From this time through the rut, buck testosterone continues to rise, keeping the antlers securely fixed to their heads ... deer to make it through to spring—and you want those bucks to grow nice ...

Across deer and elk country ... “If you find one antler, especially a big one, there should be another nearby,” explains Schaufler. “Bulls just hate the imbalance when one antler is off. They’ll shake ...

“With the rival's head stuck in its antlers, it’s as if he is wearing a trophy.” If the deer is unable to shake off the severed head, it will have to survive until it sheds its antlers ...