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Animal lists · 12 entries

Animals With Antlers

Antlers are branched bony structures grown and shed annually by male deer — and female reindeer — distinct from permanent keratin horns on bovids; see the animals-with-horns list for that distinction.

Updated 25 July 2026

Antlers belong to the deer family, Cervidae, and nowhere else. They are bone, grown from pedicles on the skull, covered in velvet during growth and shed after the breeding season. This is fundamentally different from the permanent keratin-sheathed horns of cattle and antelope.

This list covers all major cervid species with antlers, noting that female reindeer and caribou are the only cervids where females routinely grow antlers. Antler size and complexity generally reflect age, nutrition and genetic quality rather than permanent individual variation.

How this list was compiled

Entries are species in Cervidae that grow antlers — branched bony structures shed and regrown annually. Permanent horns of bovids are excluded — see animals-with-horns. Antler size ranges are given for mature males unless noted. Velvet stage, breeding use and casting (shedding) season are noted where relevant.

Animals With Antlers

  1. Moose

    Largest antlers by spread; ~1.8 m

    Palmate antlers spread broadly. Only males grow antlers. Shed in winter after breeding season.

  2. Elk (wapiti)

    Large; many tines; ~1.2 m

    Antlers can weigh over 18 kg. Used in bugling displays and sparring during rut.

  3. Red deer

    Branched; up to ~1 m

    Classic branched antlers with brow, bez and trez tines. Roar during rut to establish dominance.

  4. Reindeer / caribou

    Both sexes; ~1 m

    The only cervid where females routinely grow antlers. Males shed before winter; females retain antlers through pregnancy.

  5. Fallow deer

    Palmate or spiked; ~70 cm

    Two morphs — palmated and spiked antlers within the same species. Introduced widely outside native range.

  6. White-tailed deer

    Forward-curving tines; ~60 cm

    Most abundant deer in North America. Antler size reflects age and nutrition more than genetics alone.

  7. Roe deer

    Short; ~25–30 cm; three tines

    Unusually cast antlers in autumn and regrow through winter — different timing from most cervids.

  8. Sika deer

    Branched; ~80 cm

    Native to East Asia. Antlers used in territorial displays during autumn rut.

  9. Muntjac

    Small; ~10 cm; single tine

    Among the smallest antlers of any deer. Muntjacs are barkers — vocal rather than antler-dependent in display.

  10. Sambar

    Thick; three-tined; ~1 m

    Large tropical Asian deer. Antlers used in wallowing displays and sparring.

  11. Père David's deer

    Extinct in wild; antlers in captivity

    Antlers have unusual branching with tines extending backward. Survives only in captivity and reintroduction programmes.

  12. Chital (axis deer)

    Three-tined; ~80 cm

    Spotted deer of the Indian subcontinent. Antlers used in lek-like displays during rut.

Key facts

  • Antlers are bone, grown and shed annually, and belong to deer (Cervidae) alone — not cattle, antelope or rhinos.
  • Horns are permanent keratin-sheathed structures on bovids — see the animals-with-horns list for the distinction.
  • Female reindeer and caribou are the only cervids where females routinely grow antlers.
  • Moose have the largest antler spread at up to roughly 1.8 metres.
  • Antlers grow under velvet — a blood-rich skin — which is rubbed off before the breeding season.
  • Antler size reflects age, nutrition and condition rather than permanent individual anatomy.

Animals With Antlers: frequently asked questions

What animals have antlers?
Deer — including moose, elk, red deer, reindeer, white-tailed deer and roe deer. Antlers belong to Cervidae alone.
What is the difference between antlers and horns?
Antlers are bone, shed and regrown annually on deer. Horns are permanent keratin-sheathed bony cores on bovids such as cattle and antelope. See the animals-with-horns list.
Do female deer have antlers?
Only in reindeer and caribou do females routinely grow antlers. In all other deer species, only males grow antlers.
Why do deer shed antlers?
Antlers are grown for the breeding season and shed afterward when testosterone drops. Shedding avoids the energy cost of carrying them through winter when they are no longer needed for display or combat.
What is velvet on antlers?
A blood-rich skin covering growing antlers. It supplies nutrients and oxygen while antlers develop. Deer rub it off against trees once growth is complete, before the rut.
Which deer has the biggest antlers?
Moose, with spreads up to roughly 1.8 metres. Elk antlers can weigh over 18 kg — among the heaviest of any deer.

Sources

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