Really pleased with what I found.........

[JonnyP]

Some very nice suggestions.

Here's a crazy thought: Why not return it to the place it was found so that others, passing by, can marvel and enjoy it, too?

Well I could do, but won't, cos the more I look at it, the more I marvel at it.....
It was found in an area that is very little disturbed and being a wet meadow, it would probably dissapear into the mud, during the winter........

 

[JonnyP]

That's more like it. Perhaps the sun has bleached one side? which way up was it when you found it?

Antlers are particuarlly unrealiable to use as a guide to age deer. It depends on so many other things. It could be from a two year old deer if the location is particuarlly good with lots of feed and nutrients avaliable or it could take a deer six years or more to get a head like that if it lives in a poorer area.
A much more accurate way to age them is by assessing the wear on the teeth and counting how many have erupted from the gum and what type. This also depends on the location though. As deer will ingest soil along with the food they eat a gritty soil will wear teeth quicker than a soft soil. The key is to find out what the conditions are for your area. Of course you need the deer present to be able to age by the teeth method!

Lots of animals will eat shed antlers, deer, squirrels, various rodents, rabbits etc.
It's a good form of calcium especially if there's not much occuring naturally.
It can be quite good fun trying to identify the animal by the tooth marks on an antler.

Cheers

Mark

Interesting, cheers Mark. Yes it was found white side up, indicating sun bleaching.........