Why are antlers the color they are???

[coonhound]

Every year at camp we see a scrape at one of the sign posts. Wonder what rubbin that post does for the color. 

That's funny, when I was on my late whitetail hunt I saw 3 different corner posts that had a scrape and a rub.  One of them looked like it had been rubbed on for years?

[belkaholic]

evan though trees can add to the finnish i cant imagen a elk being able to rub a tree so evanly on every milameter of its rack. WASU did alot of studys on elk and it has to do with the velvet and how bloody it is when it comes off. the longer it stays on the whiter it is, the blood has dried up and shows more of the bone colar. comes off earlyer and the blood dries and stains it more. the tips turn white from them rubbing them on everything,trees ,shrubs the ground.  lots of good info from WASU, u should see what they said about ageing wild game.

[shadowless_nite]

wow i havent checked this thread for a few days and i guess i got my question answered. thanks everyone this has been some insightful info.