Antlers
Posted by Steve Reisman on February 1, 2006
Q: I moved to the Denver, Colorado area about 7 months ago and I'm wondering what months elk and deer traditionaly drop their antlers. I know a lot depends on the climate and the particular time of year, but is there an average time each year for each animal. Is there also a place to look which tends to be better than most, other than obviously where they travel through?
A: Colorado has three species of deer - White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer and Elk. White-tails begin their antler drop in mid January and this can extend through February and into March but usually ends before April. Most Mule Deer drop their antlers in January and February and Elk mostly in February and March. Finding discarded antlers is a hit-or-miss kind of activity. I know that some people use dogs to help them find antlers but one has to really scour the countryside to find these. The most likely places, as you can guess, are the very places where deer and elk spend most of their time. Finding antlers in the East where the cover is much more dense is more difficult than in the West with much more open ground. Good luck and if you give it a try, it should make for an enjoyable outing. Thanks for asking.
John Wiessinger ( February 2, 2006)