Antlers vs. Horns

May 5, 2022

Question: How are antlers different from horns and pronghorns in ungulate species like deer, elk and bighorn sheep?

Answer: California is home to several ungulate species that have antlers, horns and pronghorns. Deer and elk have antlers which are made of bone and grow from pedicels, which are bony supportive structures that develop on an ungulate’s skull. Antlers are deciduous, which means they shed every year. For most ungulate species, only males grow antlers and typically not until after their first year of life (female caribou and caribou calves – which live in much colder climates than California – are an exception, because they do grow antlers). Horns are made of bony core covered in keratin, a structural protein that can be likened to fingernails. Horns occur in bighorn sheep and grow continuously through an animal’s life. Scientists can generally count growth rings on horns of males to determine an animal’s age, but aging females from horn rings is far less reliable. There are also several herds of pronghorn antelope in California, including on the Carrizo Plain in San Luis Obispo County and throughout northeastern California. Pronghorns are comprised of a sheath that grows over a bony core. Pronghorn sheaths are deciduous and shed yearly like antlers.

That was too many big words for me.