Photo by Mary Holland
.White-tailed deer typically shed their antlers in December or January. After autumn’s breeding season, hormonal changes cause a weakened connection between the antler and the pedicle, where the antler attaches to the skull. A flick of the buck’s head can send one or both antlers flying, ridding the deer of these heavy, cumbersome appendages. It’s a win-win situation for both deer and the rodents that scarf up these rich sources of calcium phosphate and protein almost as soon as they hit the ground. Take a close look at the tip of each tine in this photograph and you will see that something – most likely a vole, mouse, squirrel, or porcupine – has gnawed on the antler.