SHEDDING AND RENEWING OF DEER ANTLERS 57 



When fully grown the antlers have several branches; but the 

 first pair, which are grown during the second year, are only 

 two straight and slender spikes called "dag antlers." The 

 grouping of animals with antlers brings together in the Deer 

 Family not only the true deer, but also the moose and the 

 caribou. 



Shedding and Renewal of Antlers. — At this point it 

 is necessary to emphasize certain facts regarding the antlers 

 of deer, elk, moose and caribou. 



Many persons find it difficult to believe that the antlers 

 of all these creatures drop off close to the skull every year 

 and are completely renewed in about four months; but such 

 is the fact. It is Nature's special plan to absorb the surplus 

 strength of the males, and to render them weak and inoffen- 

 sive during the period in which the mothers are rearing their 

 young, when both the does and their fawns would be defence- 

 less against savage males with perfect antlers. It seems in- 

 credible — unless watched from week to week — that the 

 enormous antlers of full-grown moose or elk can be dropped 

 and completely renewed again in as short a period as four 

 months; but it is true. 



During the first year of life, male members of the Deer 

 Family have no horns of any kind, and in order to protect 

 fawns from hunters destitute of pride, several of our states 

 have enacted laws forbidding the killing of deer save males 

 that have horns at least four inches long. This is a very 

 wise and just measure. 



The antlers of North American deer are usually dropped 

 in March, but occasionally in February. Sometimes a day 



