Why are antlers the color they are???

[shadowless_nite]

Just curious and this is probably a newb question. But why are antlers various colors? some being very dark and some being very light. I understand that where they get rubbed down they are obviously lighter, but is there anything that really makes them the color they become? age? genetics? area? just always wondered

[huntnphool]

Most has to do with what they rub them on.

[WDFW-SUX]

Sun bleach too.

[singleshot12]

I think it has more to do with genetics..I've seen bucks in the same area with light and dark antlers. Also in velvet, the antlers are either light or dark in the same area.
Rubbing on alder or willow might make them redder or blacker at the bases though.

[shadowless_nite]

Most has to do with what they rub them on.

Does the color from what they rub stain them??? so if an animal rubbed a cedar often it would turn more reddish?? and would sun bleached lighter colors be more common on animals from more open landscape like the eastside vs the wetter brushier wetside??

What really sparked my interest was after I killed my bull I had very nice dark color to them and when I compared it to my brother inlaws bull from 2 years his was very light in color all around. Also when my dads friend killed his rifle bull this year it was very dark in color but it was only a few miles from where my brother inlaw killed his bull 2 years ago??

[andrew_12gauge]

I think it has more to do with genetics..I've seen bucks in the same area with light and dark antlers. Also in velvet, the antlers are either light or dark in the same area.
Rubbing on alder or willow might make them redder or blacker at the bases though.

umm wouldnt it make sense that if a deer or elk in the same area rubbed its antlers on the same kind of vegetation that they would be around the same color

[fishcrazy]

They don't allways use the same vegatation in the same erea. One bull might like alders and the other might like pines and firs.


Kris

[singleshot12]

I don't think it always has anything to do with the vegitation they rub on. Their antlers seem to be light or dark before they rub on anything. I've seen bucks with the velvet still hanging and their bone already chocolate.

[actionshooter]

I've killed a critter or 2 in the velvet and they are bone white underneath except for the dried blood. 
 Its what they rub on.

[ouchfoss]

From what I've noticed over the years it seems to be the tell tail sign of what he's been rubbing on. Its kinda odd how certain bulls will choose to rub only one kind of tree. Around here black horns arent too uncommon and if you see that it means he's been rubbing spruce trees.

[agchawk]

I've killed a critter or 2 in the velvet and they are bone white underneath except for the dried blood. 
 Its what they rub on.

Yup...and the folks here are correct. The color is simply stained bone (it is indeed white underneath the velvet. Just like any other bone in the body that is stripped of skin, meat, or in this case velvet). The majority of the color is a result of the type of vegetation that that particular animal is rubbing on. Throw in a little dried blood, dirt, etc and you get the color.

[buckskin]

agchawk is 100 % correct,bone white once the velvet is rubbed off than what ever that animal prefers or has in his surroundings dictates the color.

[Romulus]

If the bull has red colored antlers he is rubbing on alder trees. The super dark horns with white tips that most covet is primarily rubbing on fir trees. If you smell the horns you will usually smell pitch. I think the pitch makes dirt stick to the horns better when they are rubbing the horns in the mud possibly.

[Bigbuckhunter_1996]

ya mostly depends on wut they rubbed their velvet off on my buck from the bases to about half way up the horn wuz literally black

[alecvg]

I think it is what they rub on, deer down in sage, generally have light colored antlers, bucks up in burns, often have very dark antlers, almost black sometimes, deer living in thick timber will usually have dark brown antlers.