Velvet Antlers

Right now, in summer, it’s time for antler growing. While they grow, the red deer have a ‘velvet’ covering that supplies blood to grow the necessary bone in the antlers.

Once grown, the deer will thrash in the ferns to remove the velvet leaving their distinctive antlers ready for the rut.

It’s a beautiful time of year with 6-foot-high ferns and everything green and lush. It’s the lull before the storm of testosterone that comes with fighting deer. With the velvet antlers a temporary sight, backlighting them is something I look for, creating a highlight effect on the antlers. Let’s try.