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Female reindeer grow antlers that are significantly smaller than their male counterparts. Male reindeer grow antlers as long as 50 inches after multiple seasons of shedding.
Yet antlers are commonly retained through the winter and into the spring, [25] suggesting that they have another use. Wolves in Yellowstone National Park are 3.6 times more likely to attack individual male elk without antlers, or groups of elk in which at least one male is without antlers. [25]
Male antlers grow more branching points and measure anywhere between 39 inches and 53 inches in beam length, whereas female antlers only measure about 20 inches and generally have a simpler structure.
Female reindeer have antlers, and notably retain their antlers during the winter. Male reindeer, on the other hand, lose their antlers during winter and regrow them in spring. Female whitetail ...
When male reindeer shed their antlers in early to mid-winter, the antlered cows acquire the highest ranks in the feeding hierarchy, gaining access to the best forage areas. These cows are healthier than those without antlers. [135] Calves whose mothers do not have antlers are more prone to disease and have a significantly higher mortality. [135]
Antlers begin to grow in late spring, covered with a highly vascularised tissue known as velvet. Bucks either have a typical or atypical antler arrangement. Typical antlers are symmetrical and the points grow straight up off the main beam. Atypical antlers are asymmetrical and the points may project at any angle from the main beam.
However, both male and female reindeer grow antlers. There are rare cases in other deer species in which the females grow little antlers, but this is usually a result of abnormal hormone levels.
A bull may gather 20-30 cows into his harem during the mating season, often clashing or locking antlers with another mature male for the privilege of dominating the herd group. By November, mating season ends and elk generally move to their winter ranges. Calves weighing 25-40 pounds are born in late May or early June. [12]