The whiter the antler the longer they have laid in the sun. They will gradually bleach out and continue to calcify over time. The ELK antlers that are darker tend to have more scent and are better for young, old, or first time chewers. The whiter colored antlers tend to be slightly tougher to get through and are not as scent heavy. Although antlers do get old and kind of greyish to yellow. These colors are dangerous and you should never purchase them. These colors of antlers are commonly found in large box stores or chains. Do not buy these if you see them, they are a splintering hazzard. Whisker Biscuits will never sell this poor quality antler.