For a moment I did wonder if this thread was a follow-up to the tread about what to wear on a formal hunt i Europe!

Regards,
Martin

Hmmm.... depends. I saw a clean buck on my farm yesterday. Looked like a four pointer but I wasn't really looking. I think the older bucks clean later.

I think antlers look at their best later in the season, say from the end of May, when the bucks have had a chance to colour theie antlers with a spot of fraying. It seems to give them more character.

The alternative is to invest in some potassium permanganate and paint them, which works very well, but it is cheating.

I shot this buck 1st April last year and as can be seen there is barely any velvet whatsoever. Other bucks had some tattered velvet.

[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=49608&c=500&z=1"][/url]

I agree with Deerdogs that the antlers looks better later on when they have darkened, however that razor sharp pearling and virgin surface is quite attractive in itself.

Fallow Buck,

Mature bucks lose their velvet first followed by the button and immature bucks

Griff

BTT