Now is the time when white-tailed bucks are in full velvet. This velvet “skin” is what supplies the blood and nutrients to grow antlers. At the end of August, they will shed this nutrient-rich covering to reveal the hardened or mineralized antlers we commonly associate with deer.
Once the velvet is ready to shed, a deer will scrape its antlers on trees vigorously to get the skin off in a short period of time. Deer will even eat the shedded pieces of velvet - as well as all the other birds and animals that are lucky to come across a piece of this highly nutritious food.
Velvet antler is also prepared for humans, especially in Asia where it is dried and sold in slices or powder for medicinal use.