Behaviors Behind
Wildlife Antler Recycling
E
ach spring, white-tailed deer bucks shed their antlers and begin
growing a new set in preparation for the next season. For many outdoor
enthusiasts, searching for these shed antlers can be an enjoyable excuse
to get outside and stay active, but findings are often minimal. Many antlers
are swallowed up by vegetation, yet many more are picked up by a variety of
collectors.
Antlers lost to the woods serve as a valuable resource for a wide range
of wildlife species. Squirrels, like other rodents in Nebraska including mice,
woodchucks, porcupines, rabbits, chipmunks and beavers, have elodont teeth,
which are continuous-growing incisors that are only worn down by constant
gnawing. Antlers provide an ideal hardened surface for this purpose.
Story and photos by Brian Peterson
A white-tailed deer skull
with extensive squirrel
chewing damage on main
beams and antler tines.
JEFF KURRUS, NEBRASKALAND
more
than
bone
38 Nebraskaland • March 2026
