Also, the deer with the largest antlers likely had a father with large antlers. It has been found that large antlers are an inherited trait just like hair and eye colour in humans. Antler growth stops in the fall and the bone starts to solidify. The flow of blood to the antlers gradually stops and the velvet dries out. The dry velvet irritates the deer, they are anxious to get rid of it.
Deer rub their antlers against small trees and bushes in an effort to peel off the velvet.
Most deer get rid of the velvet within a day or so. One captive buck was observed to peel off all of the velvet within 10 minutes. Other deer have been observed to have velvet shreds hanging from their antlers for a week or more.