Shedding off winter

It has to be one of the most amazing phenomena in nature. And the results of it are within our reach this time of year, if we are willing to go looking.

Each spring and summer, males of the deer family grow luxuriant sets of antlers. In the fall, they use these antlers to attract mates, and as weapons to overpower and drive off potential rivals.

Once mating season is over, the prominent antlers become a liability. They are heavy and require energy to carry, and are hard to maneuver through thick woods. Animals carrying antlers into the winter would be less likely to survive. So the survivors are genetically programmed to shed their antlers and re-grow new ones in the spring.

Hunting for shed antlers is one of the best excuses I know of to get out and explore early in the spring, just as the snow is melting. Tracks in the remnants of old snow let you see where the deer have spent their time in the winter, which is where you are most likely to find shed antlers. Finding antlers is a little like finding a four-leaf clover. You have to be in the right place and have some luck. But you’ll never find any if you don’t get out and go looking.

In New England, we have two species of deer -- white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus borealis) and moose (Alces alces americanus) .

If you don’t have a clue about how to start you antler hunt, try the nearest store that sells hunting supplies and ask if they know of any spot locally. Also, you can check with any state game department and get the name of the local wildlife officer. Chances are, he or she will be able to point you in the right direction.

I like to go early in the morning, when the snow is still firm and will hold me up on snowshoes. Later in the afternoon at this time of year, walking in snow can be a real slog.

Shed antlers can be found anywhere that deer or moose spend their time. Look for feeding areas, bedding areas, and travel routes in between. The tracks will tell the story. Any time you find a set of deer tracks, just follow it. It doesn’t matter whether you go forward or backward, what you want to find is other deer tracks. Always follow the largest set of tracks. When you get to places where there are lots of tracks, keep your eyes open for shed antlers. Some are large and obvious, but the first set of antlers a buck grows is hardly bigger than a ball-point pen. I find it helpful to look for color and shine. The brown of some recently shed antlers is distinctive. As they weather and turn gray, they get harder to spot.

The two antlers rarely fall off at the same time, so finding both antlers from the same animal is a rarity.

Keeping your eyes open can lead to other discoveries. Up near Millinocket, Maine, we saw a bald eagle circling. A little searching in the neighborhood revealed the carcass of a young bull moose that had apparently died of natural causes (winter is a hard time for many animals). But finding that carcass allowed us a close-up view of the three eagles and two ravens that were feeding there.

The time for hunting shed antlers is short. Once the snow is gone, it’s harder to find and follow deer sign. Also, the shed antlers themselves don’t last very long. Mice, squirrels, chipmunks and porcupines will all nibble away at antlers for the vital minerals they contain.

Shedding some antler myths

The biggest myth about deer antlers is that you can tell the age of the deer by counting points. This isn’t true. But you can often get some idea about a deer’s age and physical health by looking at the antlers it dropped.

A buck fawn born in the spring will sometimes grow a tiny set of antlers about the size of the end of your little finger. Most bucks, however, won’t grow antlers until they are one-and-a-half years old. Most yearling bucks will grow spike antlers about as long as a pencil. But a genetically superior animal with access to lots of high-quality food can grow forks or even a miniature rack with 6 or 8 points.

As bucks mature, they tend to grow larger and heavier antlers with more points. A healthy five-and-a-half-year-old buck will grow a rack with 8, 10 or even 12 points (that’s counting both sides). If you find a single antler with more than 4 points, chances are it’s from a mature buck.

Once bucks are past their prime, the antlers tend to get smaller, but tend to be rougher and heavier than those of a young buck. Older deer don’t get as much nutrition from their food, because their teeth wear out. A seven-and-a-half-year-old buck is a real senior citizen.

Moose follow roughly the same pattern of antler growth, except the spikes on a young bull moose can be as long as your forearm. The palmated antler of a mature bull can weigh 50 pounds.

Another fleeting phenomenon

Another fleeting phenomenon of spring worth seeking out are vernal pools where fairy shrimp, wood frogs and mole salamanders breed. Vernal pools are ponds and puddles that don’t contain fish because they periodically dry up completely.

The woodlands of New England hold lots of vernal pools, and the critters that live in them are fascinating to watch as study.

The Vernal Pool Association has a wonderful website for adults and kids that will get you started looking for and understanding this wonder of spring.

State Game Departments:

• Maine
• New Hampshire 
• Vermont 
• Massachusetts 
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island