. Antlers are heavy and can be cumbersome for males whose primary interest is now eating enough to survive the winter.

Point 7: Count candles, not points

If antlers are shed each year, can they be used like tree rings to age an animal? No, typically antlers are not a reliable way to determine an animal's age. What antlers do indicate is the health and fitness of an animal.

Point 8: How do you count points?

You’ll often hear white-tailed bucks and bull elk described by their number of points. Points are tines branching off the main beam of the antler that measure at least 1 inch. Additional attributes are measured by hunters to score an animal such as such as spread, main beam length and length of points.

What is the point at which the first antler branches off?

Brow Tine – The point at which the first antler branches off. Bay Tine – The second branching-off point. Tray Tine – The third branching-off mark. Surroyal Tine – Fourth branch on a separate tine of a deer’s antler. Fork – End of the antler that forks out into two tines.

What part of the antler is the beam?

Here are some more terms and definitions so you can get a firm grasp of antler anatomy: Beam – Central stem of the antler. Burr – Bony rim of the pedicle.

What is the state of deer antlers?

These definitions explain the layout of deer antlers. Some other terms used to describe the state of the antlers include: Rack – This term refers to the complete set of antlers; racks are usually typical or non-typical. Abnormal tine – This is a tine that grows off another tine instead of off the main beam.

How to become familiar with deer hunting?

One of the ways to become more familiar with deer hunting is to learn the ins and outs of antler terminology. Deer antlers are surprisingly complex, and hunters have developed specific terms to apply to the different parts of the antler. By learning deer antler terminology, you’ll be able to discuss these trophies with ease and confidence.

Why are deer's antlers vulnerable?

When in this stage, because of their high water content, antlers are vulnerable and can be injured or marred, resulting in deformed antlers. An injury can cause the tines to harden prematurely, creating a non-typical rack.

What is the fork on a deer?

Fork – End of the antler that forks out into two tines. Palm – Usually used to discuss moose, this refers to the end of the antler that spreads out, resembling a human hand. Crown – The top tine on the deer’s antlers. These definitions explain the layout of deer antlers.

Where do deer antlers grow?

These bony protuberances develop on the frontal pedicle —the base from which the antlers grow. Antlers most typically are found on male deer, but some female deer grow antlers, especially those who have difficulty regulating the hormone testosterone, or female caribou.

What is the permanent base for antlers?

PEDICLE — The pedicle is the permanent base for antlers, where they attach to the skull.

What factors play into the size and formation of deer antlers?

Many factors play into the size and formation of deer antlers, such as their genetics, nutrients, when it was born, and its mother’s condition.

Do deer have antlers?

Antlers are most commonly found on male deer, but some female deer can also grow antlers. Females that have a difficult time regulating the testosterone hormone will likely grow alters.

What are the parts of an antler called?

Hunters have developed terms for antler parts: beam, palm, brow, bez or bay, trez or tray, royal, and surroyal. These are the main shaft, flattened center, first tine, second tine, third tine, fourth tine, and fifth or higher tines, respectively. The second branch is also called an advancer.

What is antler head?

Antlered heads are prized as trophies with larger sets being more highly prized. The first organization to keep records of sizes was Rowland Ward Ltd., a London taxidermy firm, in the early 20th century. For a time only total length or spread was recorded. In the middle of the century, the Boone and Crockett Club and the Safari Club International developed complex scoring systems based on various dimensions and the number of tines or points, and they keep extensive records of high-scoring antlers. Deer bred for hunting on farms are selected based on the size of the antlers.

How does antler size affect mate selection?

There is evidence to support that antler size influences mate selection in the red deer, and has a heritable component. Despite this, a 30-year study showed no shift in the median size of antlers in a population of red deer. The lack of response could be explained by environmental covariance, meaning that lifetime breeding success is determined by an unmeasured trait which is phenotypically correlated with antler size but for which there is no genetic correlation of antler growth. Alternatively, the lack of response could be explained by the relationship between heterozygosity and antler size, which states that males heterozygous at multiple loci, including MHC loci, have larger antlers. The evolutionary response of traits that depend on heterozygosity is slower than traits that are dependent on additive genetic components and thus the evolutionary change is slower than expected. A third possibility is that the costs of having larger antlers (resource use, and mobility detriments, for instance) exert enough selective pressure to offset the benefit of attracting mates; thereby stabilizing antler size in the population.

How are antler grooves formed?

It is by using antler grooves, which are formed on the surface of antlers by growth, projecting the branching structure on the burr circumference, and making diagrams. Comparing the positional order among species on the diagram, the tine on the same position is homologous. The study revealed that three-pointed structures of Capreolinae and Cervini are homoplasious, and their subclades gained synapomorphous tines.

Why do reindeer shed their antlers?

Reindeer (genus Rangifer, whose sole member species R. tarandus comprises several distinctive subspecies of reindeer and caribou) use their antlers to clear away snow so they can eat the vegetation underneath. This is one possible reason that females of this species evolved antlers. Another possible reason is for female competition during winter foraging. Male and female reindeer antlers differ in several respects. Males shed their antlers prior to winter, while female antlers are retained throughout winter. Also, female antler size plateaus at the onset of puberty, around age three, while males' antler size increases during their lifetime. This likely reflects the differing life history strategies of the two sexes, where females are resource limited in their reproduction and cannot afford costly antlers, while male reproductive success depends on the size of their antlers because they are under directional sexual selection.

What happens to antlers when they reach full size?

Once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler. In most cases, the bone at the base is destroyed by osteoclasts and the antlers fall off at some point.

How do deer antlers grow?

Each antler grows from an attachment point on the skull called a pedicle. While an antler is growing, it is covered with highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone. Antlers are considered one of the most exaggerated cases of male secondary sexual traits in the animal kingdom, and grow faster than any other mammal bone. Growth occurs at the tip, and is initially cartilage, which is later replaced by bone tissue. Once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler. In most cases, the bone at the base is destroyed by osteoclasts and the antlers fall off at some point. As a result of their fast growth rate, antlers are considered a handicap since there is an immense nutritional demand on deer to re-grow antlers annually, and thus can be honest signals of metabolic efficiency and food gathering capability.

What animal has antlers?

Caribou are the only species in which antlers are typically found on females in addition to males. Antlers are often called “horns” by deer hunters, but they are not. Horns are found on sheep, goats, and cows and are formed from hair-like tissue that grows over a bony core.

How does the antler cycle work?

The annual antler cycle is ultimately controlled by day length or photoperiod. The brain contains a kind of clock that measures the periods of light and dark and uses this information to ultimately control the secretion of the reproductive hormone testosterone in males. Testosterone controls the antler cycle.

What is the antler growth of a buck?

During the summer months of antler growth, bucks live in reclusive bachelor groups and restrict their movements. When the antlers are growing, they are full of nerves and blood vessels and are covered with a hairy skin covering tissue commonly called “velvet.”. Antler growth is like building a skyscraper.

Why do deer antlers grow?

The skin or tissue that develops at the top of the pedicel reacts to hormones in the deer body and actually causes an antler to grow/develop. The most interesting aspect of this antler growth tissue is that, if it is surgically removed and grafted to another part of the deer’s body, an antler will grow there. For example, it would be possible to surgically produce a unicorn deer or a deer with 10 antlers growing out of its skull or any other part of the body.

How long do deer hold their antlers?

Both antlers may fall off at exactly the same time, or one antler may be held for weeks or months after the first antler is shed. Each year in Virginia, the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) receives calls in late December about deer hunters shooting shed-antlered bucks. Most bucks in Virginia shed their antlers in January and/or February, but DWR frequently receives reports of deer in hard antler in March up to April. Several rules of thumb can be applied to when deer shed their antlers. Large antlered older bucks typically shed their antlers earlier than young, small-antlered bucks. This may be due to the large amount of energy they expend during the rut. Similarly, deer in good condition typically hold their antlers longer than deer in poor condition.

What are buck antlers made of?

Unlike horns, antlers are true bone and are composed primarily of calcium and phosphorus and are deciduous. Deciduous means antlers are dropped or shed and grown anew each and every year. They grow from pedicels located on the frontal bone of the skull. The pedicels, which begin growing at a couple months of age in buck fawns, provide the base from which the antler will grow. The small, hair-covered bumps on a 6-month-old male fawn’s head (a button buck) are the pedicels. They are not antlers. Infantile antlers or actual hardened antlers on a buck fawn have not been documented in Virginia but have been reported in other states. Deer grow their first set of antlers when they are approximately one year of age.

Why are my buck's antlers never shed?

Because they never experience a fall surge of testosterone, the antlers are never shed. Each year new velvet and antler material is grown over and around the existing antler. Over time, this gives the antlers the look of a gnarly “cactus.” These bucks are not common, but a couple are reported killed in Virginia each year.

How To Use the Antler Scoring System?

You will need a flexible tape measure, pen and paper, and a yardstick (optional). Decide if you are going to score the antlers as typical or non-typical. All measurements are made to the nearest 8th of an inch. Let’s break down the antler scoring system into five easy steps.

How to measure buck antlers?

Measure the thinnest place between each point, starting between the burr and G1. You will stop once you have measured between G3 and G4. If the buck does not have a G4 point, you will measure between G3 and the tip of the beam. Repeat on the other antler.

How many measurements of each side of a 10 pint buck?

Starting with the G1 point, write down the measurement for each point. If you are measuring a 10- pint buck you have 4 measurements of each side because the fifth point is the tip of the beam.

How long does a point have to be to be a point?

A point is just as it sounds. Any point coming off the antlers, but it must be at least 1 inch long to be classified as a point.

Where is the burr on a buck?

A burr is located at the base of a buck’s antler. It flattens at the base of the skull.

How many points does a rack have on one antler?

Tips. Not all racks have a symmetrical pattern of points. For example, a rack may have four points on one antler and six on the other. A whitetail deer with this rack would be said to have a “10 point” rack.

What is nontypical point?

Non-typical points include points that develop off of other points. Measure points that develop off of other points by starting the measurement where the base of the point meets the other point, rather than from the base of the main beam.

How to count protrusions as points?

Measure each protrusion from the area where it leaves the main beam to its tip. If it measures at least 1 inch in length from the main beam, it is count ed as a point.

Do you count brow tines in a whitetail deer rack?

Include brow tines in your point count for a whitetail deer rack. Brow tines are not included in a mule deer rack point count.

Do all deer racks have a symmetric pattern?

Not all racks have a symmetrical pattern of points. For example, a rack may have four points on one antler and six on the other. A whitetail deer with this rack would be said to have a “10 point” rack. Mule deer racks are counted differently. If this were a mule deer rack, it would be said to have a “4 by 6” rack, assuming that none of the 10 points were brow tines.

What club do you need to get antlers?

Receive an official score from the Boone and Crockett Club. In order to be entered into their awards program, you will need to contact a local Boone and Crockett Club and have an Official Measurer score your antlers.

How to measure antlers for a rack?

Place your antlers, your measuring tape, yardstick and steel cable on a table. The skull plate should be sitting on your table so that you can take horizontal and vertical measurements of the rack. You will need to take all measurements to the nearest one-eighth inch.

How to measure deer antler length?

Total up the lengths from base to tip of each abnormal point on the right antler and on the left antler. This should be fairly easy and short unless your deer’s antlers are extremely abnormal.

How many points do you need to score a Boone and Crockett deer?

Measure each normal point on the right antler. The Boone and Crockett Club scoring sheet has places for up to seven points, although few deer will have that many. Repeat with the points on the left antler. Each point will have a separate box in which to write the measurement.

Where to submit Boone and Crockett Club points?

Submit the form on the Boone and Crockett Club website or total the points according to your form. Confirm that you have followed fair game rules when hunting the deer.

How long do you air dry buck antlers?

Air-dry your buck’s antlers for 60 days or more.

Do you put antler score on nameplate?

Once you receive an official award or certificate with your antler score, you can include it on the nameplate when you mount the rack.

Overview

Exploitation by other species

Etymology

Structure and development

Function

Homology and evolution of tines

External links