26/05/2026
Every year, red deer stags go through one of nature’s most remarkable transformations — the antler cycle. 🦌
Unlike horns, antlers are made entirely of bone and are the fastest-growing bone tissue in the animal kingdom.
A stag begins growing a new set each spring after shedding the previous year’s antlers in late winter.
New antler growth begins as soft cartilage forming from the pedicle on the stag’s skull. As the antlers rapidly expand, this cartilage is gradually replaced through calcification, where minerals such as calcium and phosphorus harden the tissue into solid bone.
During this stage, the antlers are covered in a soft skin called “velvet,” rich with blood vessels and nerves that supply oxygen and nutrients to support the intense growth. At peak development, antlers can grow up to 2–3 cm per day, fuelled by protein, minerals, and the stag’s overall health.
As testosterone levels rise toward autumn, the blood supply to the velvet stops. The velvet dries and peels away as the stag rubs his antlers against trees and shrubs, revealing the hard, polished bone underneath.
These fully developed antlers are then used during the rutting season for displays of strength, sparring with rival stags, and attracting hinds.
Once the breeding season ends and hormone levels drop, the antlers naturally loosen and fall away — and the entire cycle begins again.
