Deer and their cousins get antlers in the spring and lose them in the winter. Antlers can develop unnaturally if the buck has an injury to the velvet or another part of his body. When the antlers reach complete maturity, they harden to bone, and the velvet is severed from the deer's blood supply and dies. The next season, the deer sheds its antlers by rubbing them against a tree or other object until they fall off. Antler hunting is popular because hunters can see evidence of their success - often in the form of dried-out racks lying on the ground - before they even go looking for them. This is also one reason why young people shouldn't hunt: They might not find anything worth taking! Also note that while most males will grow antlers, not all do so successfully. Therefore, it is important to check with your local game warden if you have any doubts about whether or not it's legal to shoot an antlered deer.