Velvet Antlers

[TESKELLY]

Questions:

Is it spring when deer get Velvet on their antlers or over the summer?
Are they in season during a time when they could still have their Velvet?
If they are is it possible to have a wall mount of them with their velvet and have it last or will the velvet eventually come off?

[Shooter]

Deer begin growing their antlers in early spring, April'ish. They have Velvet the entire time they are growing. The velvet supplies all the blood and nutrients needed to grow the antlers. late august early september they stop growing due to a hormone change and then the velvet gets itchy and the deer rub it off. It is possible to get an early season deer still in velvet and yes if cared for properly the velvet can be preserved and kept on the final mount. I would want to hear directly from a taxidermist on how they would want the velvet preserved because I am not sure.

[TESKELLY]

Thanks. I had a thought that would be a cool mount to have along with others.

[Shooter]

Animals with antlers shed them and grow new ones every year. Thus the "velvet" stage of antler growth. Animals with "horns" keep them over their lifetime and do not go through a velvet stage every year. Deer do not "grow" velvet on their antlers, the antlers grow under the velvet every year.

[TESKELLY]

LOL looking back on my post I was writing a little clueless looking. I knew they shed the antlers yearly and that they don't just get velvet onto existing antlers. I guess a better way to have asked my questions would have been.

When does a deers antlers start growing each year?
How long does the velvet last on a deers antlers?
Do you think it would be possible to get an in season deer with the velvet still on his antlers?

Thanks Shooter for your responses and for not making fun of the way I asked my newbie questions no matter how silly and tempting they must have looked for a funny response.

[Shooter]

:wink::wink: no worries. We were all new hunters at one time or another in our lives.

[hunter1947]

Velvet is on the antlers as soon as they start growing new antlers and will stay there till they start rubbing the velvet off.

The time frame varies on rubbing velvet some may rub earlier some latter I think it is to do with there age and the habitat that is in there area..

Elk are the first to rub there velvet off they start rubbing it off about mid Aug moose start to rub the velvet off the first of Sept.

Deer rub the velvet off around the first week of Sept.

[Jelvis]

Start growing in end of March drop in beginning of January in general ..
velvet rubbed off in September ... antlers would need to be treated if in velvet when taxied.
Jel .. your in the know in Kokomo

[Steeleco]

I asked this very question of Ray Wiens last fall in preparation for the kids early deer season. I don't recall the exact product, but it wasn't too cheap and you need to be very ready for the task at hand. You'll need quite a bit of the liquid and a syringe. As soon as the animal is down assuming the velvet is in a condition worth of the effort, you need to start injecting the liquid all over the antlers to get lots of coverage. Then get it to a Taxi asap as the weather will likely be hot still.

Luckily the deer my son get early last fall, was already starting the shed!!

You should really contact your Taxi much in advance to get ready, if a Velvet rack in on your radar. Good luck.

[srupp]

on another hunting site Huntshoot.ca Mr Marco Pilon a taxidermist from Red Deer Alberta has printed out how to correctly deal with any antlers in velvet to protect them IF you want to keep the velvet on..EXELLENT ARTICLE Thank you Marco...(PHENOMINAL TAXIDERMIST ALSO,,,)

I myself avoid hunting wehnthe animals are in velevet..never cared that much with the look...

Steven

[Wrayzer]

Whats the earliest everyone has experienced Velvet being rubbed off?
Was out scouting yesterday and swear we heard some thrashing, raking and scrapping noises, from a distance away mind you, when we stalked up to investigate the noise was gone and couldn't figure out where exactly it came from to investigate scrapes. We figure August would be too early but does anyone know forsure?

[coldbuc69]

formaldehyde is what you need to use. cut a small silit in the end of the antler and start at the base, find a blood vein and start injecting formaldehyde into it, when you get no more blood comming out of the silit then move to another vein untill there is now more blood in the antler. then just brush alittle on the outside as well. make sure you do this outside.

[luckynuts]

formaldehyde is what you need to use. cut a small silit in the end of the antler and start at the base, find a blood vein and start injecting formaldehyde into it, when you get no more blood comming out of the silit then move to another vein untill there is now more blood in the antler. then just brush alittle on the outside as well. make sure you do this outside.


Remember Formaldehyde is extremely carcinogenic! Hospitals used to use it quite a bit for biopsies. Heavily regulated now regards to exposure limits and ventilation and what not. Wear gloves! good luck.

[Walking Buffalo]

I use a product called "Antler in Velvet Tan" from Knoblochs (Knoblochs.com) . Your local taxidermist or taxi supply shop can help you get it. About $20 for a liter, more than enough to do a good sized buck.

Three steps to do the job.

1) Puncture tips of Antlers with a large needle.
2) Inject tanning solution into vein channels around base of horn. Keep injecting until ALL blood is completely pumped out of the tips and clear fluid is visible.
3) Paint on a heavy coat of tanning fluid on the antlers and hang to dry for 4 days. Wash off residue in cool water and hang to dry. The velvet can be fluffed with a hair drier and soft brush.

Do this ASAP after the kill. Wait too long, and the velvet will come off despite your efforts.

An Alberta Whitey I took four years ago.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy10/keetspics/1641.jpg

[kennyj]

Walking Buffalo,
Thats an awesome velvet set! I was hoping someone would post a photo.
Great job on that one and a great rack.
kenny

[TESKELLY]

Thanks everyone. Great advise I will hopefully be able to put into action this season.

[thatskindafunny]

Partner shot a spike whitetail in November that was in velvet. Little differant as I believe this deer had never droped his antlers. We at first thought it was a doe with antlers. While cleaning the deer I did find his penis (1/2 ") and if you pressed real hard against his belly you could feel a testicle. This deer was injured probably in his first year and never did drop his antlers. He was bigger than the 4 four point mule deer that we had. I mounted the antlers and did nothing to the antlers and they still look great. This was at least 5 years ago. The bases of his antlers were absoutley huge. You could not even get 2 fingers between them. I figure this deer was about 4 to 5 years old.