Other moose develop and grow the largest antlers at approximately ten years of age. Research highlights that the maximum lifespan is around sixteen years, and these species rarely survive after this age. These blood vessels are in a soft, smooth skin called the velvet, which is shed by August or September. Large-sized moose have flat and shovel-like antlers that weigh 25 to 30 pounds and measure four to five feet wide. Male moose use their antlers to threaten and fight other males for females, trash brush, and root plants from the pond floor.
Moose antlers are primarily made from calcium, which plays a crucial role in bone development. The blood supply dries up when antlers reach full size by late summer, dropping off the velvet and leaving the recognizable whitish antlers.
Find out more facts about moose in this article I have written here. Antlers show the strength of moose during the mating season. A male moose uses antlers to fight other males, making them stay away from female moose, and the purpose is to compete for mating.
Male moose also use these bony structures to scare off younger or weaker males. Antlers are the first line of defense for moose species against their opponents and predators. So, they use antlers as a weapon. Like elk and deer, moose shed their antlers naturally. The process occurs every year once a moose reaches maturity. Because the male moose experiences changes in testosterone levels during the mating or breeding season, the growth of antlers slows down.
The purpose is to reabsorb calcium from the antlers and ensure adequate testosterone production. So, calcium reabsorption weakens the joint between the antler and the skull. As a result, the antler drops or sheds. A male moose needs higher testosterone levels when mating with a female moose. However, this is impossible without an adequate amount of calcium. Many features distinguish female moose from male ones. For instance, female moose weigh between and 1, pounds, and males weigh between 1, and 1, pounds.
Female moose have relatively longer, thicker dark brown fur. Other animals are excited to find shed antlers during their foraging. Many nutrients are needed to make bone, such as calcium, phosphorus and protein.
These nutrients are important for all types of animal growth, not just big strong antlers. Rodents in particular love shed antlers - mice, squirrels, and porcupines will gnaw on antlers for their nutrients and to wear down their ever growing teeth.
Even bears, foxes, opossums and otters have been known to eat antlers. Because antler sheds are important for healthy habitat, antler shed hunting is illegal in many places. If you buy antler products make sure they are legally sourced. Bull moose. If antlers are shed each year, can they be used like tree rings to age an animal? No, typically antlers are not a reliable way to determine an animal's age. What antlers do indicate is the health and fitness of an animal.
The one case where you can be fairly certain that antlers are a good indication of age is for yearling deer and elk, which have spikes rather than branched antlers. Deer, elk and moose past their prime will have smaller, less dense antlers.
Whitetail deer will have the largest antlers in their prime years from 4 to 6, elk between ages 9 to 12, and moose from ages 5 to Smaller eight point buck right and larger eight point buck left exemplify the size difference between bucks with the same number of points.
Points are tines branching off the main beam of the antler that measure at least 1 inch. Additional attributes are measured by hunters to score an animal such as such as spread, main beam length, and length of points.
In whitetail deer, eight points is the most common antler type. Eight point deer are usually 3 or 4 year-old bucks but also ageing bucks and bucks living in poor habitats. Whitetail deer are described by the total number of points but elk are counted by each side. For example, the most common mature elk antlers with six points on both the left and right antlers are called 6x6. For moose, the most common measure of size is spread - which is the total width of the antlers. Scoring moose measures also include points, width of palm, length of palm, and circumference of beam at the smallest place.
The palm is the central part of the antler, which looks like the shape of an outstretched hand. The mission of the U. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service.
Looking for more content? You can connect with us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram. For multimedia, check out our videos on YouTube and download photos on Flickr. About the Region Newsroom Contact Us. Enter Search Term s :. Eight points about antlers Cow and bull moose in the prairie. Point 1: Antlers are not horns Girl on the left holds a moose antler to her head, while girl on the right holds mountain goat horns to her head. Animals in the Cervidae family, elk, caribou, deer have antlers.
Most female of the species, except for caribou, do not have antlers, as the antlers' primary purpose is for attracting mates and fighting other males drawn to the same female. Moose and other animals belonging to the Cervidae family shed their antlers because of the levels of testosterone in their bloodstream at the end of breeding season. If someone says moose horns instead of antlers, they are using the wrong term.
Only cows, goats, sheep and other animals in the bovine family grow horns. Horns contain keratin, which is not bone, but is instead the same material that makes up hair and fingernails. Female moose do not have antlers, as they do not engage in fighting during the mating season. As antlers grow, a form of velvety growth covers the bone until the moose rubs it off just prior to the mating season.
Once the rutting season — the mating season — completes, antlers fall from the mooses' heads, usually at the same time, but sometimes one side drops before the other. All animals in the Cervidae family shed their antlers yearly. Moose are the largest members of the Cervidae family.
As a hoofed animal — ungulate — these creatures grow quite large.
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