Deer antlers are secondary sex characters, grown only by members of the deer family, Cervidae. They serve effectively as weapons important in establishing dominance during the breeding season. However, antlers also function as ornaments, and can be clear indicators of a buck’s strength, genetic quality and social status.
Researcher Dr. Steve Ditchkoff suggests that unbalanced antlers grown by young bucks are a clear signal of poor genetic quality. Likewise, large, well-balanced antlers are indicative of superior genetics. If a buck’s antlers do indeed signal his genetic quality, then genetically superior bucks, which tend to carry superior antlers, have an effective means of advertising their “good genes” to prospective mates.
It seems logical, then, that females can accurately assess the quality of a rutting buck based upon his antler traits. If…