At first look we thought this buck had been taking out his frustrations on the trees and bushes and they had gotten the better of him. After a closer examination we realized the debris hanging from his antlers was the dead velvet that had been covering them. Indeed he had probably been attacking a tree or bush, maybe in frustration, but only to scrape off the antler covering.

Deer facts: During the growth phase of the bony antlers, they are covered with a sensitive skin referred to as "velvet," which is filled with blood vessels that feed the antlers the vitamins and the minerals necessary to build up the bone, and to promote normal antler growth. Antler growth spans two to four months, after which time the velvet is no longer needed, and a ring, which effectively serves as a shutoff valve, forms at the base of the antlers and cuts off the blood supply to the velvet. As a result, the velvet withers, dries up, and falls off, often assisted by the deer, which rubs his antlers against tree bark. ~ King's Outdoor World

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