When deer shed the velvet covering their antlers, it can be a bit messy.

The velvet covering deer antlers is essentially skin that supplies nutrients and blood flow to the growing bone, antler, underneath. Once the antlers are fully grown, deer scrape the velvet “skin” off the antlers, which can sometimes be a gory mess.

Here are some pictures of deer transforming their skin-covered bone into beautiful antler racks.

Scarface

tumblr_mapy6aligc1r8vrhxo1_1280
Tumblr/synymphonia

What a rack!

Buck-Stetson-Shedding-2011-
Whitetail Deer of Texas

You’ve got something…hanging there.

tumblr_maofv6DEah1r8vrhxo1_500
Image CK

Yum

800px-Deer_velvet_peels_off
Image CK

Double Rare

1717920-L
SE Missourian

Deer boogers are also tasty.

dsc_1958-36
Big Whitetail

Is that raccoon looking to scavenge some skin?

090307 mule deer shedvelvet1cropped
Midwest Bass Tournaments

Shedding velvet makes it a little harder to hide.

p982088506-3
Lamere Photography

Deer Yoga

tumblr_m7ityeCld01r8vrhxo1_500
Image Stack

What a pose.

A whitetail deer buck shedding velvet from his antlers in late summer.

Although it looks painful, shedding velvet does not hurt the deer. It itches but it is equatable to a snake shedding its skin.

Another good thing about bucks shedding their velvet means that hunting season is approaching. Some of these deer are just making their racks clean and shiny for your mantle.

Thanks, bucks!

NEXT: 10 DEER IN  PLACES THEY DON’T BELONG [PICS]

The post 10 Awesome Photos of Deer Shedding Their Velvet appeared first on Wide Open Spaces.

Full Story

print