Antlers are bony structures that grow from the skulls of animals belonging to the Cervidae family, commonly known as deer. These unique appendages are typically found on males, with the notable exception of caribou, where both sexes possess them. Antlers undergo an annual cycle of growth and shedding, making them distinct from permanent horns found on other animals. Their primary functions include displaying dominance to attract mates and serving as tools for sparring with rivals during breeding seasons.
Common Names for Antler Points
The various parts of an antler have specific names. The primary shaft of the antler is known as the beam, serving as the central stem from which other projections extend. At the base of the antler, where it connects to the pedicle on the skull, there is a rough, bony rim called the burr. The pedicle is the bony outgrowth from which the antler develops.
Any individual projection or spike extending from the main beam is referred to as a tine or point. The first tine to branch off the main beam, just above the burr, is called the brow tine. A second projection is known as the bez tine or bay tine. A third point along the main beam is termed the trez tine or tray tine.
Beyond these initial points, any subsequent projections are called surroyal tines. The topmost point or cluster of points on an antler is referred to as the crown. Moose antlers feature broad, flattened sections known as palms or palmations, with points extending from their edges rather than directly from a central beam.
How Antler Points are Counted
Counting antler points follows specific conventions in official scoring systems. For a projection to qualify as a point, it must be at least one inch long, and its length must exceed its width at that one-inch mark. This standard differentiates true points from bumps or irregularities on the antler.
Formal scoring organizations, such as the Boone and Crockett Club and Pope and Young, use detailed measurement criteria beyond a simple point count. These systems consider dimensions such as the length of the main beams, each individual tine, the antler’s circumference at specific locations, and the overall spread. Antlers are categorized as “typical” or “non-typical” based on structure.
Typical antlers are characterized by symmetry, with points and structure mirroring each other. Non-typical antlers, however, exhibit irregularities such as additional points, drop tines, or projections that extend in unusual directions. While typical scoring penalizes deviations from symmetry, non-typical scoring systems incorporate these unique features into the total score.
Antler Point Variations Across Species
Antler morphology varies among cervid species. White-tailed deer and mule deer, for instance, display distinct tines branching off a central main beam. Mule deer antlers are recognized for their dichotomous branching, where tines fork into two nearly equal lengths.
Elk antlers are larger and more robust compared to deer antlers, featuring numerous tines extending from a substantial main beam. Moose antlers are distinctive for their broad, flattened sections, from which tines project along the edges. Moose antlers also exhibit specialized brow palms and brow tines, which extend forward and are separated from the main palm by an indentation.
Caribou antlers are unique as both males and females grow them. Their antlers include prominent, flattened brow tines, sometimes called “shovels.” These variations highlight the diverse adaptations in antler structure.